USC SAT & ACT Score Requirements: What You Need to Get In (2026)

Last Updated: April 29, 2026

Key Takeaways

• USC's admitted-student SAT middle 50 is 1490 to 1550 and ACT middle 50 is 33 to 35, both super-scored. Enrolled-student ranges run slightly lower (SAT 1470 to 1540, ACT 32 to 35).
• USC is test-optional. About 44 percent of fall 2025 enrollees submitted scores. USC states that applicants without scores will not be disadvantaged in the admission or scholarship review.
• USC's overall acceptance rate for the Class of 2029 was 11.2 percent: 9,345 admits from 83,488 applicants, with 3,759 enrolled (a 40.3 percent yield).
• USC super-scores the SAT and ACT and uses the highest section scores from all sittings.
• USC's admit pool is academically dense: middle 50 unweighted GPA on a 4.00 scale is 3.87 to 4.00. About 15 percent of enrolled students received a USC merit scholarship; 122 are National Merit Scholars.

What SAT or ACT Score Do You Need for USC?

USC does not publish a competitive minimum and uses a deeply holistic review. What it does publish, in its official First-Year Student Profile, are the middle 50 percent score ranges across applicants, admits, and enrolled students for the Class of 2029:

Half of USC's admitted score submitters scored inside 1490 to 1550 on the SAT and 33 to 35 on the ACT. Practical target: aim for a 1520 SAT or a 34 ACT to land in the middle of admitted submitters. A 1490 or 33 keeps you competitive. A 1550 or 35 puts you at or above three-quarters of admits.

An important caveat: these ranges include only the 57 percent of admits who chose to submit scores. Score-submitters tend to be a self-selected stronger-on-test group. Submission strength does not translate one-for-one into admit advantage, since 43 percent of admits did not submit any score at all.

USC Is Test-Optional and Means It

USC's test-optional policy is more substantive than at many peer schools. USC's own profile states: "Applicants without scores will not be disadvantaged or penalized in USC's holistic admission or scholarship selection processes." The numbers back this up:

• 39 percent of applicants submitted scores. Most of USC's applicant pool applied without test scores.
• 57 percent of admits submitted scores. Score submitters are admitted at a slightly higher rate than non-submitters, but the gap is meaningfully smaller than at the most score-driven schools.
• 44 percent of enrolled students submitted scores. Of the students who actually attend USC, fewer than half had scores in their file.
• USC merit scholarships, including the Trustee Scholarship, Presidential Scholarship, and Deans Scholarship, are open to test-optional applicants. About 15 percent of the 2025 entering class received USC merit aid.

If your scores are at or above the admitted middle 50 (1490+ SAT or 33+ ACT), submit. If your scores are between roughly 1400 and 1480, the call is closer; you are below USC's admitted submitter band but above what most non-submitters would otherwise show. If your scores are below 1400 SAT or 30 ACT, go test-optional. Submitting in that range pulls the reader's impression down rather than up.

USC Super-Scores the SAT and ACT

USC uses an applicant-friendly super-scoring policy on both tests. From the admission page: "For students who submit test scores, USC records the highest scores from tests taken more than once."

• SAT super-score: Highest Reading and Writing across dates plus highest Math across dates combine into a new total.
• ACT super-score: Highest section scores in English, Math, Reading, and Science combine into a new composite.
• Submit all sittings. Lower section scores on individual dates are simply ignored. There is no penalty for sending every test you took.
• Self-reported scores accepted. USC accepts self-reported scores through the Common Application. Official score reports are required only after admission, before enrollment.

The combination of test-optional admission plus super-scoring gives applicants meaningful flexibility. You can choose to submit, choose not to submit, or send only your strongest sitting and let the super-score work in your favor.

