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University of California-Berkeley

#6 Best Computer Science Colleges in California
Public Berkeley, CA · Urban · Far West · 93% data
A+ Earnings A+ Selectivity A+ Graduation
Graduation Rate
93% A+
Most students who enroll finish their degree here
Earnings (10yr)
$92,446 A+
Top 2% nationally — exceptional earning power
Net Price
$13,481 C+
21% less than the typical college
Acceptance Rate
11% A+
Rejects about 89 of every 100 applicants
Earnings +127% vs avg
Graduation +63% vs avg
Net Price +-21% vs avg

Bottom line: An A overall grade — top 10% of all U.S. colleges on outcomes. 44.7× return on investment — every $1 spent returns $44.7 over 20 years. Ranked #6 in Best Computer Science Colleges in California.

44.7× return on investment

Every $1 spent returns $44.7 over 20 years — debt pays back in ~under a year. Net gain: $2,358,492.

What The Data Says

  1. An A overall — top 10% of all U.S. colleges on measured outcomes.

  2. Graduates earn 127% more than the national college median.

  3. A 93% graduation rate — 63% above the national average.

  4. A top feeder school for 7 major employers.

  5. Admits just 11% of applicants — one of the most selective institutions in the country.

Economic Footprint

Employer Pipelines
7
Top feeder programs

Why University of California-Berkeley Matters

University of California-Berkeley is a public research university in Berkeley, CA and its outcomes are not an accident. They are driven by exceptional admissions selectivity, a top-tier research enterprise, and a well-connected, high-opportunity alumni network. The result: graduates whose earnings land in the top 2% of all U.S. colleges.

Interpretation generated from this school's federal outcomes, research, and mobility data.

Institutional Profile

Institution Type
Public Research University
Carnegie Class
R1 · Very High Research
Enrollment
33,068
Setting
Urban
Primary Strengths
Computer Science & IT, Social Sciences, Engineering, Biology & Biomedical

Why students choose University of California-Berkeley

Elite STEM ecosystem
Engineering, computing, and the sciences dominate its programs
Top-tier research university
R1 status: undergraduates work alongside leading researchers
Influential alumni network
High cross-class social capital and reach
Highly selective peer group
Surrounded by exceptionally high-achieving students
Exceptional earning outcomes
Graduate earnings in the top 2% of colleges

CollegeRanker Report Card

Graded on outcomes, against every U.S. college.

A
Top 10% overall
A+
Earnings
$92,446 median
A
Value
6.9× net price
C+
Affordability
$13,481/yr net
A+
Graduation
93% graduate
A+
Selectivity
11% admit rate
A
Diversity
0.77 index

Each grade is this school's national percentile on a real outcome — earnings, value, mobility, and more.

How we grade →
1
Can I Get In?

Admissions

Highly selective
11% admit rate

Highly selective — admits about 11% of applicants. Run your numbers in the admissions predictor below.

Check your odds →
2
Can I Afford It?

Net price + aid

C+
$13,481/yr net

Students pay about $13,481 a year after grants and scholarships — 21% below the typical U.S. college. See net price by family income below.

See cost & aid →
3
What Happens After?

Earnings + debt

A+
$92,446 median

Graduates earn a median of $92,446 ten years after enrolling — 127% above the typical college, against $13,000 in median debt.

See outcomes →
4
Does It Change Lives?

Mobility + social capital

1.82 connectedness

Strong cross-class social capital — an economic-connectedness score of 1.82 (Opportunity Insights).

See mobility →

Overview

The University of California-Berkeley has a remarkable graduation rate of 93%. This high rate indicates strong student support and a commitment to student success. With an acceptance rate of just 11%, selectivity is high, making it a competitive choice for prospective students.

According to Chetty/Opportunity Insights data, UC Berkeley is a strong performer in economic mobility. While specific mobility rates are not provided, the school is known for propelling graduates into high-earning careers. The median earnings for graduates after ten years is an impressive $92,446, suggesting substantial return on investment for students.

