University of California, Berkeley vs. University of California, Los Angeles

Don't treat these two as one school with two campuses. Both UC flagships run nearly the same size, sit at the same brutal selectivity, and read your file without a test score, so your coursework and GPA carry everything. Their cores split, though. Berkeley tilts technical: computing ties the sciences as its most-conferred degree, and the Bay Area's startups pull a big engineering slice right across the bay from San Francisco. UCLA points the other way, with the social sciences leading, the life sciences and psychology rounding out its top fields, and Westwood drops you into LA's health, media, and entertainment work a walk from Royce Hall. Expect anonymity either way. You'll be one of tens of thousands, and nobody chases you down to check in. If you want a computing-and-sciences engine, Berkeley belongs on your list; if you want a broader campus inside Los Angeles, UCLA does.

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UC BerkeleyBerkeley, CA

Acceptance rate

Overall acceptance rate, plus the in-state and out-of-state admit rates the school reports separately.

UC Info CenterIn-state vs. out-of-state admit rates from UC Info Center (Fall 2025).
11.4%acceptance rate
Applied
126,864
Admitted
14,524
Enrolled
6,687

Admit rate by residency

% admitted
California resident13.6%
9,852 admitted of 72,685 applicants
Domestic non-resident10.3%
3,117 admitted of 30,172 applicants
International5.8%
1,391 admitted of 23,973 applicants

Early admissions

UC Berkeley does not offer an Early Decision or Early Action plan; all applicants apply through Regular Decision.

Early Decision
Not offered
Early Action
Not offered
Restrictive EA
Not offered

Standardized tests

UC Berkeley is test-free — SAT and ACT scores are not considered in admissions.

SAT / ACT scores are not used

UC Berkeley does not review SAT or ACT scores for admission, even if you submit them. Applicants are evaluated on GPA, coursework, essays, and activities instead.

Admissions factors

How UC Berkeley weighs each part of your application.

→ Importance

Rigor of High School Record

Academic GPA

Standardized Test Scores

Application Essay

Recommendations

Extracurricular Activities

Character / Personal Qualities

Talent / Ability

First Generation

Level of Applicant's Interest

Class Rank

Volunteer Work

Work Experience

Geographical Residence

State Residency

Alumni Relation

Racial / Ethnic Status

Religious Affiliation

Cost of attendance

Estimated full-time annual cost from UC Berkeley's Common Data Set. Only tuition changes with residency.

$54,720
In-State
$93,990
Out-of-State
In-StateOut-of-State
Tuition & Fees
$18,466$57,736
Room & Board
$25,962$25,962
Other Expenses
$10,292$10,292
Total
$54,720$93,990

What families actually pay

$0–30k~$5k
$30–48k~$7k
$48–75k~$10k
$75–110k~$15k
$110k+~$35k

Average net price — what was left to pay after grant aid — for students receiving federal financial aid, covering in-state students only.

% of undergrads with Pell grants28.6%

Source: College Scorecard (2026)

Financial aid

Need-based aid statistics for full-time first-year students.

Receiving Aid
40%
Avg. Package
$39,656
Avg. Need Met
88%

Popular majors

Bachelor's degrees awarded in the past year by academic major.

Computing
Sciences
Social Sciences
Liberal Arts
Engineering
Other
Computing
19%
Sciences
17%
Social Sci
16%
Liberal Arts
15%
Engineering
10%
Other
23%

Student-faculty ratio

The number of students for every one faculty member, indicating the average level of access students have to instructional staff.

2024–25 CDSUC Berkeley's 2025-2026 Common Data Set hasn't published this section yet, so this figure is shown from the 2024-2025 edition instead.
18:1

Student outcomes

First-years who return97%
Graduate within six years94%
Median earnings, 4 yrs after graduation~$96k
Median federal loan debt at graduation~$13k

Median yearly income of former students who received federal aid, across every major, measured four years after graduating (2017–18 and 2018–19 graduates, earnings measured 2022–2023). Debt covers federal loans of students who completed.

Source: College Scorecard (2026)

Programs

UC Berkeley’s most popular programs and median pay after graduation. Income data from the US Department of Education’s College Scorecard.

