<p>While maybe there’s not a lot, you’re only setting yourself up to be wrong when you say something such as “not in any academic ranking.” This is a 2013 ranking where USC beats UCLA: [Top</a> Video Game Design Press Release](<a href=“http://www.princetonreview.com/game-design-press-release.aspx]Top”>Top Game Design Press Release | Public Relations | The Princeton Review | The Princeton Review)
and this is more: [USC</a> - Viterbi School of Engineering - USC Viterbi Ranked a ‘Top Ten’ Engineering School](<a href=“http://viterbi.usc.edu/news/news/2013/usc-viterbi-ranks.htm]USC”>http://viterbi.usc.edu/news/news/2013/usc-viterbi-ranks.htm)</p>
<p>^ #9 for graduate engineering programs…yet, when you look at the engineering specialty rankings:</p>
<h1>21 in Aerospace / Aeronautical / Astronautical Engineering</h1>
<h1>30 in Biomedical Engineering / Bioengineering</h1>
<h1>38 in Chemical Engineering</h1>
<h1>26 in Civil Engineering</h1>
<h1>12 in Computer Engineering</h1>
<h1>14 in Electrical / Electronic / Communications Engineering</h1>
<h1>53 in Environmental / Environmental Health Engineering</h1>
<h1>18 in Industrial / Manufacturing / Systems Engineering</h1>
<h1>36 in Materials Engineering</h1>
<h1>24 in Mechanical Engineering</h1>
<p>The ranking methodologies are different. In this case, it looks like USC engineering ranks well statistically…but its reputation hasn’t caught up. Reputation takes longer to improve.</p>
<p>Might be wise to look at average salary after graduation for engineers. You aren’t studying to be an engineer for love of engineering, you want to make money. I know Petroleum Engineers that have made 120 1 year out of school</p>
<p>Yes obviously I’m just lazy to search for that 1 or 2 “sub-exceptions”,
thanks for the links…</p>
<p>What SC Hedgie said. USC’s reputation is fine and getting better every year. It’s a great place to go to school for that reason, but like any other school it has its good and bad departments. Even Harvard’s engineering programs (for shame) are usually “just” ranked in the top 20.</p>
<p>From a hiring perspective, USC, Berkeley, and UCLA are generally considered equal. Stanford and Caltech still have the wow factor, but USC, UCLA, and Berkeley are highly respected degrees. That said, it’s still up to the individual candidate, and hiring decisions are much like college admissions in that they look at the whole picture, what you bring to the table, and what opportunities you’ve taken advantage of.</p>
<p>You’ll still get interviews from each of the schools (McKinsey Doesn’t recruit heavily at SC, but who wants to be a consultant anyway). At the U-Grad level, once you’re in the interview everyone is on a level playing field. Take advantage of what you learn in your classes and study up for interviews, and you’ll land a job at a respectable firm.</p>