The net price of attendance is around $13,481, and the median debt for graduates is $13,000. This manageable debt level, combined with high earning potential, makes UC Berkeley an attractive option for students. Those who thrive here typically have strong academic backgrounds, are motivated, and are seeking opportunities in fields like Computer Science, Engineering, and Social Sciences.

Rankings

Can I Get In?

How selective University of California-Berkeley is — and how your numbers stack up.

Tool

Will I Be Accepted?

Enter your credentials to see your chances at this school.

3.0
Test Score
1050
21

Academics & Admissions

Is It Hard to Get Into University of California-Berkeley? Acceptance Rate & Requirements

Based in Berkeley, California, University of California-Berkeley sets a competitive bar: about 11% of applicants get an offer. The graduation rate is roughly 93%.

Acceptance Rate
11%
Retention Rate
97%
Full-Time Faculty
70%
Faculty Salary (mo)
$21,246
Student–Faculty Ratio
19:1
Diversity Index
0.77
First-Gen Students
35%
Applicants
128,209
Admitted
14,523

Inside the Admissions Office

School-reported Common Data Set · 2025-26

The acceptance rate tells you how hard University of California-Berkeley is to get into. Its Common Data Set tells you what happens once you are admitted: how many students say yes, how many arrived without test scores, and whether applying early tilts the odds. 46% of admitted students go on to enroll here, making it a school more than half of admitted students choose.

Yield Rate
46%
of admits enroll
Source: University of California-Berkeley's Common Data Set, 2025-26 View the source document on collegedata.fyi →

Can I Afford It?

What you'll actually pay after grants and aid — not the sticker price.

Cost & Financial Aid

How Much Does It Cost to Attend University of California-Berkeley? Tuition, Net Price & Aid

Published tuition at University of California-Berkeley is $50,547, but few families pay that. The number to watch is net price, what students actually pay each year after federal grants and institutional scholarships. Here it averages about $13,481. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $5,311 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $13,000 in federal student loans.

In-State Tuition
$16,347
Out-of-State
$50,547
Avg Net Price
$13,481
Median Debt
$13,000
Pell Grant Rate
29%
Federal Loan Rate
17%

What Families Actually Pay

Family Income $0–$30K
$5,311
Family Income $30K–$48K
$6,501
Family Income $48K–$75K
$9,693
Family Income $110K+
$34,529

What Happens After?

Earnings, debt, and where graduates actually land.

Students Like You

Tell us a little about yourself to see what students like you have typically experienced at University of California-Berkeley — the net price for your income, your admission odds, and the outcomes that follow. These are patterns from federal data, not predictions.

Compare schools in the full simulator →Sources: College Scorecard, Common Data Set, Opportunity Insights · today's dollars (CPI-adjusted) · descriptive, not predictive

Graduate Outcomes

Is University of California-Berkeley Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI

Ten years out, alumni of University of California-Berkeley earn a median of $92,446, well above the national average for bachelor's degree holders.

6 Years After Entry
$74,919
8 Years
$84,865
10 Years
$92,446
Debt-to-Earnings
0.14x
Earning > $25K
76%

Earnings Trajectory

$74,919 6yr $84,865 8yr $92,446 10yr

Graduation by Timeframe

100% (4,129)
76%
100% (4,129)
76%
100% (4,129)
76%
100% (4,129)
76%

Where Grads Go

University of California-Berkeley is a top feeder for:

Rank among programs feeding each employer.

Top employers of University of California-Berkeley’s MBA graduates, by hires reported in the school’s employment report.

Explore the Career Destination Guide → Source: University of California-Berkeley — Full-Time MBA Employment Report (Class of 2025)

How University Compares

Dot right of center = above national average.

NATIONAL AVGGraduation93%Earnings 10yr$92KNet Price$13KRetention97%Median Debt$13KPell Grant Rate29%

Net Price by Family Income

What families actually pay after aid, by income bracket.

$5K$0-30K$7K$30-48K$10K$48-75K$35K$110K+

College ROI Calculator

Is University of California-Berkeley Worth It?