  • Computer Science

    796 degrees (2023-24)

    ~$204kmedian pay, 4 yrs after graduation~$14k median debt
  • Computer & Information Sciences

    771 degrees (2023-24)

    ~$88kmedian pay, 1 yr after graduation~$14k median debt
  • Economics

    631 degrees (2023-24)

    ~$135kmedian pay, 4 yrs after graduation~$13k median debt
  • Electrical EngineeringNot ABET-accredited

    492 degrees (2023-24)

    ~$201kmedian pay, 4 yrs after graduation~$14k median debt
  • Environmental Science & Natural Resources

    426 degrees (2023-24)

    ~$79kmedian pay, 4 yrs after graduation~$13k median debt
Show all 28 programs

Median pay data is measured from graduates who received federal student aid.

Source: College Scorecard (2026) · IPEDS (2023-24) · ABET

Campus life

On-campus housing and Greek life participation rates.

First-Years On Campus
90%
In Fraternities
3%
In Sororities
6%

Place

How the federal government classifies the area around the campus, and what a normal year of weather looks like there.

Setting
Midsize city
Location
Berkeley, CA

Average temperature

Monthly high and low, °F
5943J
6245F
6546M
6747A
7049M
7452J
7453J
7554A
7654S
7352O
6547N
5943D
Snow a year
0 in
Precipitation a year
26 in
Days at 90°F or above
6
Days below 32°F
1

Thirty-year averages, measured at the nearest weather station rather than on campus — they describe the area, not the campus.

Source: IPEDS (HD2024) · NOAA 1991–2020 U.S. Climate Normals, BERKELEY, CA US station, 0.2 mi from campus

Enrollment by gender

44%
56%
Male
14,900
Female
18,613

Student diversity

Racial and ethnic breakdown of enrolled undergraduate students.

Asian and Pacific Islander35.4%
Hispanic22.6%
Other20.8%
White19.1%
Black1.9%
Native American<1%
UCLALos Angeles, CA

Acceptance rate

Overall acceptance rate, plus the in-state and out-of-state admit rates the school reports separately.

UC Info CenterIn-state vs. out-of-state admit rates from UC Info Center (Fall 2025).
9.4%acceptance rate
Applied
145,086
Admitted
13,659
Enrolled
6,553

Admit rate by residency

% admitted
California resident9.6%
8,589 admitted of 89,350 applicants
Domestic non-resident11.2%
3,544 admitted of 31,573 applicants
International6.3%
1,526 admitted of 24,137 applicants

Early admissions

UCLA does not offer an Early Decision or Early Action plan; all applicants apply through Regular Decision.

Early Decision
Not offered
Early Action
Not offered
Restrictive EA
Not offered

Standardized tests

UCLA is test-free — SAT and ACT scores are not considered in admissions.

SAT / ACT scores are not used

UCLA does not review SAT or ACT scores for admission, even if you submit them. Applicants are evaluated on GPA, coursework, essays, and activities instead.

Admissions factors

How UCLA weighs each part of your application.

→ Importance

Rigor of High School Record

Academic GPA

Standardized Test Scores

Application Essay

Recommendations

Extracurricular Activities

Character / Personal Qualities

Talent / Ability

First Generation

Level of Applicant's Interest

Class Rank

Volunteer Work

Work Experience

Geographical Residence

State Residency

Alumni Relation

Racial / Ethnic Status

Religious Affiliation

Cost of attendance

Estimated full-time annual cost from UCLA's Common Data Set. Only tuition changes with residency.

2024–25 CDSUCLA's 2025-2026 Common Data Set hasn't published this section yet, so this figure is shown from the 2024-2025 edition instead.
$39,559
In-State
$77,161
Out-of-State
In-StateOut-of-State
Tuition & Fees
$15,701$53,303
Room & Board
$18,960$18,960
Other Expenses
$4,898$4,898
Total
$39,559$77,161

What families actually pay

$0–30k~$6k
$30–48k~$7k
$48–75k~$10k
$75–110k~$14k
$110k+~$30k

Average net price — what was left to pay after grant aid — for students receiving federal financial aid, covering in-state students only.

% of undergrads with Pell grants28.2%

Source: College Scorecard (2026)

Financial aid

Need-based aid statistics for full-time first-year students.

2024–25 CDSUCLA's 2025-2026 Common Data Set hasn't published this section yet, so this figure is shown from the 2024-2025 edition instead.
Receiving Aid
44%
Avg. Package
$30,522
Avg. Need Met
85%

Popular majors

Bachelor's degrees awarded in the past year by academic major.

Social Sciences
Sciences
Liberal Arts
Engineering & Math
Psychology
Other
Social Sci
25%
Sciences
18%
Liberal Arts
16%
Eng & Math
15%
Psychology
11%
Other
15%

Student-faculty ratio

The number of students for every one faculty member, indicating the average level of access students have to instructional staff.

