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University of California-Riverside
University of California-Riverside says yes to 76.4% of applicants. Focus less on getting in and more on what's below — starting with the $67,699 median earnings.
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University of California-Riverside sits in Riverside 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. The university runs its own medical system, which colors both its budget and its biggest programs.
Its highest-earning path is Computer Science, where graduates median $117,705 four years out. 46.9% of undergraduates carry Pell grants — a plain read on who the campus actually serves. With 22,593 undergraduates and a residential core, weekends happen on campus — and 87.6% of first-years come back for a second year.
University of California-Riverside 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-Riverside received 62,807 applications and admitted 39,758 (63.3%), with 5,521 enrolling.
Leave the SAT prep out of this one — test scores are disregarded entirely. University of California-Riverside's 76.4% admission rate turned on grades and application strength.
How University of California-Riverside compares
| University of California-Riverside | California median | National median | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Acceptance rate | 76.4% | 75.7% | 77.2% |
| Tuition (in-state) | $15,606 | $23,000 | $19,591 |
| Median earnings (10 yr) | $67,699 | $64,778 | $53,781 |
Earnings data favors University of California-Riverside: $67,699 median at year ten, versus $64,778 across California institutions.
Cost, size & completion
In-state students pay $15,606 in tuition; crossing a state border raises that to $49,806. For non-residents, University of California-Riverside's $49,806 is the number to weigh against private options before assuming public means cheaper.
University of California-Riverside is a big school: 22,593 undergraduates at last count.
76% of University of California-Riverside students finish a bachelor's within six years — 21.1 points above the national 54.9% — and the single best predictor that the $15,606 price above buys a degree, not just enrollment.
Top majors by earnings at University of California-Riverside
| Bachelor's program | Median earnings, 4 yrs after completion |
|---|---|
| Computer Science | $117,705 |
| Computer Engineering | $107,193 |
| Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering | $102,630 |
| Mechanical Engineering | $93,721 |
| Chemical Engineering | $91,457 |
| Biomedical/Medical Engineering | $90,041 |
| Environmental/Environmental Health Engineering | $84,300 |
| Statistics | $78,492 |
| Physics | $74,410 |
| Microbiological Sciences and Immunology | $72,295 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | $72,027 |
| Economics | $66,682 |
| Cell/Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences | $65,813 |
| Natural Resources Conservation and Research | $64,944 |
| Business/Managerial Economics | $64,147 |
| Chemistry | $64,131 |
| Mathematics | $63,596 |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities | $62,211 |
| Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences | $59,677 |
| Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology | $59,549 |
| Public Policy Analysis | $58,504 |
| Sustainability Studies | $58,463 |
| Biology, General | $58,339 |
| International/Globalization Studies | $57,959 |
| Social and Philosophical Foundations of Education | $57,847 |
| Political Science and Government | $56,740 |
| Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies | $56,555 |
| International Relations and National Security Studies | $56,108 |
| Sociology | $55,682 |
| Social Sciences, Other | $55,087 |
| Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other | $54,090 |
| Film/Video and Photographic Arts | $52,699 |
| History | $51,913 |
| Neurobiology and Neurosciences | $51,865 |
| Philosophy | $51,402 |
| English Language and Literature, General | $50,712 |
| Research and Experimental Psychology | $49,947 |
| Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services | $46,306 |
| Anthropology | $45,821 |
| Dance | $45,804 |
| Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | $42,692 |
| Fine and Studio Arts | $40,774 |
| Area Studies | $39,039 |
| Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies | $35,583 |
Median earnings for these 44 University of California-Riverside programs come from a different federal cohort than the campus-wide $67,699 above — compare rows to each other, not to that 10-year figure. 16 additional University of California-Riverside programs have earnings withheld under federal privacy rules.
Frequently asked questions
What GPA and test scores do you need for University of California-Riverside?
University of California-Riverside doesn't look at test scores; its 76.4% admission rate turned on transcripts, coursework rigor and the application itself.
What is University of California-Riverside's acceptance rate?
63.3% in the Fall 2023 cycle — 39,758 admitted from 62,807 applicants.
How much does University of California-Riverside cost?
In-state tuition is $15,606; out-of-state students pay $49,806. Fees, housing and aid move the real total in both directions.
What do University of California-Riverside graduates earn?
Federal data puts median earnings at $67,699 ten years after enrolling. The table above breaks this down by major.
Similar colleges in California
- University of California-Santa Cruz — 65.8% admitted
- California State Polytechnic University-Pomona — 75.2% admitted
- California Lutheran University — 75.7% admitted
- California Baptist University — 84.9% 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.