Columbia's MS degree is not thesis based. All you have to do is finishing all 30 credits of coursework with no capstone project or thesis required at the end. But they do give you a MS degree rather than a MEng degree.
USC vs Columbia?? Come on, this is a no brainer. COLUMBIA!!!!
USC is a school with reputation that you don't have to be smart to get in if you have the money. Any school would be a better choice than U$C.