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University of California-Berkeley
With a 11% admission rate, no GPA makes University of California-Berkeley a safety. The numbers below tell you what the admitted few look like.
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University of California-Berkeley sits in Berkeley proper — a public campus woven into the city rather than walled off from it. It carries a land-grant charter — the 1862 mandate that ties it to agricultural and practical education.
Its highest-earning path is Computer Science, where graduates median $204,379 four years out. 28.6% of undergraduates carry Pell grants — a plain read on who the campus actually serves. With 33,068 undergraduates and a residential core, weekends happen on campus — and 96.8% of first-years come back for a second year.
University of California-Berkeley won't look at test scores — here the GPA calculator is the tool that matters. Bring your saved semester numbers and see what they average.
Admissions
In the Fall 2023 cycle, University of California-Berkeley received 125,910 applications and admitted 14,677 (11.7%), with 6,641 enrolling.
Leave the SAT prep out of this one — test scores are disregarded entirely. University of California-Berkeley's 11% admission rate turned on grades and application strength.
How University of California-Berkeley compares
| University of California-Berkeley | California median | National median | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Acceptance rate | 11% | 75.7% | 77.2% |
| Tuition (in-state) | $16,347 | $23,000 | $19,591 |
| Median earnings (10 yr) | $92,446 | $64,778 | $53,781 |
Earnings data favors University of California-Berkeley: $92,446 median at year ten, versus $64,778 across California institutions.
Cost, size & completion
In-state students pay $16,347 in tuition; crossing a state border raises that to $50,547. For non-residents, University of California-Berkeley's $50,547 is the number to weigh against private options before assuming public means cheaper.
University of California-Berkeley is a big school: 33,068 undergraduates at last count.
92.8% of University of California-Berkeley students finish a bachelor's within six years — 38 points above the national 54.9% — and the single best predictor that the $16,347 price above buys a degree, not just enrollment.
Top majors by earnings at University of California-Berkeley
| Bachelor's program | Median earnings, 4 yrs after completion |
|---|---|
| Computer Science | $204,379 |
| Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering | $200,543 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | $144,599 |
| Operations Research | $138,883 |
| Economics | $135,050 |
| Statistics | $133,986 |
| Chemical Engineering | $121,027 |
| Cognitive Science | $120,193 |
| Mechanical Engineering | $119,371 |
| Applied Mathematics | $118,414 |
| Biomedical/Medical Engineering | $110,597 |
| Civil Engineering | $108,548 |
| Microbiological Sciences and Immunology | $103,546 |
| Social Sciences, Other | $101,138 |
| Physics | $96,043 |
| Astronomy and Astrophysics | $90,943 |
| Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other | $87,791 |
| Chemistry | $82,386 |
| Mathematics | $80,654 |
| Nutrition Sciences | $79,391 |
| Biology, General | $79,163 |
| Natural Resources Conservation and Research | $78,624 |
| Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services | $76,724 |
| Architecture | $76,679 |
| Public Health | $76,572 |
| Urban Studies/Affairs | $76,125 |
| Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | $75,715 |
| Communication and Media Studies | $75,612 |
| Political Science and Government | $75,128 |
| Sociology | $71,363 |
| Film/Video and Photographic Arts | $70,963 |
| Non-Professional Legal Studies | $70,636 |
| Area Studies | $70,366 |
| Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies | $69,373 |
| Social Work | $67,393 |
| Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies | $67,291 |
| Cell/Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences | $66,577 |
| International/Globalization Studies | $66,522 |
| Peace Studies and Conflict Resolution | $65,269 |
| Research and Experimental Psychology | $64,904 |
| History | $64,755 |
| Anthropology | $64,359 |
| Philosophy | $63,326 |
| Psychology, General | $62,835 |
| English Language and Literature, General | $60,187 |
| Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft | $55,555 |
| Fine and Studio Arts | $51,699 |
Median earnings for these 47 University of California-Berkeley programs come from a different federal cohort than the campus-wide $92,446 above — compare rows to each other, not to that 10-year figure. 33 additional University of California-Berkeley programs have earnings withheld under federal privacy rules.
Frequently asked questions
What GPA and test scores do you need for University of California-Berkeley?
University of California-Berkeley doesn't look at test scores; its 11% admission rate turned on transcripts, coursework rigor and the application itself.
What is University of California-Berkeley's acceptance rate?
11.7% in the Fall 2023 cycle — 14,677 admitted from 125,910 applicants.
How much does University of California-Berkeley cost?
In-state tuition is $16,347; out-of-state students pay $50,547. Fees, housing and aid move the real total in both directions.
What do University of California-Berkeley graduates earn?
Federal data puts median earnings at $92,446 ten years after enrolling. The table above breaks this down by major.
Similar colleges in California
- University of California-Los Angeles — 9% admitted
- Alliant International University-San Diego — 0% admitted
- California Institute of Technology — 2.6% admitted
- Claremont McKenna College — 9.6% admitted
Run your own numbers
Data: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard (Jun 2026), IPEDS ADM2023/HD2024. Retrieved 2026-09-01. Figures reflect the latest federal cohorts, which lag the current admissions cycle.