Admissions data checked October 9, 2026 by Florida Test Prep.
University of Southern California reports a middle 50% SAT of 1470 to 1540 (enrolled, fall 2025, CDS 2025-26; 33% submitted an SAT). We use 1500 as a first planning target, then adjust it to the student's diagnostic and timeline. It is not an admission requirement or a guarantee.
| Middle 50% SAT | 1470 to 1540 (enrolled, fall 2025, CDS 2025-26; 33% submitted an SAT) |
| Middle 50% ACT | 32 to 35 |
| Acceptance rate | 11.2% (fall 2025, CDS 2025-26, 83,488 applicants) |
| Testing for 2026-27 | Test optional for 2026-27 |
| Type | Private university |
Source: USC official admissions data. A middle 50% describes the central half of the reported group, not a cutoff.
USC does not require a score but will consider one if submitted; most enrolled students did not submit a score in this cohort.
| School | Middle 50% SAT | Acceptance |
|---|---|---|
| Stanford University | 1520 to 1570 | 3.8% |
| University of Southern California | 1470 to 1540 | 11.2% |
| Santa Clara University | 1330 to 1470 | 47.9% |
Cohorts differ by school (admitted vs enrolled, and year). See every school with its cohort and source on SAT Scores for California Colleges.
California has no state scholarship with an SAT cutoff: the Cal Grant, the state's main financial aid program, is awarded on GPA and financial need only, with no role for test scores in eligibility or amount, and the UC and CSU systems that most Cal Grant recipients attend do not use SAT/ACT scores for aid either, so score-tied money in California comes only from a handful of private universities' own competitive merit programs.
Pepperdine Regents Scholars Program: Competitive, holistic award based on unweighted recalculated GPA plus the submitted test score; no separate application, awarded at the time of admission.
Azusa Pacific University Trustees' and Presidents'/Provost's/Deans' Scholarships: Trustees' Scholarship (full tuition, 4 awarded annually) requires a 3.9 weighted HS GPA; the President's/Provost's/Deans'/Directors' tiers blend GPA and test score with no published breakpoints.
The full rules, deadlines and class years are on our California SAT prep page.
| College | State | Middle 50% SAT |
|---|---|---|
| Amherst College | Massachusetts | 1470 to 1540 |
| Bowdoin College | Maine | 1470 to 1540 |
| Brown University | Rhode Island | 1470 to 1550 |
| Emory University | Georgia | 1480 to 1540 |
A score that is competitive at USC lands in the same part of the range at these schools. Cohorts differ by school, so read each page's notes before comparing.
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Find my teen's target scoreThere is no published minimum; the middle half of the reported group scored 1470 to 1540. A score at or above 1540 puts a student in the top quarter of that group. A score near 1470 is within the range, and grades, coursework and the rest of the application still decide the outcome.
Yes. USC lists its policy as: Test optional for 2026-27. A score inside or above the range can still strengthen an application, and some scholarships and programs use scores separately.
11.2% (fall 2025, CDS 2025-26, 83,488 applicants). Rates vary by program and residency, so read the overall figure as context, not a personal prediction.
No. A middle 50% is a description of last year's group, not a cutoff in either direction. It tells you where a score is competitive, which is the useful part for planning test dates.
Want to know what your teen needs for USC? Their target, their gap and the weeks to close it are what we map in the free Strategy Session.
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