Application Deadlines and Round Strategy

USC offers Early Action for most majors, Early Decision for the Marshall School of Business only, and Regular Decision. The deadlines and notification dates for the 2025-26 cycle:

Three strategic notes that catch applicants off guard:

• EA is required for merit scholarship consideration. If you want to be reviewed for Trustee, Presidential, or Deans Scholarships, you must apply by November 1. Applying RD removes you from the merit pool.
• Marshall Business has its own ED track, separate from EA. Marshall ED is binding for admitted students and is the only binding option at USC.
• Audition and portfolio majors have an earlier RD deadline (December 1). Cinematic Arts, Dramatic Arts, Music, Architecture, Roski Art and Design, and Kaufman Dance have their own December RD deadline. Standard RD for non-arts majors is January 10.

For most non-Marshall, non-arts applicants, applying EA is the strategically obvious choice. It is non-binding, gates merit scholarship review, and produces decisions roughly two and a half months earlier than RD.

USC's Wide Academic Footprint Drives the Profile

USC admits across an unusually broad academic spectrum, and the Class of 2029 enrollment distribution shows it:

• Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences: 43 percent
• Schools of Visual, Performing and Creative Arts (Architecture, Cinematic Arts, Dramatic Arts, Kaufman Dance, Roski Art and Design, Thornton Music): 16 percent
• Marshall School of Business and Leventhal School of Accounting: 16 percent
• Viterbi School of Engineering: 12 percent
• Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism: 5 percent
• Iovine and Young Academy: 2 percent
• Other schools (Price, Pharmacy, Health, Law, OT, Gerontology): 1 percent each

Pre-professional intent runs deep: 14 percent declared pre-medicine, 10 percent pre-law, and 4 percent pre-health (dental, pharmacy, OT, PT). Major-level selectivity varies more widely than at most peers because of this footprint:

• Cinematic Arts (production, writing, animation, interactive media): Among USC's most selective tracks. Admit rates vary significantly by sub-program; the Film and Television Production major in particular is frequently cited as one of the toughest creative-track admits in the country, with widely reported rates in the low single digits, though USC does not publish an official program-level rate. Other Cinematic Arts undergraduate tracks admit at meaningfully higher rates.
• Iovine and Young Academy: Tiny program (about 2 percent of the class). Effectively single-digit admit rate.
• Marshall World Bachelor in Business and Marshall Business Administration: Run materially tighter than the all-university 11.2 percent rate.
• Viterbi Engineering and Computer Science: Tighter than the headline rate, especially CS-focused tracks.
• Dornsife (most majors): Closer to the all-university average, with humanities tracks generally more accessible than sciences.

If USC is your target and you have a strong interest in a specific selective program (Cinematic Arts, Iovine and Young, Marshall WBB), expect the effective bar to be meaningfully higher than the published 1490 to 1550 SAT middle 50.

USC GPA Requirements and Course Rigor

USC publishes the unweighted GPA middle 50 directly in its student profile. The Class of 2029 picture:

• Applicants: Middle 50 unweighted GPA of 3.59 to 3.97.
• Admits: Middle 50 unweighted GPA of 3.87 to 4.00. Half of admits sit at or near a perfect 4.0 unweighted.
• Enrolled: Middle 50 unweighted GPA of 3.79 to 4.00.

Course rigor is heavily weighted. USC expects four years of English, four years of math (through Pre-Calculus or beyond), three to four years of laboratory science, three to four years of social science, and three years of foreign language. AP, IB, dual enrollment, or honors coursework is functionally universal among admits.

Engineering and science applicants benefit from completing AP or honors Calculus and AP Physics or Chemistry. Cinematic Arts, Architecture, and Dramatic Arts applicants need a strong portfolio or audition in addition to a strong transcript; the academic bar in those tracks is roughly the same as Dornsife but the supplemental review carries unusual weight.

Cost, Aid, and Why USC Is Need-Blind for U.S. Students

USC's posted 2025-26 cost of attendance is approximately $99,139 total, including $75,162 tuition. Two policies meaningfully change what most students actually pay:

• Need-blind admission for U.S. citizens and permanent residents. Ability to pay does not factor into the admission decision.
• Affordability Initiative. Admitted first-year students from U.S. families with annual income of $80,000 or less, with typical assets, attend USC tuition-free.
• Approximately two-thirds of enrolled students receive some form of financial assistance.
• About 15 percent of the entering class received a USC merit scholarship. Trustee Scholarship is full tuition; Presidential Scholarship is half tuition; Deans Scholarship is approximately one-quarter tuition.
• 122 National Merit Scholars in the Class of 2029.

