Home Colleges California University of California Berkeley
Public 4-Year Highly Selective Berkeley, CA NCAA Division I-FBS

University of California Berkeley

Berkeley, CA

11%
Acceptance Rate
$48,259/yr
Est. Cost of Attendancesum of published cost components
$13,481/yr
Avg Price After Aid
92.9%
6-yr Grad Rate
33,068
Undergrads

About University of California Berkeley

University of California-Berkeley is a public university with an 11.0% acceptance rate and 33,068 undergraduate students. The student-to-faculty ratio is 18:1, with a 92.9% six-year graduation rate. The cost of attendance is $48,259, and median earnings are $74,919 at six years and $92,446 at ten years after enrollment.

Type
Public 4-Year
Undergrads
33,068
Avg Faculty Salary
$192,150
Athletics
NCAA Division I-FBS
Endowment
$3.2B
Pell Students
28.6%
First-Gen
34.6%
What University of California Berkeley Is Known For
Majors far more concentrated here than at colleges nationally
Computer and Information Sciences 771 graduates · 8.4% of degrees here vs 0.08% nationally 106×
Cell/Cellular and Molecular Biology 691 graduates · 7.5% of degrees here vs 0.17% nationally 44×
Econometrics and Quantitative Economics 631 graduates · 6.9% of degrees here vs 0.76% nationally
Electrical and Electronics Engineering 492 graduates · 5.3% of degrees here vs 0.74% nationally
Computer Science 796 graduates · 8.6% of degrees here vs 2.26% nationally
SOURCEIPEDS Completions 2023, against the national share at the same degree level
Admissions
11%
Acceptance rate · Highly Selective
125,910
Applicants
Can I Get In? →
Cost & Aid
$13,481 avg net
Average net price after aid
$5,311
Under $30K income
$3.2B
Endowment
Can I Afford It? →
Outcomes
$74,919 median
Median earnings 6 years after entering
92.9%
6-yr Grad Rate
$13,000
Median Debt
Is It Worth It? →

University of California Berkeley Acceptance Rate & Admissions

Acceptance Rate
11%
125,910 applicants
Student:Faculty Ratio
18:1
Undergrad instruction

UC Berkeley is a highly selective public university with an 11.0% acceptance rate and 33,068 undergraduate students. The institution demonstrates strong outcomes, with a 92.9% six-year graduation rate and median earnings of $92,446 ten years after enrollment.

How Selective Is That, Really?
Each dot is one of 100 applicants · Source: school's Common Data Set, else College Scorecard
1 in 9 applicants is admitted · 125,910 applied
10-Year Acceptance Rate Trend
10-year trend · Source: College Scorecard
10 years
Who Applies, and Who Gets In
First-year applicants, admits and enrollees by gender
Applied Admitted Rate Enrolled
Men 60,232 5,546 9.2% 2,733
Women 65,678 9,131 13.9% 3,908
SOURCEIPEDS Admissions — Fall 2023 admissions cycle
How These Admissions Numbers Compare
Against the colleges this school should be measured against
Median

University of California Berkeley admits 11% of applicants — a typical similar college admits 83%.

Acceptance rate
This school
11%
Similar colleges (532)
83%
CA (130)
76.5%
San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA (27)
83.5%
National (1,934)
78.1%

Each bar is the median of that group, with the number of schools in brackets. “Similar colleges” means the same control and the same predominant degree awarded. Groups of fewer than 15 schools are not shown.

University of California Berkeley Tuition, Fees & Cost of Attendance

Avg Net Price
$13,481
Average for all students receiving federal aid, 2023-24
Median Federal Debt
$13,000
Federal Loan Rate
16.8%
Students borrowing federal loans

UC Berkeley's cost of attendance is $48,259 annually. With 28.6% of students receiving Pell grants and 34.6% being first-generation students, the institution serves significant low-income populations.

Cost of Attendance Breakdown
Estimated annual costs · on-campus, 2023-24 · Source: College Scorecard
$48,259
In-state Tuition & Fees
$16,347
34%
Room & Board
$23,750
49%
Books & Supplies
$1,131
2%
Other Expenses
$7,031
15%

What You'd Actually Pay by Family Income

What You'd Actually Pay by Family Income
Average net price after all grants and scholarships · Source: College Scorecard (IPEDS net price)
Under $30,000
$5,311
$30,001 – $48,000
$6,501
$48,001 – $75,000
$9,693
$75,001 – $110,000
$15,074
Over $110,000
$34,529
Full Cost of Attendance
Source: College Scorecard
2023-24

Student Loan Debt

How Many Students Borrow
Undergraduates taking on any loan
Take out a loan
66%
Federal loans
17%

Graduates who borrowed carry a median monthly repayment of about $138.