A data-driven look at the return on your educational investment — using real federal data.

Yes — for most students, University of California-Berkeley delivers a positive return. Over four years, the typical net price is $13,481/year ($53,924 total). Graduates earn $92,446 at ten years, and over a 20-year career we project $2,412,416 in total earnings — a net gain of $2,358,492 (44.7× your investment). The median debt is $13,000, which takes less than a year to pay back at typical earnings. With a 93% graduation rate, the path to that return is well-tested. This is a exceptional ROI compared to national averages.

Total Cost (4yr)
$53,924
Projected 20yr Earnings
$2,412,416
Net Return
$2,358,492
ROI Multiple
44.7×
Cost Per Year
$13,481
Median Debt
$13,000
Debt Payback
Less than 1 yr
Graduation Rate
93%
Explore all University of ROI scenarios

Does It Change Lives?

Mobility, social capital, and innovation — does it move people up?

Social Capital

Data: Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas

How Connected Is University of California-Berkeley? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks

Social capital, the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility, runs high at University of California-Berkeley. Its economic connectedness score is 1.82, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (0.01), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds actually mix rather than self-segregate. Around 12% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.

Economic Connectedness
1.82
Cross-class friendships
Friending Bias
0.01
Lower = more inclusive
Volunteering Rate
12.2%
Support Ratio
0.99
Community support

Research Note

267%
Low-income students at colleges in the top quartile of economic connectedness are 267% more likely to reach the top income quintile than peers at the least-connected schools.
Data from CollegeRanker’s review of 5,745 U.S. colleges (n=1,503). Quartile comparison of mean bottom-quintile success rate, split by economic connectedness (Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas × Mobility Report Card).

Institutional Finances

Data: NCES IPEDS

Top Programs

The fields University of California-Berkeley awards the most degrees in, by share of completions. Where federal field-of-study data exists, we show what graduates in that major earned early in their careers. Each links to its degree guide — or see what someone with your income, scores, and major would pay and earn here in the Students Like You simulator.

Early-career median earnings by major (typically 1–2 years after completion, bachelor's level where available), in today's dollars (CPI-adjusted). Source: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard field of study. Distinct from the school-wide 10-year median; suppressed for small programs.

Top Careers

Where these majors tend to lead — common career paths for University of California-Berkeley's most popular programs, ranked by median pay with our proprietary scorecard insights.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is It Hard to Get Into University of California-Berkeley? Acceptance Rate & Requirements

Based in Berkeley, California, University of California-Berkeley sets a competitive bar: about 11% of applicants get an offer. The graduation rate is roughly 93%.

How Much Does It Cost to Attend University of California-Berkeley? Tuition, Net Price & Aid

Published tuition at University of California-Berkeley is $50,547, but few families pay that. The number to watch is net price, what students actually pay each year after federal grants and institutional scholarships. Here it averages about $13,481. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $5,311 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $13,000 in federal student loans.

Is University of California-Berkeley Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI

Ten years out, alumni of University of California-Berkeley earn a median of $92,446, well above the national average for bachelor's degree holders.

How Connected Is University of California-Berkeley? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks

Social capital, the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility, runs high at University of California-Berkeley. Its economic connectedness score is 1.82, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (0.01), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds actually mix rather than self-segregate. Around 12% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.

Does University of California-Berkeley offer Early Decision?

No. University of California-Berkeley does not report a binding Early Decision plan (2025-26 Common Data Set).

What percentage of admitted students enroll at University of California-Berkeley?

About 46% of admitted students choose to enroll at University of California-Berkeley — its yield rate (2025-26 Common Data Set). Yield reflects how often a school wins when applicants weigh competing offers.

Compare University of California-Berkeley

Show all 99 comparisons →

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The State of American Higher Education Outcomes for 2026 — report cover Download PDF

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The State of American Higher Education Outcomes

Every state graded on what graduates earn, how far they climb, and what college really costs — the hidden geography of economic mobility, in one report.

Download the report Explore the live data →

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