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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Acceptance Rate
Overall acceptance rate, plus the in-state and out-of-state admit rates the school reports separately.
Admit rate by residency
% admittedEarly Admissions
UC Berkeley does not offer an Early Decision or Early Action plan; all applicants apply through Regular Decision.
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.
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.
Out-of-state students pay $37,602 more — entirely in tuition. Room, board, and other costs are identical regardless of residency.
Financial Aid
Need-based aid statistics for full-time first-year students.
Major Distribution
Bachelor's degrees awarded in the past year by academic major.
Student Diversity
Racial and ethnic breakdown of enrolled undergraduate students.
Student-Faculty Ratio
The number of students for every one faculty member, indicating the average level of access students have to instructional staff.
Campus Life
On-campus housing and Greek life participation rates.
Enrollment by Gender
Since some students did not report gender, totals may not fully reflect the student body.
Acceptance Rate
Overall acceptance rate, plus the in-state and out-of-state admit rates the school reports separately.
Admit rate by residency
% admittedEarly Admissions
UCLA does not offer an Early Decision or Early Action plan; all applicants apply through Regular Decision.
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.
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.
Out-of-state students pay $37,602 more — entirely in tuition. Room, board, and other costs are identical regardless of residency.
Financial Aid
Need-based aid statistics for full-time first-year students.
Major Distribution
Bachelor's degrees awarded in the past year by academic major.
Student Diversity
Racial and ethnic breakdown of enrolled undergraduate students.
Student-Faculty Ratio
The number of students for every one faculty member, indicating the average level of access students have to instructional staff.
Campus Life
On-campus housing and Greek life participation rates.
Enrollment by Gender
Since some students did not report gender, totals may not fully reflect the student body.
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UC Berkeley vs. UCLA: frequently asked questions
Is it harder to get into UC Berkeley or UCLA?＋
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.
Is UC Berkeley or UCLA better for computer science and engineering?＋
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.
Is UCLA or UC Berkeley cheaper for out-of-state students?＋
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.
What are the most popular majors at UC Berkeley vs UCLA?＋
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.
What's the difference between UC Berkeley and UCLA campus life?＋
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 2024-2025. Figures transcribed 2026-06-06. 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 2024-2025. Figures transcribed 2026-06-06. 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).