Public · University

University of California-Berkeley

Berkeley, California · Midsize city

11.0%
Admit rate
$13,481
Avg net price
93%
Graduation rate
$92,446
Median earnings

University of California-Berkeley is a public bachelor's-granting institution in Berkeley, California (midsize city setting), enrolling 33,068 undergraduates.

PublicLarge · 33,068 undergradsMidsize cityHighly selective · 11% admitNCAA Division I-FBS · Atlantic Coast ConferenceNear the coast

About Berkeley, California

Berkeley is a city on the eastern shore of San Francisco Bay in northern Alameda County, California, United States. The first people of European descent (most of whom were of mixed race and born in America) arrived with the De Anza Expedition in 1776. Berkeley is home to the Chilean-American community's La Peña Cultural Center, the largest cultural center for this community in the United States. The Freight and Salvage is the oldest established full-time folk and traditional music venue west of the Mississippi River. (Wikipedia)

Setting
Midsize city
Highest degree offered
Graduate
To the ocean
2 miles
Nearest airport
11 miles to Oakland San Francisco Bay (OAK) · major hub

How University of California-Berkeley compares

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Participation Entries #31 · Public Universities with the Highest Earnings Relative to Net Price #11 · Colleges with the Highest Former-Student Earnings in California #21 · Colleges with the Lowest Net Price in California #3 · Colleges with the Highest Graduation Rates in California #4 · Colleges with the Lowest Student Debt in California #9 · Colleges with the Highest Retention Rates in California #8 · Best Colleges in the West #36 · Colleges with the Lowest Net Price in the West #2 · Colleges with the Highest Graduation Rates in the West #6 · Colleges with the Highest Retention Rates in the West #11 · Colleges with the Lowest Student Debt in the West #13 · Colleges with the Highest Earnings Relative to Net Price in the West #2 · Best Public Universities in the West #7 · Best Colleges on the West Coast #24 · Colleges with the Lowest Net Price on the West Coast #2 · Colleges with the Highest Graduation Rates on the West Coast #6 · Colleges with the Highest Retention Rates on the West Coast #4 · Colleges with the Lowest Student Debt on the West Coast #12 · Colleges with the Highest Earnings Relative to Net Price on the West Coast #1 · Best Public Universities on the West Coast #7 · Best Colleges in the Pacific Region #27 · Colleges with the Lowest Net Price in the Pacific Region #2 · Colleges with the Highest Graduation Rates in the Pacific Region #6 · Colleges with the Highest Retention Rates in the Pacific Region #5 · Colleges with the Lowest Student Debt in the Pacific Region #12 · Colleges with the Highest Earnings Relative to Net Price in the Pacific Region #1 · Best Public Universities in the Pacific Region #5 · Colleges with the Highest Former-Student Earnings Near San Francisco, CA #4 · Colleges with the Highest Former-Student Earnings Near San Jose, CA #7 · Bachelor's Business Administration, Management and Operations Programs with the Highest First-Year Earnings #2 · Bachelor's Business Administration, Management and Operations Programs with the Highest Five-Year Earnings #14 · Bachelor's Business Administration, Management and Operations Programs with the Lowest Student Debt #1 · Bachelor's Business Administration, Management and Operations Programs with the Lowest Debt Relative to Earnings #13 · Bachelor's Psychology, General Programs with the Highest Five-Year Earnings #56 · Bachelor's Biology, General Programs with the Highest Five-Year Earnings #44 · Bachelor's Biology, General Programs with the Lowest Student Debt #12 · Bachelor's Biology, General Programs with the Lowest Debt Relative to Earnings #25 · Bachelor's Computer and Information Sciences, General Programs with the Highest First-Year Earnings #12 · Bachelor's Computer and Information Sciences, General Programs with the Lowest Student Debt #61 · Bachelor's Communication and Media Studies Programs with the Highest First-Year Earnings #1 · Bachelor's Communication and Media Studies Programs with the Highest Five-Year Earnings #7 · Bachelor's Communication and Media Studies Programs with the Lowest Student Debt #1 · Bachelor's Communication and Media Studies Programs with the Lowest Debt Relative to Earnings #7 · Bachelor's Computer Science Programs with the Highest First-Year Earnings #5 · Bachelor's Computer Science Programs with the Highest Five-Year Earnings #21 · Bachelor's Computer Science Programs with the Lowest Student Debt #4 · Bachelor's Computer Science Programs with the Lowest Debt Relative to Earnings #60 · Bachelor's Political Science and Government Programs with the Highest First-Year Earnings #56 · Bachelor's Political Science and Government Programs with the Highest Five-Year Earnings #20 · Bachelor's Political Science and Government Programs with the Lowest Student Debt #14 · Bachelor's Political Science and Government Programs with the Lowest Debt Relative to Earnings #21 · Bachelor's Economics Programs with the