University of Southern California
| Motto | Latin: Palmam qui meruit ferat |
|---|---|
Motto in English | "Let whoever earns the palm bear it" |
| Type | Private research university |
| Established | October 6, 1880 |
| Accreditation | WSCUC |
Religious affiliation | Nonsectarian, historically Methodist |
Academic affiliations | |
| Endowment | $8.2 billion (2024) |
| Budget | $7.4 billion (2023–24) |
| President | Carol Folt |
| Provost | Andrew T. Guzman |
Academic staff | 4,767 (2023) |
Administrative staff | 18,123 (2023) |
| Students | 49,318 (2021) |
| Undergraduates | 20,790 (2021) |
| Postgraduates | 28,528 (2021) |
| Location | , , United States 34°01′14″N 118°17′05″W / 34.0206°N 118.2848°W |
| Campus | University Park campus, 226 acres (0.91 km2) Health Sciences campus, 79 acres (0.32 km2) |
| Other campuses | |
| Newspaper | Daily Trojan |
| Colors | Cardinal and gold |
| Nickname | Trojans |
Sporting affiliations | |
| Mascot |
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| Website | usc |
The University of Southern California (USC, SC, or Southern Cal[a]) is a private research university in Los Angeles, California, United States. Founded in 1880 by Robert M. Widney, it is the oldest private research university in California, and has an enrollment of more than 49,000 students.
The university is composed of one liberal arts school, the Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences, and 22 undergraduate, graduate, and professional schools, enrolling roughly 21,000 undergraduate and 28,500 post-graduate students from all fifty U.S. states and more than 115 countries. It is a member of the Association of American Universities, which it joined in 1969.
USC sponsors a variety of intercollegiate sports and competes in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and the Big Ten Conference. Members of USC's sports teams, the Trojans, have won 107 NCAA team championships and 412 NCAA individual championships. As of 2021, Trojan athletes have won 326 medals at the Olympic Games (153 golds, 96 silvers, and 77 bronzes), more than any other American university. USC has had 571 football players drafted to the National Football League, the second-highest number of draftees in the country.