10-YEAR PAYOFF CURVECumulative economic payoff after graduation
+$153,120at year 10Net gainInvestment not yet recovered
NET GAIN$0UNRECOVERED
University of Southern California
⌖ Los Angeles, CA · 124 reportable field-and-credential outcomes
MODELED SCENARIO · Positive payoff
+$153,120 over 10 years
Modeled from observed year-5 institution earnings and the institution-wide average net price over four years.
This is a positive modeled result. Price, time to finish and future earnings can still change the outcome.
6.7 yrsModeled economic break-even
+49%Modeled 10-year ROI
$91,408Observed earnings · year 5
ECONOMIC INVESTMENT → PAYBACK
Estimated payoff over ten years.
The scenario counts direct price and earnings forgone upfront, then applies the reported annual earnings premium.
FEDERAL COST DATA
Four ways to read college price.
Annual college-wide figures from the current College Scorecard release. Average net price covers full-time, first-time undergraduates receiving federal aid; public-college figures use in-state students. Program tuition and individual aid offers may differ.
Cost, completion and earnings context
$32,740Average net price / year
$90,300Cost of attendance
$91,408Median earnings · year 5 after completion
91.8%Completion rate
9.8%Admission rate
20,443Student size
NATIONAL CONTEXT
How this college compares
Percentiles compare this institution with currently operating colleges that report the same federal measure.
EARNINGS PATH
Reported earnings over time
$63,275Year 1
$95,739Year 4
$91,408Year 5
Separate federal cohorts may underlie different measurement years.
The college average is not the whole story.
Observed earnings vary substantially by field and credential at the same institution.
1Law · First Professional Degree$203,0282Computer Science · Bachelor's Degree$192,8973Computer Science · Master's Degree$188,8714Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods · Graduate/Professional Certificate$187,8525Real Estate Development · Master's Degree$185,1746Business Administration, Management and Operations · Master's Degree$181,2507Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering · Master's Degree$180,4688Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration · Doctoral Degree$179,146Observed year-4 earnings · compare like fields and credentials before deciding
Comparable colleges in CA
Currently operating private nonprofit institutions with the closest combination of annual net price and observed year-5 earnings. Similarity is descriptive—not a quality ranking.
San Rafael, CA
Dominican University of California
- Annual net price
- $35,333
- Observed earnings · year 5
- $92,526
- Modeled 10-year ROI
- +48%
Charles R Drew University of Medicine and Science
- Annual net price
- $35,558
- Observed earnings · year 5
- $85,673
- Modeled 10-year ROI
- +26%
Northeastern University Oakland
- Annual net price
- $25,181
- Observed earnings · year 5
- $94,528
- Modeled 10-year ROI
- +76%
University of San Diego
- Annual net price
- $30,365
- Observed earnings · year 5
- $82,964
- Modeled 10-year ROI
- +26%
Explore exact field-and-credential outcomes
| Federal field | Credential | Earnings, year 4 | Federal debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Law | First Professional Degree | $203,028 | Not available |
| Computer Science | Bachelor's Degree | $192,897 | $20,178 |
| Computer Science | Master's Degree | $188,871 | Not available |
| Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods | Graduate/Professional Certificate | $187,852 | Not available |
| Real Estate Development | Master's Degree | $185,174 | Not available |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | Master's Degree | $181,250 | Not available |
| Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering | Master's Degree | $180,468 | Not available |
| Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration | Doctoral Degree | $179,146 | Not available |
| Computer Software and Media Applications | Master's Degree | $179,055 | Not available |
| Systems Engineering | Master's Degree | $178,619 | Not available |
| Computer Engineering | Bachelor's Degree | $166,369 | $9,500 |
| Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration | First Professional Degree | $163,791 | Not available |
| Marketing | Graduate/Professional Certificate | $161,928 | Not available |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | Master's Degree | $161,128 | Not available |
| Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods | Master's Degree | $158,632 | Not available |
| Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions | Master's Degree | $155,219 | Not available |
| Engineering, Other | Master's Degree | $150,717 | Not available |
| Real Estate | Bachelor's Degree | $143,977 | $19,500 |
| Legal Professions and Studies, Other | Graduate/Professional Certificate | $143,205 | Not available |
| Advanced/Graduate Dentistry and Oral Sciences | Master's Degree | $142,858 | Not available |
| Public Administration and Social Service Professions, Other | Master's Degree | $140,115 | Not available |
| Advanced/Graduate Dentistry and Oral Sciences | Graduate/Professional Certificate | $139,611 | Not available |
| Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering | Master's Degree | $139,463 | Not available |
| Mechanical Engineering | Master's Degree | $139,101 | Not available |
| Educational Administration and Supervision | Doctoral Degree | $138,552 | Not available |
| Health and Medical Administrative Services | Master's Degree | $132,258 | Not available |
| Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering | Bachelor's Degree | $131,532 | $20,500 |
| Civil Engineering | Master's Degree | $130,675 | Not available |
| Taxation | Master's Degree | $127,082 | Not available |
| Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering | Bachelor's Degree | $125,514 | $21,140 |
| Dentistry | First Professional Degree | $123,341 | Not available |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | Graduate/Professional Certificate | $123,330 | Not available |
| Accounting and Related Services | Master's Degree | $122,697 | Not available |
| Health and Medical Administrative Services | Graduate/Professional Certificate | $122,019 | Not available |
| Biomedical/Medical Engineering | Master's Degree | $121,165 | Not available |
| Accounting and Related Services | Bachelor's Degree | $121,101 | $16,500 |
| Human Resources Management and Services | Master's Degree | $116,471 | Not available |
| Computer Software and Media Applications | Bachelor's Degree | $115,839 | $23,500 |
| Social Work | Doctoral Degree | $113,125 | Not available |
| Industrial Engineering | Bachelor's Degree | $112,150 | $18,250 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | Bachelor's Degree | $109,128 | $17,375 |
| Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations | Master's Degree | $107,998 | Not available |
| Real Estate Development | Bachelor's Degree | $107,292 | $17,000 |
| Applied Mathematics | Master's Degree | $106,697 | Not available |
| Civil Engineering | Bachelor's Degree | $106,308 | $8,125 |
| City/Urban, Community, and Regional Planning | Bachelor's Degree | $106,094 | Not available |
| Medicine | First Professional Degree | $105,882 | Not available |
| Biomedical/Medical Engineering | Bachelor's Degree | $105,415 | $14,500 |
| Mechanical Engineering | Bachelor's Degree | $104,649 | $17,500 |
| Public Administration | Master's Degree | $103,721 | Not available |
| Applied Mathematics | Bachelor's Degree | $101,094 | $12,251 |
| Chemical Engineering | Bachelor's Degree | $100,646 | $13,000 |
| Legal Research and Advanced Professional Studies | Graduate/Professional Certificate | $98,030 | Not available |
| Engineering-Related Fields | Bachelor's Degree | $96,120 | $19,250 |
| Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology | Master's Degree | $96,014 | Not available |
| Dispute Resolution | Graduate/Professional Certificate | $95,860 | Not available |
| Public Health | Master's Degree | $95,642 | Not available |
| Economics | Bachelor's Degree | $94,435 | $14,000 |
| Dispute Resolution | Master's Degree | $94,256 | Not available |
| Public Policy Analysis | Master's Degree | $94,114 | Not available |
| Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions | Doctoral Degree | $93,753 | Not available |
| Cognitive Science | Bachelor's Degree | $93,440 | $19,669 |
| Communication and Media Studies | Master's Degree | $91,873 | Not available |
| Dental Support Services and Allied Professions | Bachelor's Degree | $91,726 | $31,250 |
| Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication | Master's Degree | $89,760 | Not available |
| Public Health | Bachelor's Degree | $89,522 | $15,250 |
| Neurobiology and Neurosciences | Bachelor's Degree | $89,203 | $15,750 |
| Design and Applied Arts | Bachelor's Degree | $89,022 | $18,262 |
| Public Policy Analysis | Graduate/Professional Certificate | $89,003 | Not available |
| City/Urban, Community, and Regional Planning | Master's Degree | $88,656 | Not available |
| Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication | Bachelor's Degree | $87,946 | $20,251 |
| Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions | Master's Degree | $87,543 | Not available |
| Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other | Master's Degree | $86,783 | Not available |
| Geography and Cartography | Graduate/Professional Certificate | $86,247 | Not available |
| Legal Research and Advanced Professional Studies | Master's Degree | $84,932 | Not available |
| International Relations and National Security Studies | Bachelor's Degree | $84,866 | $13,765 |
| Engineering, Other | Graduate/Professional Certificate | $84,820 | Not available |
| Geography and Cartography | Master's Degree | $83,256 | Not available |
| History | Bachelor's Degree | $79,940 | $12,638 |
| Journalism | Bachelor's Degree | $79,776 | $16,250 |
| Gerontology | Master's Degree | $79,668 | Not available |
| Architectural Sciences and Technology | Bachelor's Degree | $78,741 | $30,625 |
| Natural Resources Conservation and Research | Bachelor's Degree | $78,731 | $10,160 |
| Student Counseling and Personnel Services | Master's Degree | $77,125 | Not available |
| Journalism | Master's Degree | $76,630 | Not available |
| Communication and Media Studies | Bachelor's Degree | $75,864 | $17,702 |
| Political Science and Government | Bachelor's Degree | $75,090 | $12,869 |
| Architectural Sciences and Technology | Master's Degree | $74,838 | Not available |
| Public Policy Analysis | Bachelor's Degree | $74,511 | $18,000 |
| Social Work | Master's Degree | $73,829 | Not available |
| Educational Administration and Supervision | Master's Degree | $73,693 | Not available |
| Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions | Master's Degree | $72,615 | Not available |
| Special Education and Teaching | Graduate/Professional Certificate | $72,559 | Not available |
| Fine and Studio Arts | Bachelor's Degree | $72,428 | $21,125 |
| Sociology | Bachelor's Degree | $70,555 | $10,324 |
| Psychology, General | Bachelor's Degree | $70,461 | $14,000 |
| Library Science and Administration | Master's Degree | $70,398 | Not available |
| Human Biology | Bachelor's Degree | $69,751 | $14,500 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas | Master's Degree | $69,534 | Not available |
| Mathematics | Bachelor's Degree | $69,377 | $2,750 |
| East Asian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | Bachelor's Degree | $64,421 | Not available |
| Arts, Entertainment, and Media Management | Bachelor's Degree | $63,353 | $21,250 |
| Biology, General | Bachelor's Degree | $63,125 | $5,500 |
| Music | Doctoral Degree | $59,885 | Not available |
| Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other | Bachelor's Degree | $59,455 | $20,000 |
| English Language and Literature, General | Bachelor's Degree | $59,345 | $7,875 |
| Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | Bachelor's Degree | $59,088 | $20,380 |
| Film/Video and Photographic Arts | Bachelor's Degree | $58,623 | $21,687 |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities | Bachelor's Degree | $58,462 | $3,250 |
| Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology | Bachelor's Degree | $57,246 | $3,750 |
| Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies | Bachelor's Degree | $55,208 | $21,500 |
| Teaching English or French as a Second or Foreign Language | Master's Degree | $55,041 | Not available |
| Chemistry | Bachelor's Degree | $54,966 | Not available |
| Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft | Master's Degree | $53,569 | Not available |
| Film/Video and Photographic Arts | Master's Degree | $51,931 | Not available |
| Philosophy | Bachelor's Degree | $51,831 | $11,491 |
| Music | Master's Degree | $45,304 | Not available |
| Social Sciences, General | Bachelor's Degree | $42,038 | Not available |
| Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies | Bachelor's Degree | $41,637 | $19,500 |
| Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft | Bachelor's Degree | $40,415 | $12,000 |
| Music | Bachelor's Degree | $34,124 | $20,976 |
| Engineering, General | Bachelor's Degree | Not available | $2,750 |
| Physics | Bachelor's Degree | Not available | $7,500 |
| Dance | Bachelor's Degree | Not available | $15,875 |
Earnings, price, completion and enrollment are observed federal measures. ROI, payoff and break-even are modeled scenarios built from those measures and fixed assumptions. College payoff is not the payoff of every degree at this school; use the program table for a more precise comparison.