Highest First-Year Earnings #26 · Bachelor's Economics Programs with the Highest Five-Year Earnings #20 · Bachelor's Economics Programs with the Lowest Student Debt #11 · Bachelor's Economics Programs with the Lowest Debt Relative to Earnings #3 · Bachelor's Mechanical Engineering Programs with the Highest First-Year Earnings #12 · Bachelor's Mechanical Engineering Programs with the Highest Five-Year Earnings #8 · Bachelor's Mechanical Engineering Programs with the Lowest Student Debt #7 · Bachelor's Mechanical Engineering Programs with the Lowest Debt Relative to Earnings #20 · Bachelor's Fine and Studio Arts Programs with the Highest Five-Year Earnings #8 · Bachelor's Fine and Studio Arts Programs with the Lowest Student Debt #4 · Bachelor's Fine and Studio Arts Programs with the Lowest Debt Relative to Earnings #41 · Bachelor's Sociology Programs with the Highest First-Year Earnings #6 · Bachelor's Sociology Programs with the Highest Five-Year Earnings #18 · Bachelor's Sociology Programs with the Lowest Student Debt #2 · Bachelor's Sociology Programs with the Lowest Debt Relative to Earnings #61 · Bachelor's English Language and Literature, General Programs with the Highest Five-Year Earnings #16 · Bachelor's English Language and Literature, General Programs with the Lowest Student Debt #13 · Bachelor's English Language and Literature, General Programs with the Lowest Debt Relative to Earnings #59 · Bachelor's Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other Programs with the Highest First-Year Earnings #7 · Bachelor's Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other Programs with the Highest Five-Year Earnings #7 · Bachelor's Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other Programs with the Lowest Student Debt #5 · Bachelor's Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other Programs with the Lowest Debt Relative to Earnings #53 · Bachelor's History Programs with the Highest Five-Year Earnings #12 · Bachelor's History Programs with the Lowest Student Debt #11 · Bachelor's History Programs with the Lowest Debt Relative to Earnings #51 · Bachelor's Mathematics Programs with the Highest Five-Year Earnings #46 · Bachelor's Mathematics Programs with the Lowest Debt Relative to Earnings #17 · Bachelor's Social Work Programs with the Highest First-Year Earnings #2 · Bachelor's Social Work Programs with the Highest Five-Year Earnings #20 · Bachelor's Social Work Programs with the Lowest Student Debt #5 · Bachelor's Social Work Programs with the Lowest Debt Relative to Earnings #14 · Bachelor's Public Health Programs with the Highest First-Year Earnings #5 · Bachelor's Public Health Programs with the Highest Five-Year Earnings #2 · Bachelor's Public Health Programs with the Lowest Student Debt #2 · Bachelor's Public Health Programs with the Lowest Debt Relative to Earnings #14 · Bachelor's Natural Resources Conservation and Research Programs with the Highest First-Year Earnings #1 · Bachelor's Natural Resources Conservation and Research Programs with the Highest Five-Year Earnings #8 · Bachelor's Natural Resources Conservation and Research Programs with the Lowest Student Debt #3 · Bachelor's Natural Resources Conservation and Research Programs with the Lowest Debt Relative to Earnings #45 · Bachelor's Research and Experimental Psychology Programs with the Highest First-Year Earnings #2 · Bachelor's Research and Experimental Psychology Programs with the Lowest Student Debt #6 · Bachelor's Music Programs with the Lowest Student Debt #33 · Bachelor's Film/Video and Photographic Arts Programs with the Highest First-Year Earnings #84 · Bachelor's Film/Video and Photographic Arts Programs with the Highest Five-Year Earnings #7 · Bachelor's Film/Video and Photographic Arts Programs with the Lowest Student Debt #19 · Bachelor's Film/Video and Photographic Arts Programs with the Lowest Debt Relative to Earnings #2 · Bachelor's Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering Programs with the Highest First-Year Earnings #1 · Bachelor's Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering Programs with the Highest Five-Year Earnings #8 · Bachelor's Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering Programs with the Lowest Student Debt #1 · Bachelor's Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering Programs with the Lowest Debt Relative to Earnings #92 · Bachelor's Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft Programs with the Highest First-Year Earnings #10 · Bachelor's Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft Programs with the Lowest Student Debt #8 · Bachelor's Civil Engineering Programs with the Highest First-Year Earnings #8 · Bachelor's Civil Engineering Programs with the Highest Five-Year Earnings #9 · Bachelor's Civil Engineering Programs with the Lowest Student Debt #5 · Bachelor's Civil Engineering Programs with the Lowest Debt Relative to Earnings #2 · Bachelor's Chemistry Programs with the Highest First-Year Earnings #6 · Bachelor's Chemistry Programs with the Lowest Student Debt #6 · Bachelor's Chemistry Programs with the Lowest Debt Relative to Earnings
Selectivity11.0%

