Financial Aid

USC Merit Scholarships and Financial Aid

USC gave merit aid averaging $21,399 to 637 first-year students who had no financial need, about 26% of the freshmen without need.

Merit aid

Scholarships USC gave to first-year students who had no financial need.

Average merit award

$21,399

Freshmen who got one

637

of 3,975 in the class

Share of those without need

26%

who received merit aid

Need-based aid

For first-year students the college found to have financial need.

Average need-based grant

$56,128

Average percent of need met

99.4%

Freshmen with need

38%

1,501 students

The average total aid package, which can include loans and work-study, was $90,648.

How to read these numbers

Merit aid is awarded for grades, scores, or talent. Need-based aid is awarded for family finances. A student can receive both.
The merit figures count only students with no financial need, so they show what a family that will not qualify for need-based aid can expect.
A grant does not have to be repaid. A package can include loans, which do.

Email me USC's aid numbers

A link to this page, plus the merit aid comparison for every college we track.

I consent to receive transactional text messages (Conversational/Alerts, Appointments, and Booking Confirmations) from Dewey Smart at the number provided. Consent is not a condition of purchase. Msg & data rates may apply. Msg frequency varies. Reply STOP to opt out, HELP for help. See our Privacy Policy, Terms, and SMS Terms.

I agree to receive recurring automated marketing & promotional text messages from Dewey Smart at the number provided. Consent is not a condition of purchase. Msg & data rates may apply. Msg frequency varies. Reply STOP to opt out, HELP for help. See our Privacy Policy, Terms, and SMS Terms.

We respect your privacy. Unsubscribe anytime.

Frequently asked questions

Does USC give merit scholarships?

USC gave merit aid averaging $21,399 to 637 first-year students who had no financial need, about 26% of the freshmen without need.

How much is the average merit scholarship at USC?

$21,399 for first-year students without financial need, according to USC's 2025-26 Common Data Set. That is an average across everyone who got an award, so individual offers run higher and lower.

Does USC meet full financial need?

USC reports meeting 99.4% of need on average for first-year students who were awarded need-based aid. A figure under 100% means the average student was left with a gap to cover.

What share of USC freshmen have financial need?

1,501 of 3,975 first-time, full-time freshmen, or 38%, were found to have financial need.

Source: USC’s own Common Data Set 2025-26, Section H, for first-time, full-time freshmen. Last checked 2026-10-08. These are averages for one entering class, and some colleges report the prior year’s class in this section. Your own offer depends on your family’s finances and your application.