USC requires both the FAFSA and the CSS PROFILE for need-based aid. The EA financial aid deadline is December 12; the RD financial aid deadline is February 4. California residents should also note the March 2 Cal Grant deadline.

For international students, need-based aid is not available; merit scholarships and departmental awards are. International applicants whose native language is not English must submit TOEFL, IELTS, PTE Academic, or Duolingo English Test results.

What USC Weighs Beyond Test Scores

USC's holistic review reads the entire application carefully. In rough order of weight:

1. Academic record. Unweighted GPA, course rigor relative to what your school offers, transcript trend.
2. Personal statement and short-answer responses. USC's short-answer prompts (favorite snack, dream job, role models) are a defining feature. They are read for genuine voice, not polish.
3. Activities list. Depth, leadership, and impact in a small number of activities beats a long, shallow list.
4. Letter of recommendation. One letter is required, from either a counselor or a teacher. Strong, specific letters from someone who knows you well outperform generic letters from a famous teacher.
5. Major-specific supplements. Cinematic Arts, Roski Art and Design, Architecture, Dramatic Arts, Music, and Kaufman Dance applicants submit portfolios or auditions. These materials carry significant weight in the major-specific review.
6. Test scores, when submitted. Used to corroborate the academic file but not required.

USC reports that legacy status (called "scions" in the profile) is considered: 15 percent of enrolled students are children of USC alumni. Demonstrated interest is not a separately weighted factor, but applying EA and writing strong, school-specific responses both register.

A Realistic Prep Plan for USC-Level Scores

If USC is your target and your current practice SAT is 1300 or ACT is 28, here is a workable pathway to the admit middle 50:

1. Sophomore spring to junior summer. Take one timed official Bluebook SAT and one ACT. Pick whichever scores higher in percentile, not raw points.
2. Junior fall. Begin structured prep, three to four hours per week, with full timed tests every two weeks. Identify your weakest section. USC super-scores, so concentrated attention on a single section pays off.
3. Junior spring. First official sitting. Lock in your strongest section.
4. Summer before senior year. Heavy prep window. Aim for one full timed practice per week. Target the section you did not peak in last sitting.
5. Senior fall. Second sitting in August or October. For the November 1 EA deadline, scores from October administrations arrive in time. If your fall results land below your target, you can still apply EA without scores and submit later for RD review (or stay test-optional altogether).

Score targets to anchor on: 1490 SAT or 33 ACT for the admitted 25th percentile (submitters), 1520 SAT or 34 ACT for the admitted middle, and 1550 SAT or 35 ACT for the upper end of admitted submitters. Trustee Scholarship finalists typically sit at 1550-plus SAT or 35-plus ACT with near-perfect academic records.

For adaptive practice, try the Larry Learns SAT platform or the Larry Learns ACT platform. If you are still deciding which test fits you, see our SAT vs ACT guide, and use the SAT score calculator to convert raw practice scores. For section-specific prep, our SAT math topics and ACT math topics guides break down what each test covers.

Frequently Asked Questions About USC SAT and ACT Scores

What is the average SAT score for USC?

Approximately 1520 (super-scored), based on a published admitted middle 50 of 1490 to 1550 for score submitters. Enrolled students average slightly lower at around 1505, with a middle 50 of 1470 to 1540.

What is the average ACT score for USC?

Approximately 34 composite (super-scored), with a published admitted middle 50 of 33 to 35. Enrolled students have a slightly broader middle 50 of 32 to 35.

What are USC's SAT requirements?

USC is test-optional, so there are no SAT requirements. Among admitted students who submitted scores, the middle 50 SAT range is 1490 to 1550. USC super-scores the SAT, using the highest section scores from all your test dates. About 57 percent of admits chose to submit scores.

What are USC's ACT requirements?