SOURCECollege Scorecard, U.S. Department of Education
How This Price Compares
Against the colleges this school should be measured against
Median

After aid, University of California Berkeley costs $13,481 a year — about 8% less than a typical similar college.

Cost of attendance
This school
$45,619
Similar colleges (565)
$25,083
CA (253)
$22,850
San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA (54)
$22,339
National (3,197)
$25,367
Students taking a loan
This school
66.4%
Similar colleges (583)
84.8%
CA (409)
84.4%
San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA (82)
82.1%
National (4,096)
86.4%
Median debt at graduation
This school
$13,000
Similar colleges (585)
$21,000
CA (416)
$10,750
San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA (79)
$11,537
National (4,347)
$13,097
Average net price
This school
$13,481
Similar colleges (565)
$14,600
CA (503)
$20,807
San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA (97)
$17,246
National (5,106)
$17,160

Each bar is the median of that group, with the number of schools in brackets. “Similar colleges” means the same control and the same predominant degree awarded. Groups of fewer than 15 schools are not shown.

University of California Berkeley Graduation Rate & Student Outcomes

6-yr Grad Rate
92.9%
Median Earnings 6yr
$74,919
6 years after entering

UC Berkeley has a 92.9% six-year graduation rate and median earnings of $74,919 six years after enrollment and $92,446 ten years after enrollment.

Graduate Earnings After College

Median Graduate Earnings Over Time
6 and 10 years after entering · includes all students, not just graduates · Source: College Scorecard
Median Earnings by Gender · 6 Years After Entering
Students working 6 years after entering · Source: College Scorecard
$86,120
Men
$67,283
Women
Graduation Rate: Pell vs. Non-Pell
6-year graduation rate by grant status · Source: College Scorecard
86.9%
Pell recipients
93.2%
Non-Pell students

Top Majors & Programs

Top Majors by Graduates
Most recent year available · bachelor's degrees only · Source: IPEDS Completions 2023
MajorGraduates
Computer Science796
Computer and Information Sciences, Other771
Cell/Cellular and Molecular Biology691
Econometrics and Quantitative Economics631
Electrical and Electronics Engineering492
Business Administration and Management,...425
Political Science and Government, General386
Research and Experimental Psychology, Other307
Sociology, General252
Mass Communication/Media Studies226
Graduation Rate by Race & Ethnicity
Completing within six years
Asian
96%
White
92.4%
Hispanic
85.5%
Black
78%
SOURCECollege Scorecard — groups with too few students to report are omitted
Earnings Further Out
The longer horizon

Median earnings eight years after entering University of California Berkeley are $84,865, and 76% of former students earn more than $25,000 six years after entry.

SOURCECollege Scorecard, U.S. Department of Education
How These Outcomes Compare
Against the colleges this school should be measured against
Median

Six years after entry, former University of California Berkeley students earn $74,919 — 63% more than at a typical similar college.

Median earnings, 10 years
This school
$92,446
Similar colleges (587)
$54,560
CA (462)
$41,247
San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA (89)
$47,224
National (4,696)
$40,782
Median earnings, 6 years
This school
$74,919
Similar colleges (589)
$46,058
CA (488)
$36,007
San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA (96)
$39,805
National (4,847)
$35,433
Graduation rate
This school
92.9%
Similar colleges (566)
51.7%
CA (168)
61.2%
San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA (31)
63.3%
National (2,168)
52.3%
Freshman retention
This school
96.8%
Similar colleges (567)
76%
CA (124)
81.4%
San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA (27)
84.5%
National (1,841)
75.7%

Each bar is the median of that group, with the number of schools in brackets. “Similar colleges” means the same control and the same predominant degree awarded. Groups of fewer than 15 schools are not shown.

University of California Berkeley Campus, Athletics & Faculty

University of California-Berkeley is a large public university with 33,068 undergraduates competing in NCAA Division I-FBS athletics. The institution generates $36.3 million in annual athletic revenue.

