Entry-Level Doctorate (OTD)
of Occupational Therapy
Cost of Attendance
The University of Southern California is a private institution where tuition is the same for all students. Residents of California, residents of other states and international students all have the same tuition rate. Estimated tuition and fees are presented below by cohort. Tuition rates are subject to change and are updated annually in accordance with University tuition rate adjustments.
2025-2028 Cohort
| Semester | # of Units | Estimated Tuition | USC Grad. Fees | Addl. Expenses* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fall 1 | 14–18 | $32,516 | $1147 | $9,748 |
| Spring 1 | 14–18 | $32,516 | $897 | $9,748 |
| Summer 1 | 14–18 | $32,516 | $312 | $9,748 |
| Fall 2 | 14–18 | $33,654 | $897 | $9,748 |
| Spring 2 | 14–18 | $33,654 | $897 | $9,748 |
| Summer 2 | 2 | $4,944 | $312 | $9,748 |
| Fall 3 | 6-10 | $14,931 | $897 | $9,748 |
| Spring 3 | 6-10 | $14,931 | $897 | $9,748 |
| Summer 3 | 3 | $7,785 | $312 | $9,748 |
| TOTAL | 87-115 | $207,447 | $6,568 | $87,732 |
| Total Cost of Tuition and Fees is $214,015 | ||||
2024-2027 Cohort
| Semester | # of Units | Estimated Tuition | USC Grad. Fees | Addl. Expenses* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fall 1 | 14–18 | $32,516 | $1006 | $9,142.67 |
| Spring 1 | 14–18 | $32,516 | $701 | $9,142.67 |
| Summer 1 | 14–18 | $32,516 | $300 | $9,142.67 |
| Fall 2 | 14–18 | $32,516 | $897 | $9,748 |
| Spring 2 | 14–18 | $32,516 | $897 | $9,748 |
| Summer 2 | 2 | $4,708 | $312 | $9,748 |
| Fall 3 | 6-10 | $14,931 | $897 | $9,748 |
| Spring 3 | 6-10 | $14,931 | $897 | $9,748 |
| Summer 3 | 3 | $7,785 | $312 | $9,748 |
| TOTAL | 87-115 | $204,935 | $6,219 | $85,916 |
| Total Cost of Tuition and Fees is $211,154 | ||||
2023-2026 Cohort
| Semester | # of Units | Estimated Tuition | USC Grad. Fees | Addl. Expenses* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fall 1 | 14–18 | $31,416 | $956 | $9,142.67 |
| Spring 1 | 14–18 | $31,416 | $651 | $9,142.67 |
| Summer 1 | 14–18 | $31,416 | $300 | $9,142.67 |
| Fall 2 | 14–18 | $32,516 | $701 | $9,142.67 |
| Spring 2 | 14–18 | $32,516 | $701 | $9,142.67 |
| Summer 2 | 2 | $4,708 | $300 | $9,142.67 |
| Fall 3 | 6-10 | $13,938 | $897 | $9,748 |
| Spring 3 | 6-10 | $13,938 | $897 | $9,748 |
| Summer 3 | 3 | $7,062 | $312 | $9,748 |
| TOTAL | 87-115 | $198,926 | $5,715 | $84,100 |
| Total Cost of Tuition and Fees is $204,641 | ||||
2022-2025 Cohort
| Semester | # of Units | Estimated Tuition | USC Grad. Fees | Addl. Expenses* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fall 1 | 14–18 | $29,918 | $880 | $9,142.67 |
| Spring 1 | 14–18 | $29,918 | $575 | $9,142.67 |
| Summer 1 | 14–18 | $29,918 | $288 | $9,142.67 |
| Fall 2 | 14–18 | $31,416 | $651 | $9,142.67 |
| Spring 2 | 14–18 | $31,416 | $651 | $9,142.67 |
| Summer 2 | 2 | $4,488 | $300 | $9,142.67 |
| Fall 3 | 6-10 | $13,938 | $701 | $9,142.67 |
| Spring 3 | 6-10 | $13,938 | $701 | $9,142.67 |
| Summer 3 | 3 | $7,062 | $300 | $9,142.67 |
| TOTAL | 87-115 | $192,012 | $5,047 | $82,284 |
| Total Cost of Tuition and Fees is $197,059 | ||||
USC Graduate Fees include: one-time $55 orientation fee, one-time $250 lab fee for OT516 (first fall semester), Student health service fee ($700/semester, summer $300), Student programming fee ($40/semester), Norman H. Topping Student Aid Fund ($11/semester), Transportation fee ($146/semester).
*Additional Expenses: The USC Financial Aid Office estimates annual graduate and doctoral student costs of $14,400 for housing; $8,028 for dining/meals; $1,200 for books and supplies; $2,754 for personal and miscellaneous; and $2,862 for transportation ($29,244 per year; in the above tables, the total annual amount is amortized across three semesters per year).
Cost of Licensure
If you are planning to work in the United States, please note that the costs and requirements for licensure to practice as an occupational therapist vary across states. Check with your state’s occupational therapy board for additional information. Also, consider that NBCOT study material expenses will vary by person. One of our student ambassadors outlined their personal costs and experience with licensure in California. Please review additional information from the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) regarding licensure.
Scholarships and Financial Aid
In this video, Associate Professor and Admissions Director, Dr. Amber Bennett, outlines the scholarships available for applicants of our USC Chan Entry-Level OTD Program: Division Tuition Scholarships, Vision Scholarships, and Research Student Worker positions. We recommend applying for as many scholarships as you can and completing your scholarship applications at the same time as your program application. Apply, apply, apply!
Please see additional information on how to apply for scholarships and financial aid, including videos of students and alumni discussing how they financed their education. We encourage all of our students to apply for all of our USC Chan scholarships as well as outside scholarships and awards.
Note: The scholarship application deadline for incoming students is December 1.
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