Is USC or Arizona State better for starting a career in entertainment?

The biggest practical difference is location and day-to-day industry access: USC places you in Los Angeles. Arizona State offers media, film, and music-related study, but its main campus is in the Phoenix area, so students typically need to create more of their own path to Los Angeles-based opportunities.

USC’s School of Cinematic Arts is especially well known within film and television, and USC also has relevant pathways through Annenberg, Thornton, and Marshall for communications, music, and business interests. Its Los Angeles setting makes it more realistic to take a semester-long internship, attend industry panels, or build relationships with working assistants, producers, executives, and creatives while enrolled. Those informal connections matter because many entry-level entertainment jobs are filled through referrals and prior internship networks.

ASU can still be a productive route, particularly through its film and media programs, music offerings, student productions, and entrepreneurship resources. A motivated ASU student can pursue summer internships in Los Angeles, network through professional organizations, and relocate after graduation. But that approach requires more intentional outreach and often more travel than USC students face.

For the specific goal of launching a career in film, television, or the music business, USC is the stronger choice when its cost is manageable. Its combination of specialized programs, established entertainment alumni, and built-in access to Los Angeles gives students a clearer runway into internships and first jobs.