More selective than 98% · #9 most selective of 107 in California

Graduation rate93%

Higher than 97% · #9 of 122 in California

First-year retention97%

Higher than 95%

Earnings, 10 years after entry$92,446

Higher than 97% · #16 of 130 in California

Average net price$13,481

Cheaper than 79% · #26 cheapest of 118 in California

Median debt at graduation$13,000

Lower than 94%

Student–faculty ratio18 : 1

Lower than 18%

Undergraduate enrollment33,068

Larger than 98%

Percentiles compare University of California-Berkeley with the nation's 2,196 four-year colleges, among schools reporting each statistic. State ranks count four-year colleges in California.

Student body

Undergraduate vs. graduate

45,880students
  • Undergraduate33,06872%
  • Graduate12,81228%

Undergraduates by gender

33,068undergrads
  • Women18,07255%
  • Men14,99645%

Undergraduates by race / ethnicity

  • White20%
  • Black2.1%
  • Hispanic22%
  • Asian35%
  • Other or multiracial21%

Graduate gender splits aren't published in this data, so the gender chart covers undergraduates only.

By the numbers

Undergraduate enrollment
33,068
Graduate enrollment
12,812
Student–faculty ratio
18 : 1
Pell Grant recipients
29%
First-generation students
35%
Students over 25
5%
Median family income
$31,227
Avg faculty salary (academic year)
$191,214
Endowment
$3,176,106,000

Colleges don't publish true class-size data; student–faculty ratio (IPEDS) is the closest public measure of it.

Where students come from

Home state of the 6,641 first-year students who entered in fall 2023.

  • From California79%
  • Other U.S. states10%
  • International10%

Most first-years stay in state — University of California-Berkeley draws overwhelmingly from California.

10% came from outside the U.S. Out-of-state students usually pay a higher tuition rate at public schools — check the cost card above for your bracket. Source: IPEDS residence & migration, fall 2023 entering class.

Admissions

Admission rate
11.0%
Test scores
Not considered
SAT range (25th–75th %)
—
SAT average
—
SAT reading
—
SAT math
—
ACT composite
—
Average GPA
3.90

Cost

In-state tuition
$16,347
Out-of-state tuition
$50,547
Room & board
$23,750
Books & supplies
$1,131
Total cost of attendance
$45,619
Average net price
$13,481

Net price is the total cost minus grants and scholarships — what students actually pay. It varies sharply by family income; see the breakdown below.

Outcomes

Graduated (within 6 years)
93%
Graduated on time (4 years)
80%
First-year retention
97%
Transferred to another college
0%
Median earnings, 6 years after entry
$74,919
Median earnings, 10 years after entry
$92,446
Median debt at graduation
$13,000
Students with federal loans
17%
Paying down their loans (1 year in)
76%

About 13% of students who finish here need more than four years — each extra year adds roughly another year of tuition and living costs.

Graduating on time

By student background (4 years)

All students
80%
Low-income (Pell)
74%
First-generation
74%

When these bars run close together, students from every background tend to finish at similar rates — a sign the school supports the ~30% who are first-gen or low-income.

Campus life & athletics

On-campus housing
Yes
Dorm capacity
9,899
Dorm capacity vs undergrads
30%
Application fee
$80
Athletics
NCAA Division I-FBS
Football conference
Atlantic Coast Conference
Varsity athletes
1,088 (621 men · 467 women)

Housing and fees: IPEDS 2023–24. Athletics rosters: Equity in Athletics data, 2024–25. Dorm capacity can include graduate and family housing, so the share of undergrads can top 100%.

