PlainCollege

Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University vs University of Southern California

Blacksburg, VA · Los Angeles, CA · largest Scorecard gap: acceptance rate

Scorecard match plate

Pair VA:CA

MIXED-SECTOR · CROSS-STATE · ACCEPT-GAP · NET-SPLIT · EARN-SPLIT · DEBT-SPLIT · COMPLETE-HIGH · GAP-ACCEPT

  • MIXED-SECTOR Mixed sector
  • CROSS-STATE VA × CA
  • ACCEPT-GAP Admission gap
  • NET-SPLIT Net-price split
  • EARN-SPLIT Earnings split
  • DEBT-SPLIT Debt split
  • COMPLETE-HIGH High completion
  • GAP-ACCEPT Largest gap · Acceptance Rate

Instrument codes from this pair's College Scorecard ownership, geography, acceptance, net price, earnings, debt, and completion, plus the ENROLL-RACE · single · 2013–2023 decade-path stamp below, not a ranking or recommendation.

Decade path · College Scorecard

Both enrollments grew, different paces

ENROLL-RACE · single · 2013–2023

Undergraduate headcount rose at both Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University and University of Southern California across 2013–2023 on similar paces, while acceptance rates tightened on both sides, a growth-under-squeeze pattern rather than a pure size race.

  • Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University: enrollment grew +27.2% over 2013–2023; fitted +733 students/yr fitted, r² 0.96.
  • University of Southern California: enrollment grew +15.1% over 2013–2023; fitted +285 students/yr fitted, r² 0.94.
  • Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University: acceptance rate tightened -18.9% across 2013–2023 (r² 0.77).
  • University of Southern California: acceptance rate tightened -49.5% across 2013–2023 (r² 0.80).

College Scorecard institution series; dollars are nominal. Direction claims require r² ≥ 0.40 on the fitted annual slope, otherwise the page reports the observed range. Descriptive history, not a recommendation.

Scorecard metrics

Cards ordered by relative gap on this pair. Teal = better side.

Largest gaps: Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University vs University of Southern California

  1. ACCEPTANCE-RATE University of Southern California leads on acceptance rate (9.8% vs 54.8% at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University)
  2. IN-STATE-TUITION Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University leads on in-state tuition ($15,948 vs $72,097 at University of Southern California)
  3. OUT-OF-STATE-TUITI Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University leads on out-of-state tuition ($37,764 vs $72,097 at University of Southern California)

Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University profile · University of Southern California profile · Compare other colleges

Acceptance Rate and other Scorecard questions

On acceptance rate, who leads between Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University and University of Southern California?▼
University of Southern California leads on acceptance rate at 9.8% versus 54.8% at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.
On in-state tuition, who leads between Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University and University of Southern California?▼
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University leads on in-state tuition at $15,948 versus $72,097 at University of Southern California. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.
On out-of-state tuition, who leads between Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University and University of Southern California?▼
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University leads on out-of-state tuition at $37,764 versus $72,097 at University of Southern California. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.

Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard College Scorecard institution outcomes (earnings, completion, debt); acceptance rate focus for this pair · 2025