Which has stronger business networking opportunities for undergraduates: ASU or USC?

For an undergraduate whose top priority is access to a concentrated, nationally influential business network, USC is likely the stronger choice. Marshall’s alumni culture, smaller private-university environment, Los Angeles location, and close ties to major employers in entertainment, technology, consulting, finance, real estate, and startups can make relationship-building especially visible in day-to-day student life. USC classmates also tend to form a powerful long-term network across Southern California and beyond.

USC fits a student who wants to be proactive in a high-contact environment: attending alumni panels, joining professional clubs, using Marshall career programming, and building relationships with peers who may enter competitive industries. The network’s value is not automatic, but USC offers a particularly recognizable alumni base and a strong concentration of recruiters and graduates in Los Angeles.

ASU’s W. P. Carey School of Business is an excellent option for a student seeking broad access to employers and a large, energetic business community in the Phoenix area. Its scale creates many classmates, alumni, student organizations, and recruiting opportunities, especially in sectors with a substantial Arizona presence such as technology, healthcare, supply chain, real estate, finance, and large corporate operations. ASU can be especially compelling for someone planning to establish a career in Phoenix or the broader Southwest.

The practical distinction is concentration versus scale. USC offers a more tightly knit, prestige-driven private-school network with exceptional reach in Los Angeles; ASU offers a much larger network and strong regional employer access, but students may need to be more intentional about making a large campus feel personal. If ASU is substantially more affordable and Phoenix is a likely career market, W. P. Carey can still provide very strong returns through active involvement and internships.