Executive MBA at University of Southern California
Private university ยท Los Angeles, California
- AACSB accredited
- MBA
- Online MBA
- Executive MBA
- Part-Time MBA
University of Southern California is a private university with graduate business programs in Los Angeles, California. Those programs run through the Marshall School of Business. The institution is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University Commission.
The business school holds AACSB accreditation. It is the longest-established of the three business-school accreditors recognized in the United States, and it covers the school as a whole rather than any one program - a floor, not a ranking. More on accreditation.
Federal reporting puts graduate enrollment at 25,936 students, alongside 20,443 undergraduates. Total enrollment is not MBA cohort size - ask the admissions office how many students are in the specific program you're considering, which is usually a far smaller number and the one that shapes your experience.
Based on MBA Lab's directory data, the school offers a graduate MBA path, an online MBA format for remote or working students, an executive MBA (EMBA) format designed for experienced professionals, and a part-time or evening MBA format for students who keep working. That puts it among the 2 of 16 schools in MBA Lab's California directory listing an online MBA. Format availability changes; confirm the current lineup with the school before planning around it.
Los Angeles has 2 schools in MBA Lab's executive MBA programs directory, so it's worth comparing options in the same market before deciding - commute, employer partnerships, and evening scheduling often separate schools that look similar on paper.
What to ask University of Southern California
These questions are picked from what MBA Lab's data already says about this school, so they're the ones most likely to surface a real difference between it and the next school on your list.
- Published price vs. actual price. Private institutions like University of Southern California often discount heavily through merit aid, so the sticker figure is rarely what admitted students pay. Ask what share of the incoming class receives institutional aid and the median award.
- What "online" means here. Ask whether classes are live at set times or self-paced, whether any on-campus residencies are required, and whether online students get the same career services, clubs, and recruiting access as on-campus students. These answers vary widely between schools that use the same word.
- Cohort experience level. An EMBA's value is largely the room. Ask for the average years of work experience, the seniority mix, and how many classmates are employer-sponsored - a cohort of directors and a cohort of five-years-in analysts are different products at the same price.
- Pace flexibility. Ask how long students typically take, whether you can drop to one class during a heavy work quarter without penalty, and how late evening sections actually run against your commute from work.
- Where the degree is administered. Programs run through the Marshall School of Business may have their own admissions timeline, aid pool, and career office, separate from the university's central graduate school. Confirm which office owns your application.
- Compare inside Los Angeles first. With 2 schools in this directory in the same city, you can often visit or attend information sessions at all of them in a single week - the fastest way to tell apart programs whose websites read identically.
- Ask for the school's own outcome numbers. The federal figures on this page cover business master's graduates who took federal aid, pooled across several years. The school's employment report will be narrower and more current - ask for it by program and by graduating class, not a blended average.
At a glance
| Institution | University of Southern California |
|---|---|
| Business school | Marshall School of Business |
| Control | private |
| Location | Los Angeles, California |
| Campus setting | Large city |
| Carnegie class | Doctoral university, very high research activity (R1) |
| MBA formats listed | MBA Online MBA Executive MBA Part-Time MBA |
| Graduate enrollment | 25,936 |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 20,443 |
| Business accreditation | AACSB — view listing |
| Institutional accreditation | Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University Commission |
| Official site | Visit website |
| Net price calculator | Estimate your cost |
| Federal data | College Scorecard profile |
School names, locations, and program formats are curated by MBA Lab and reviewed periodically (last data update: July 2026). Enrollment, accreditation, links, and any outcome figures come from U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard (June 2026 release). Always verify formats, deadlines, and costs on the school's official admissions pages. How this data works.
Reported outcomes
Among the 7 schools in MBA Lab's California executive MBA programs directory that report a figure, University of Southern California ranks 3rd by one-year earnings. Schools that report nothing are left out of that count rather than counted as zero.
What these numbers are. Figures cover graduates of master's-level programs in Business Administration, Management and Operations (CIP 52.02) who received federal financial aid. At some institutions that group includes business master's degrees other than the MBA, and it never includes graduates who took no federal aid - so these are a directional signal about a school's business master's programs, not an MBA salary report. Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard, June 2026 release. Check University of Southern California's Scorecard profile. Full methodology.
Compare with other schools in California
| School | City | AACSB | Formats listed | Earnings, 1 yr out |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Southern California This page | Los Angeles | Yes | MBA, Online MBA, Executive MBA, Part-Time MBA | $132,668 |
| University of California, Los Angeles | Los Angeles (same city) | Yes | MBA, Executive MBA, Part-Time MBA | $172,128 |
| Pepperdine University | Malibu | Yes | MBA, Online MBA, Executive MBA, Part-Time MBA | $112,068 |
| University of California, Berkeley | Berkeley | Yes | MBA, Executive MBA, Part-Time MBA | Not reported |
| University of California, Irvine | Irvine | Yes | MBA, Executive MBA, Part-Time MBA | $119,774 |
| University of California, San Diego | San Diego | Yes | MBA, Executive MBA, Part-Time MBA | $98,870 |
| Santa Clara University | Santa Clara | Yes | MBA, Executive MBA, Part-Time MBA | $140,238 |
| University of San Francisco | San Francisco | Yes | MBA, Executive MBA, Part-Time MBA | $98,785 |
"Not reported" means College Scorecard publishes no figure for that school - usually too few federally-aided graduates to release without identifying them. It is not a low number, and these schools are excluded from every average on this page rather than counted as zero. A dash under AACSB means the school isn't on AACSB's accredited list; it may hold ACBSP or IACBE accreditation instead, which this directory doesn't track.
This school in other directories
Frequently asked questions
What MBA formats does University of Southern California offer?
MBA Lab's directory lists an online MBA, an executive MBA, and a part-time MBA at University of Southern California, alongside the core MBA. Formats change - confirm the current lineup on the school's official site.
What do graduates of University of Southern California's business master's programs earn?
College Scorecard reports median earnings of $132,668 one year after completion for graduates of master's-level Business Administration programs at University of Southern California who received federal financial aid. Four years out the reported median is $181,250. That group can include business master's degrees other than the MBA, and excludes graduates who took no federal aid, so treat it as a directional signal rather than an MBA salary figure.
How much debt do students take on at University of Southern California?
The reported median federal graduate debt is $77,686 for business master's graduates at University of Southern California. Against the reported one-year earnings median, that is about 0.59x a year of earnings. Federal loans are only part of the cost picture - it excludes private loans, employer sponsorship, and savings.
Is University of Southern California's business school AACSB-accredited?
Yes - University of Southern California appears on AACSB's list of accredited institutions. AACSB, founded in 1916, is the longest-established of the three business-school accreditors recognized in the United States (the others are ACBSP and IACBE). Accreditation covers the school, not any individual program, so treat it as a quality floor rather than a ranking.
Is University of Southern California a public or private institution?
University of Southern California is a private university, and MBA Lab lists its graduate business programs in Los Angeles, California. It is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University Commission.
How do I compare University of Southern California with other schools in California?
MBA Lab lists 8 schools in its California executive MBA programs directory. Use a consistent rubric across them: curriculum, recruiting outcomes, format fit, cost after aid, and location constraints.
Where should I verify program details?
Always confirm formats, deadlines, and costs on the school's official admissions pages. MBA Lab is a planning directory, not an admissions authority, and does not endorse specific schools.
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