Student Demographics
Undergraduate enrollment · Source: College Scorecard / IPEDS
Race & Ethnicity
White
19.8%
Asian
35.5%
Hispanic
22.1%
Black
2.1%
Other Indicators
First-generation
34.6%
Pell grant recipients
28.6%
Women
55.8%
University of California Berkeley Athletics
Total Revenue
$36.3M
Total Expense
$36.3M
Athletes
1,050
594 men · 456 women
Head Coach Salaries
Men's vs Women's programs · Source: Equity in Athletics Disclosure Act
Men's sports
$817,172
Women's sports
$172,253

Average head coach salary by program gender.

Athletic Aid
Scholarship spending by gender · Source: Equity in Athletics Disclosure Act
Men's aid
$8,665,091
Women's aid
$7,361,730
Academic Resources
1,974
Full-time faculty
$192,150
Avg faculty salary
33,660
FT staff
$3.2B
Endowment
Faculty Salary by Gender
All instructional ranks combined · Source: IPEDS Human Resources
Men (avg)
$205,590
Women (avg)
$174,990
Overall avg
$192,150
Who Is on Campus
Beyond the undergraduate headcount
Undergraduates
33,068
Graduate students
12,812
Varsity Athletes
Play a varsity sport
2.8%

892 of 31,543 undergraduates, counting each athlete once regardless of how many sports they play.

SOURCEIPEDS enrollment; Equity in Athletics Disclosure Act filings
Online & Distance Learning
How much of the teaching happens remotely
Undergrads fully online
0.1%
Undergrads taking any
21.6%
Grad students fully online
13.4%

49 of 33,078 undergraduates study entirely at a distance, against 1,696 of 12,621 graduate students.

SOURCEIPEDS Fall Enrollment, distance education status

University of California Berkeley is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University Commission.

How This Campus Compares
Against the colleges this school should be measured against
Median
Pell grant share
This school
28.6%
Similar colleges (590)
34%
CA (541)
43.5%
San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA (104)
36%
National (5,367)
40.1%
Students per faculty member
This school
18:1
Similar colleges (595)
16:1
CA (559)
19:1
San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA (110)
17:1
National (5,427)
15:1

Each bar is the median of that group, with the number of schools in brackets. “Similar colleges” means the same control and the same predominant degree awarded. Groups of fewer than 15 schools are not shown.

Every Major at University of California Berkeley
82 fields of study, bachelor's degree level, grouped by subject area
9,207 graduates
Computer and Information Sciences 1,567 grads · 2 majors
Computer Science 796
Computer and Information Sciences, Other 771
Social Sciences 1,520 grads · 6 majors
Econometrics and Quantitative Economics 631
Political Science and Government, General 386
Sociology, General 252
Social Sciences, Other 152
Anthropology, General 73
Urban Studies/Affairs 26
Engineering 1,180 grads · 11 majors
Electrical and Electronics Engineering 492
Mechanical Engineering 213
Bioengineering and Biomedical Engineering 124
Chemical Engineering 120
Civil Engineering, General 112
Operations Research 52
Engineering Science 21
Environmental/Environmental Health... 13
Engineering Physics/Applied Physics 12
Nuclear Engineering 12
Engineering, Other 9
Biological and Biomedical Sciences 935 grads · 4 majors
Cell/Cellular and Molecular Biology 691
Biology/Biological Sciences, General 143
Microbiology, General 80
Botany/Plant Biology 21
Multidisciplinary Studies 450 grads · 5 majors
Cognitive Science, General 217
Nutrition Sciences 92
Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other 74
International/Globalization Studies 53
Classical, Ancient Mediterranean, and... 14
Natural Resources and Conservation 433 grads · 6 majors
Environmental Studies 203
Natural Resources/Conservation, General 100
Environmental Science 86
Natural Resources Conservation and... 37
Forest Sciences and Biology 6
Natural Resources and Conservation, Other 1
Business and Marketing 425 grads · 1 major
Business Administration and Management,... 425
Mathematics and Statistics 328 grads · 3 majors
Applied Mathematics, General 177
Mathematics, General 87
Statistics, General 64
Psychology 307 grads · 1 major
Research and Experimental Psychology, Other 307
Physical Sciences 295 grads · 9 majors
Chemistry, General 133
Physics, General 84
Astrophysics 37
Materials Science 28
Geology/Earth Science, General 4
Oceanography, Chemical and Physical 3
Planetary Astronomy and Science 3
Geophysics and Seismology 2
Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorology, General 1
Visual and Performing Arts 287 grads · 6 majors
Film/Cinema/Media Studies 89
Fine/Studio Arts, General 72
Music, General 54
Art History, Criticism and Conservation 34
Drama and Dramatics/Theatre Arts, General 30
Dance, General 8
English Language and Literature 238 grads · 2 majors
English Language and Literature, General 210
Rhetoric and Composition 28
Communication and Journalism 226 grads · 1 major
Mass Communication/Media Studies 226
Health Professions 170 grads · 1 major
Public Health, General 170
Legal Professions 163 grads · 1 major
Legal Studies 163
Architecture 159 grads · 3 majors
Architecture 109
Environmental Design/Architecture 25
Landscape Architecture 25
Area, Ethnic and Gender Studies 138 grads · 7 majors
American/United States Studies/Civilization 55
Ethnic Studies 35
Hispanic-American, Puerto Rican, and... 20
Women's Studies 14
African-American/Black Studies 8
American Indian/Native American Studies 3
Asian Studies/Civilization 3
Foreign Languages and Linguistics 121 grads · 10 majors
Linguistics 36
Hispanic and Latin American Languages,... 33
Comparative Literature 23
Japanese Language and Literature 10
French Language and Literature 7
East Asian Languages, Literatures, and... 4
Chinese Language and Literature 3
Italian Language and Literature 2
Middle/Near Eastern and Semitic... 2
Classics and Classical Languages,... 1
History 114 grads · 1 major
History, General 114
Philosophy and Religious Studies 87 grads · 1 major
Philosophy 87
Public Administration and Social Services 64 grads · 1 major
Social Work 64
SOURCEIPEDS Completions 2023 — first majors only, so a student with a double major is counted once