20:1

Student outcomes

First-years who return97%
Graduate within six years93%
Median earnings, 4 yrs after graduation~$78k
Median federal loan debt at graduation~$14k

Median yearly income of former students who received federal aid, across every major, measured four years after graduating (2017–18 and 2018–19 graduates, earnings measured 2022–2023). Debt covers federal loans of students who completed.

Source: College Scorecard (2026)

Programs

UCLA’s most popular programs and median pay after graduation. Income data from the US Department of Education’s College Scorecard.

Show all 31 programs

Median pay data is measured from graduates who received federal student aid.

Source: College Scorecard (2026) · IPEDS (2023-24) · ABET

Campus life

On-campus housing and Greek life participation rates.

First-Years On Campus
99%
In Fraternities
N/A
In Sororities
N/A

Place

How the federal government classifies the area around the campus, and what a normal year of weather looks like there.

Setting
Large city
Location
Los Angeles, CA

Average temperature

Monthly high and low, °F
6852J
6751F
6852M
7054A
7056M
7359J
7762J
7963A
7963S
7660O
7255N
6751D
Snow a year
0 in
Precipitation a year
18 in
Days at 90°F or above
10
Days below 32°F
0

Thirty-year averages, measured at the nearest weather station rather than on campus — they describe the area, not the campus.

Source: IPEDS (HD2024) · NOAA 1991–2020 U.S. Climate Normals, U C L A, CA US station, 0.1 mi from campus

Enrollment by gender

41%
59%
Male
13,479
Female
19,728

Student diversity

Racial and ethnic breakdown of enrolled undergraduate students.

Asian and Pacific Islander29.9%
Hispanic24.8%
White23.4%
Other18.6%
Black3.2%
Native American<1%

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UC Berkeley vs. UCLA: frequently asked questions

UCLA edges Berkeley on the headline rate, admitting about 9% of applicants to Berkeley's 11% in the most recent cycle. It also draws more applications than any university in the country, roughly 146,000 first-year applications against Berkeley's 124,000. Both schools rank academic GPA and course rigor as their most important factors, and neither looks at test scores at all, so the gap stays narrow.

Berkeley wins for a computing-centered undergrad: computer and information sciences is its single most popular field at about 17% of degrees, with engineering another 12%. UCLA pairs engineering and math at about 15% of degrees but leads with the social sciences (25%) and psychology (12%). A student who wants computing and engineering at the core of the experience belongs at Berkeley, while UCLA fits someone who wants those fields housed inside a social-sciences-led university.

Berkeley and UCLA price out close to even for out-of-state students, about $53,303 in tuition and fees at UCLA against $55,323 at Berkeley. Berkeley counters its slightly higher sticker by meeting more demonstrated need, 90% on average versus UCLA's 85%, and its average aid package runs larger at $37,119 to UCLA's $30,522. A high-need applicant can land well below Berkeley's sticker price, while full-pay families will find the two roughly level.

The two schools peak in different fields. Berkeley confers more degrees in computer and information sciences than anything else at about 17%, even with the sciences, while UCLA's leader is the social sciences at about 25%, trailed by the life and physical sciences and psychology. Each grants a broad mix beyond its top field, but the tilt is clear: Berkeley runs technical and UCLA runs toward the social sciences.

City decides this one. Berkeley sits across the bay from San Francisco with a research-driven, do-it-yourself reputation, while UCLA's Westwood campus drops students inside Los Angeles next to the health, media, and entertainment industries. Enrollment barely differs, about 33,469 undergraduates at Berkeley and 33,471 at UCLA, and both house most first-years on campus, so the surrounding city shapes the experience far more than the size of the school.

Source: University of California, Berkeley Common Data Set 2025-2026. Figures transcribed 2026-06-25. Student-Faculty Ratio is from the 2024-2025 edition. Esslo aggregates publicly reported data and is not affiliated with UC Berkeley. Banner photo by brainchildvn, via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0).

Source: University of California, Los Angeles Common Data Set 2025-2026. Figures transcribed 2026-06-25. In-State Tuition & Fees, Out-of-State Tuition & Fees, % of Full-Time First-Years Awarded Need-Based Grant Aid, Average Aid Package, Students With Need Who Received Aid, and Average % of Need Met, Students With Need Who Received Aid are from the 2024-2025 edition. Esslo aggregates publicly reported data and is not affiliated with UCLA. Banner photo by Beyond My Ken, via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0).