The University

USC is a constellation of schools, centers and institutes where some of the brightest minds, working together in a dynamic and collaborative environment, are leading the way to the future of education and a healthier, more joyful and more sustainable Los Angeles and world.

3,500

USC supports 3,500 children in college access programs and more than 600 children in preschool and early literacy programs annually. The USC McMorrow Neighborhood Academic Initiative enrolls close to 1,000 students every year.

$773M

Total amount of financial aid disbursed by USC from all sources for 2021-22 including work-study and loans. Between 2017 and 2022, university need-based grant funding increased at an annual growth rate of 11.6%.

24

Total number of faculty members that have been awarded a Nobel Prize, MacArthur “genius grants” or a National Medal.

Archival footage of a freshmen picnic in 1880

History

On October 6, 1880, the University of Southern California opened its doors to its first students. Fifty-three young men and women were enrolled in its two departments, the “academic” or preparatory department and the college department, later referred to as the College of Liberal Arts. Today, USC is home to more than 48,000 students and over 4,400 full-time faculty within its 23 schools and academic units, and is located in the heart of one of the biggest metropolises in the world.