USC is test-optional. Among admitted students who submitted scores, the middle 50 ACT composite is 33 to 35. USC super-scores the ACT, using the highest section scores from all your test dates.

Is USC test-optional?

Yes. USC is test-optional, and the policy is meaningful: applicants without scores are not penalized in admission or scholarship review. Only 39 percent of Class of 2029 applicants submitted scores, and 44 percent of enrolled students submitted. Test-optional applicants can still be considered for all USC merit scholarships, including the Trustee, Presidential, and Deans Scholarships.

Does USC super-score the SAT and ACT?

Yes, both. USC takes the highest section scores across all your test dates and combines them into one super-score for the review. This applies to both the SAT and the ACT, which makes multiple sittings strictly beneficial if you choose to submit.

Should I submit scores to USC if I am test-optional eligible?

Submit if your SAT is 1490 or higher, or your ACT is 33 or higher. You are at or above the admitted submitter 25th percentile. If your scores are between 1400 and 1480 SAT (or 30 and 32 ACT), the call is closer; weigh the rest of your file. Below roughly 1400 SAT or 30 ACT, go test-optional.

What GPA do I need for USC?

USC does not publish a minimum GPA. The admitted middle 50 unweighted GPA on a 4.00 scale is 3.87 to 4.00. Half of admits have a 4.0 unweighted. Course rigor is heavily weighted, so a 4.0 in regular classes does not match a 3.85 in a heavy AP load.

What is USC's acceptance rate?

The Class of 2029 acceptance rate was 11.2 percent: 9,345 admits from 83,488 applicants. Yield was 40.3 percent (3,759 enrolled). Admit rates for the most selective majors (Cinematic Arts production, Iovine and Young Academy, Marshall WBB) are materially tighter than the headline figure.

When are the USC application deadlines?

Early Action is November 1 with decisions in mid-January. Early Decision (Marshall School of Business only, binding) is November 1 with decisions in mid-December. Regular Decision is December 1 for audition and portfolio majors and January 10 for most majors, with decisions April 1. The EA financial aid deadline is December 12; the RD financial aid deadline is February 4.

Does USC offer Early Decision?

Only for the Marshall School of Business, where ED is binding. All other majors apply via Early Action (non-binding) or Regular Decision. EA is required for merit scholarship consideration.

What scholarships does USC offer?

USC's named merit scholarships include the Trustee Scholarship (full tuition), Presidential Scholarship (half tuition), and Deans Scholarship (approximately one-quarter tuition). About 15 percent of the 2025 entering class received a USC merit scholarship. Merit aid review requires Early Action or Early Decision submission. USC is need-blind for U.S. applicants and offers tuition-free attendance for admitted U.S. students from families earning $80,000 or less under its Affordability Initiative.

Does USC consider legacy status?

Yes. USC's student profile reports that 15 percent of enrolled students in the Class of 2029 are children of USC alumni (referred to as "scions"). Demonstrated interest is not separately weighted, but applying EA, writing strong school-specific short answers, and connecting with admissions communications all register.

How hard is it to get into USC Cinematic Arts?

Significantly harder than the all-university 11.2 percent rate. Cinematic Arts production tracks are widely considered USC's most selective creative programs, with rates frequently reported in the low single digits, though USC does not publish official program-level admit rates. Other undergraduate Cinematic Arts tracks (Cinema and Media Studies, Media Arts and Practice) admit at higher rates. Applicants submit portfolios and supplemental materials in addition to the standard application; the academic bar matches Dornsife, but the portfolio review is the deciding factor.

How does USC compare to UCLA and Stanford?

USC's admitted SAT middle 50 (1490 to 1550) sits roughly on par with UCLA and slightly below Stanford's 1510 to 1570 admitted band. UCLA's 9.4 percent admit rate (Class of 2029) is tighter than USC's 11.2 percent. Stanford's sub-4 percent admit rate (around 3.8 percent for the Class of 2029) is in a different tier. Among elite West Coast universities, USC is meaningfully easier to get into than Stanford and roughly comparable in selectivity to UCLA, with a wider range of selective specialty programs (Cinematic Arts, Marshall, Iovine and Young).