by our College Data Analytics TeamHow long does it take to earn a degree at USC? Find out how many students return after their freshman year, how long it takes to graduate, and what happens to the students who don't.
The freshmen retention rate applies to first-time / full-time students who come back for their second year.
With 91% students making it past their freshmen year, USC has freshmen retention rates above the national average.
Nationwide, the average first to second year retention rate is 70.57%.
When looking at just colleges and universities in California, the average is 73.07%.
| Retention Rate | |
|---|---|
| USC | 91% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| California | 73.07% |
Of the 4,743 students in the class of 2015, how many completed their degree on time?
Four years after beginning their degree, 75% of those students had graduated. By 2017, six years after starting their degree, 92% of the students had graduated and after eight years 92% of this class completed their degree.
Any student who completes their bachelor's degree within six years is considered to have graduated on time, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. This makes the offical USC graduation rate 92%.
The average USC student takes 4.17 years to graduate with their bachelors.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 4,100 | 79% |
| Six Years | 4,743 | 92% |
| Eight Years | 49 | 0% |
| Did Not Complete | 390 | 8% |
Approximately 390 students or 8% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 390 students who did not complete their degree?
8 are still enrolled.
174 transferred to another institution.
USC lost contact with the remaining 203 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 8 | 2.1% |
| Transferred | 174 | 44.6% |
| Dropped Out | 203 | 52.1% |
| Race/Ethnicity | Graduation Rate |
|---|---|
| American Indian or Alaskan Native | 100% |
| Asian | 94% |
| Black / African-American | 86% |
| Hawaiian | 82% |
| Hispanic | 91% |
| International | 92% |
| Multi-Ethnic | 90% |
| Unknown | 93% |
| White | 91% |
First-time, full-time students under the age of 25 are much more likely to graduate in four years. Some schools cater to mostly traditional students while others cater to 'non-traditional' students. So called 'non-traditional' students include part-time students or those who may be returning after an absense. It is common for part-time and/or adult students to take longer to graduate.
Traditional Students:
First-time, full-time students under the age of 25.
Non-Traditional Students:
Any student that is not first-time, full-time, and under the age of 25.
The majority of students at USC are considered 'traditional students' who are first-time attending full-time.
Examining the graduation rates of the specific cohorts shown below may be more revealing than looking at the overall graduaton rates.
First-time / full-time students at University of Southern California represent 66% of the students in the class of 2015, and 66.08% of USC bachelor's degree graduations.
With a four-year graduation rate of 75%, first-time students in the USC class of 2015 who attended classes full-time were more likely than average to graduate on time.
After six years, the USC graduation rate was 92%, and by the eight year mark, 93% of the cohort had completed their degree.
Nationwide, the average graduation rate for first-time undergraduates attending classes full-time is 37.92% after four years, 46.43% after six years, and 47.82% after eight years.
| First-Time / Full-Time Completions | USC | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 75% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 92% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 93% | 47.82% |
248 first-time / full-time students or 7% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
8 are still enrolled.
124 transferred to another institution.
USC lost contact with the remaining 115 who we assumed dropped out.
| First-Time / Full-Time Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 8 | 3.23% |
| Transferred | 124 | 50.00% |
| Dropped Out | 115 | 46.37% |
First-time / part-time students at University of Southern California represent 0.06% of the students in the class of 2015.
With a six-year graduation rate of 67%, first-time, part-time students in the USC class of 2015 who attended classes full-time were more likely than average to graduate on time.
After eight years, the graduation rate was 67%.
Nationwide, the average graduation rate for first-time undergraduates attending classes part-time is: 14.37% after four years, 21.59% after six years, 23.72% after eight years.
| First-Time / Part-Time Completions | USC | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 33% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 67% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 67% | 23.72% |
1 first-time / part-time students or 33% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
0 are still enrolled.
0 transferred to another institution.
USC lost contact with the remaining 1 who we assumed dropped out.
| First-Time / Part-Time Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.00% |
| Transferred | 0 | 0.00% |
| Dropped Out | 1 | 100.00% |
1745 USC students were classified as full-time / not first-time. This represents 33.65% of the students in the class of 2015.
Non first-time students could include transfer students or adults who have returned to school after an absense.
With a six year graduation rate of 92%, returning students in the class of 2015 and attended classes full-time had a graduation rate higher than the national average for students in this category.
After eight years, the graduation rate was 92%.
Nationwide, the average graduation rate for non first-time undergraduates attending classes full-time is: 49.57% after four years, 53.83% after six years, and 55.07% after eight years.
| Returning / Full-Time Completions | USC | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 92% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 92% | 55.07% |
133 non first-time / part-time students or 8% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
4 are still enrolled.
47 transferred to another institution.
USC lost contact with the remaining 82 who we assumed dropped out.
| First-Time / Part-Time Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 4 | 3.01% |
| Transferred | 47 | 35.34% |
| Dropped Out | 82 | 61.65% |
14 USC students were classified as full-time / not first-time. This represents 0.27% of the students in the class of 2015.
With a six year graduation rate of 43%, returning students in the class of 2015 and attended classes full-time had a graduation rate higher than the national average.
After eight years, the graduation rate was 43%.
Nationwide, the average graduation rate for non first-time undergraduates attending classes part-time is: 36.03% after six years, 36.03% after eight years.
| Returning / Part-Time Completions | USC | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 43% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 43% | 37.80% |
8 non first-time / part-time students or 57% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
0 are still enrolled.
3 transferred to another institution.
USC lost contact with the remaining 5 who we assumed dropped out.
| Returning / Part-Time Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.00% |
| Transferred | 3 | 37.50% |
| Dropped Out | 5 | 62.50% |