Varsity sports (17)

Track and Field and Cross Country (combined)259
Rowing135
Football120
Swimming and Diving (combined)77
Soccer75
Other Sports61
Water Polo58
Basketball55
Baseball43
Gymnastics40
Lacrosse33
Field Hockey27
Softball23
Golf22
Tennis22
Beach Volleyball20
Volleyball18

Athlete counts per sport, Equity in Athletics data, 2024–25.

Campus safety

Safety grade
D
Reported offenses per 1,000 students
12.2 / year
Violent offenses (2022–2024)
359
Property offenses (2022–2024)
1,324

On-campus criminal offenses reported under the Clery Act, 2022–2024, across 2 campuses (45,882 students). Counts reflect reports, not convictions — schools with strong reporting cultures often show more, so a higher count doesn't simply mean a more dangerous campus.

Reported offenses in an average year

The same 2022–2024 Clery Act reports, divided down to one year.

561reported offenses a year
120 violent a year441 property a year

By offense type, per year

Motor vehicle theft
359
Burglary
66
Aggravated assault
47
Rape
35
Robbery
20
Fondling
18
Arson
16
Statutory rape
0.3

Averages, not a forecast — a single year can run well above or below this. Bars are scaled against this campus's most-reported offense, so they compare types here rather than against other schools.

What you'll actually pay, by family income

Average net price (total cost minus grants and scholarships) paid by aided students in each family-income band.

< $30k
$5,311
$30–48k
$6,501
$48–75k
$9,693
$75–110k
$15,074
$110k+
$34,529

College Scorecard / IPEDS, most recent year. Family income is total household income; net price covers tuition, fees, room, board and supplies after grant aid, for students receiving federal aid.

Four-year (or more) true cost

Net price for your family's income, projected across the time it actually takes students here to graduate.

Est. total to a degree
$40,797

$9,693/year × about 4.2 years — most students here don't finish in exactly four, and each extra term adds cost. A planning estimate from net-price and graduation-timing data, not a bill.

Does the school pay you to attend?

Grant aid from the school's own funds — the discount off sticker, on top of any federal or state help.

46%
of first-years get a grant from the school
$14,826
average award, among those who get one

A meaningful share of freshmen — 46% — get grant money from University of California-Berkeley itself, averaging $14,826, which softens the sticker price.

Blends need-based and merit aid — IPEDS doesn't split the two, so a high number can mean generous merit scholarships, deep need-based aid, or both. Figures cover 6,680 full-time first-year undergraduates, 2022–23. Source: IPEDS Student Financial Aid.

Is it worth it?

A rough return-on-investment read from what graduates earn versus what they borrow.

Median earnings (10 years)
$92,446
Typical debt at graduation
$13,000
Debt vs. one year's pay
14%
Out-earn a HS grad
75%

Typical debt would take roughly 1.4 years to repay at about a tenth of median earnings.

Strong value

Graduates here tend to earn well relative to what they borrow — typical debt pays back fast, and most out-earn a high-school graduate.

Earnings are the College Scorecard median for former students (working, not enrolled) 10 years after entry — not a guarantee, and they vary a lot by major. Debt is the median federal loan balance at graduation.

The pay gap here

Median earnings 10 years after entry, split by gender.

Women
$85,409
Men
$104,637

Men out-earn women by $19,228 (23%) a decade out.

Federal figures for former students working and not enrolled, 10 years after they first entered. A gap this wide usually reflects which majors men and women here tend to choose — not different pay for the same job.

Campus climate

Summer high
76°F
Winter low
43°F
Annual rain
26.1″

Average temperature

HighLow
30°60°90°JFMAMJJASOND

Average precipitation (inches)

0.02.65.3JFMAMJJASOND

NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals, Berkeley, CA US station (0.2 mi from campus).

Median earnings of this school's own graduates 1 and 5 years after finishing each program, and median federal-loan debt at completion (College Scorecard). Small programs are privacy-suppressed (—). Click a major to compare colleges nationally.

Colleges similar to University of California-Berkeley

Schools with a comparable profile — size, selectivity, cost, and graduate outcomes. Compare University of California-Berkeley side by side →

Colleges near University of California-Berkeley

Source: US Department of Education College Scorecard (most recent cohorts), IPEDS institutional characteristics, Equity in Athletics (EADA) data, Clery Act Campus Safety and Security data, and NOAA US Climate Normals. Distances are straight-line from campus coordinates. Percentiles compare schools of the same level (four-year vs. two-year) that report each statistic.