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University of California-Davis
About 42 in 100 applicants get into University of California-Davis — solidly within reach for students near the ranges below.
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University of California-Davis occupies suburban Davis, CA — a public campus quieter than a downtown one, closer to one than a rural seat. It carries a land-grant charter — the 1862 mandate that ties it to agricultural and practical education. The university runs its own medical system, which colors both its budget and its biggest programs.
Its highest-earning path is Computer Engineering, where graduates median $145,422 four years out. Faculty pay averages $220,284 a year here — a rough proxy for what the school spends on the teaching itself. With 32,253 undergraduates and a residential core, weekends happen on campus — and 92.8% of first-years come back for a second year.
University of California-Davis 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
University of California-Davis does not use test scores in admissions at all: the 41.8% who got into University of California-Davis did it on GPA, coursework and application alone. No score range exists to publish.
In the Fall 2023 cycle, University of California-Davis received 94,637 applications and admitted 39,400 (41.6%), with 6,578 enrolling.
How University of California-Davis compares
| University of California-Davis | California median | National median | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Acceptance rate | 41.8% | 75.7% | 77.2% |
| Tuition (in-state) | $16,774 | $23,000 | $19,591 |
| Median earnings (10 yr) | $80,838 | $64,778 | $53,781 |
Ten years after enrolling, the median University of California-Davis student earns $80,838 — 25% above the California median of $64,778 for college-goers.
Cost, size & completion
As a public university, University of California-Davis prices by residency: $16,774 in-state versus $50,974 out-of-state — a $34,200 gap that makes state lines part of the decision.
32,253 undergraduates make University of California-Davis a large campus: broad course catalogs and big intro lectures come as a package.
85.7% of University of California-Davis students finish a bachelor's within six years — 30.8 points above the national 54.9% — and the single best predictor that the $16,774 price above buys a degree, not just enrollment.
Top majors by earnings at University of California-Davis
| Bachelor's program | Median earnings, 4 yrs after completion |
|---|---|
| Computer Engineering | $145,422 |
| Computer and Information Sciences, General | $138,673 |
| Engineering, General | $114,228 |
| Chemical Engineering | $102,649 |
| Mechanical Engineering | $102,161 |
| Biomedical/Medical Engineering | $98,504 |
| Civil Engineering | $95,939 |
| Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering | $93,414 |
| Materials Engineering | $89,983 |
| Statistics | $88,033 |
| Business/Managerial Economics | $87,455 |
| Biotechnology | $87,406 |
| Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods | $86,155 |
| Economics | $83,248 |
| Physics | $78,569 |
| Genetics | $77,411 |
| Microbiological Sciences and Immunology | $74,343 |
| Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration | $73,595 |
| Chemistry | $73,365 |
| Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences | $73,337 |
| Communication and Media Studies | $72,778 |
| Mathematics | $72,640 |
| Plant Sciences | $72,335 |
| Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology | $70,754 |
| Food Science and Technology | $70,571 |
| Public Administration and Social Service Professions, Other | $69,702 |
| Social Sciences, Other | $68,535 |
| Cognitive Science | $68,463 |
| Biology, General | $68,120 |
| Political Science and Government | $67,759 |
| International Relations and National Security Studies | $67,056 |
| Physiology, Pathology and Related Sciences | $66,461 |
| Natural Resources Conservation and Research | $65,983 |
| Applied Mathematics | $65,508 |
| Nutrition Sciences | $64,519 |
| Neurobiology and Neurosciences | $63,720 |
| Pharmacology and Toxicology | $63,567 |
| Design and Applied Arts | $62,209 |
| Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology | $62,011 |
| East Asian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | $60,939 |
| Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | $60,797 |
| Psychology, Other | $60,257 |
| Religion/Religious Studies | $59,448 |
| Sociology | $59,171 |
| English Language and Literature, General | $59,012 |
| Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies | $58,670 |
| Philosophy | $58,633 |
| Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services | $58,443 |
| Agricultural Production Operations | $58,236 |
| Film/Video and Photographic Arts | $57,999 |
| History | $57,734 |
| Research and Experimental Psychology | $57,378 |
| Anthropology | $56,836 |
| Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft | $56,823 |
| Animal Sciences | $48,441 |
| Wildlife and Wildlands Science and Management | $46,209 |
| Fine and Studio Arts | $40,453 |
Median earnings for these 57 University of California-Davis programs come from a different federal cohort than the campus-wide $80,838 above — compare rows to each other, not to that 10-year figure. 37 additional University of California-Davis programs have earnings withheld under federal privacy rules.
Frequently asked questions
What GPA and test scores do you need for University of California-Davis?
University of California-Davis doesn't look at test scores; its 41.8% admission rate turned on transcripts, coursework rigor and the application itself.
What is University of California-Davis's acceptance rate?
41.6% in the Fall 2023 cycle — 39,400 admitted from 94,637 applicants.
How much does University of California-Davis cost?
In-state tuition is $16,774; out-of-state students pay $50,974. Fees, housing and aid move the real total in both directions.
What do University of California-Davis graduates earn?
Federal data puts median earnings at $80,838 ten years after enrolling. The table above breaks this down by major.
Similar colleges in California
- California State University-Long Beach — 46.3% admitted
- Charles R Drew University of Medicine and Science — 38.7% admitted
- University of Silicon Valley — 51.2% admitted
- Loyola Marymount University — 45.1% 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.