University of California Berkeley Location & Campus Safety

University of California Berkeley is in Berkeley, CA, in what IPEDS classifies as a midsize city setting. The campus sits about 2.1 miles from the center of Berkeley. There are 12 other colleges within 25 miles, and Berkeley, CA is 2.1 miles away.

University of California Berkeley
Midsize city
Campus Setting
2.1 mi
To City Center
12
Colleges Within 25 mi
120,223
Berkeley Population
Living in Berkeley
Cost of living and getting around, for the whole city — not the campus
ACS 2023
$2,127
Median Rent / mo
$108,558
Median Household Income
32.9%
Rent as % of Income
How People Commute
Drive alone
27.4%
Walk
13.5%
Public transit
15.8%

Alameda County scores 14.1 out of 20 on the EPA National Walkability Index — above average walkable. The index is a county-wide average of block groups, so it describes the surrounding area rather than the campus itself.

Undergraduates make up about 20.9% of Berkeley's residents.

SOURCEU.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2023 5-year estimates; EPA National Walkability Index

Campus Safety at University of California Berkeley

Every college that receives federal financial aid must publish its crime statistics each year under the Clery Act. These are the figures University of California Berkeley reported for 2024.

530
On-Campus Offenses
55
In Residence Halls
11.6
Per 1,000 Students
121
Domestic, Dating & Stalking

Read these numbers carefully. A Clery figure counts reports, not incidents. A university with active reporting channels, a large campus police force and a teaching hospital will record more offenses than one where the same events go unreported — so a higher count is not evidence of a more dangerous campus, and a low count is not evidence of a safe one. In 2024, 833 campuses with more than 1,000 students reported no offenses at all. Use these figures to ask a college questions, not to rank one against another.

Reported On-Campus Offenses by Year
Criminal offenses reported on campus, including residence halls · Source: U.S. Dept. of Education Clery Act disclosures
2022
497
2023
656
2024
530
What Was Reported in 2024
On-campus criminal offenses by category
Motor vehicle theft
346
Burglary
59
Sexual offenses
50
Aggravated assault
44
Robbery
17
Arson
14

Separately, University of California Berkeley reported 72 arrests and 38 disciplinary referrals for weapons, drug and liquor law violations on campus. Referrals for alcohol violations are usually the largest category at residential colleges and reflect how a school handles student conduct internally.

SOURCEU.S. Department of Education, Campus Safety and Security — Clery Act disclosures, 2024

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about University of California Berkeley admissions, costs, and outcomes.