Overview
University of Southern California in Los Angeles, California has competed in varsity esports since 2020, with affiliations including Big Esports Conference. Its teams currently compete in League of Legends, VALORANT, Overwatch 2, Marvel Rivals, Rocket League, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate and Deadlock. The school does not publicly list esports scholarship terms (usctrojanesports.com, 2025-26); contact the program directly. Federal College Scorecard data shows an average net price of $32,740 per year, an acceptance rate of 10% and a graduation rate of 92% across 20,443 undergraduates.
Esports details verified 2026-10-10 · Federal data retrieved 2026-10-10
Esports scholarships at USC
No esports scholarships published
USC doesn't publish esports scholarship terms. Ask the program staff about athletic or participation awards during recruiting.
The esports program
- Level
- Varsity
- Founded
- 2020
- Conference / league
- Big Esports Conference
- Facility
- Gaming Lab (Leavey Library basement)
- Titles fielded
- 7
Cost & outcomes vs. other esports schools
Compared with the median of all 405 esports programs we track.
| Tuition | $72,097 |
|---|---|
| Average net price (after grants) | $32,740 |
| Students receiving Pell grants | 22% |
| Median debt at graduation | $18,000 |
| Student-to-faculty ratio | 9:1 |
Who studies at USC
20,443 undergraduates, shown as 100 people.
- White 26%
- Hispanic/Latino 20%
- Black 7%
- Asian 23%
- Two or more races 6%
- International 13%
- Other / unknown 5%
- Women
- 52%
- First-generation
- 25%
- Pell recipients
- 22%
Frequently asked questions
Does USC offer esports scholarships?
The school does not publicly list esports scholarship terms (usctrojanesports.com, 2025-26); contact the program directly. Scholarship terms can change each season, so confirm with the program before applying.
What games does USC esports compete in?
USC fields varsity teams in League of Legends, VALORANT, Overwatch 2, Marvel Rivals, Rocket League, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate and Deadlock, according to the program's published information.
How much does USC cost per year?
The average annual net price — cost after grants and scholarships for students receiving aid — is $32,740. Published tuition is $72,097 (U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard).
How hard is it to get into USC?
USC admits 10% of applicants, per the College Scorecard.
When did USC start varsity esports?
USC's varsity esports program began in 2020.
Sources
- Esports program and scholarship terms: usctrojanesports.com (2025-26)
- Cost, admissions, outcomes and demographics: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, retrieved 2026-10-10
- Photo: Bobak Ha'Eri, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Research notes
Varsity program run by USC Games (School of Cinematic Arts + Viterbi), with a paid esports manager/coach. The first varsity LoL team was announced in a March 2020 USC Cinematic Arts article, which also said players could get cash stipends (not scholarships). The program site lists varsity teams in 7 titles. The homepage also lists a Call of Duty team with a 3-person roster, omitted here. BEC membership comes from Daily Trojan (Nov 2024). USC left the Power Esports Conference before 2025-26 (Wikipedia). The site doesn't spell out its governance. In fall 2024 the student orgs merged into 'USC Esports', which still manages the varsity teams. The usctrojanesports.com domain isn't a usc.edu domain but links to USC Games and lists esports@usc.edu.
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