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University of California-Irvine

Public Irvine, CA · Urban · Far West · 93% data
A Earnings A Selectivity A Graduation
Graduation Rate
86% A
Most students who enroll finish their degree here
Earnings (10yr)
$80,735 A
Top 4% nationally — exceptional earning power
Net Price
$14,251 C+
17% less than the typical college
Acceptance Rate
29% A
Admits roughly 29% — highly selective
Earnings +98% vs avg
Graduation +51% vs avg
Net Price +-17% vs avg

Bottom line: A A- overall grade — strong outcomes across the board. 47.7× return on investment — every $1 spent returns $47.7 over 20 years.

47.7× return on investment

Every $1 spent returns $47.7 over 20 years — debt pays back in ~under a year. Net gain: $2,660,185.

What The Data Says

  1. An A- overall — top 13% of all U.S. colleges on measured outcomes.

  2. Graduates earn 98% more than the national college median.

  3. A 86% graduation rate — 51% above the national average.

  4. A top feeder school for 8 major employers.

  5. Every $1 invested returns $47.7 over 20 years — an exceptional return.

Economic Footprint

Employer Pipelines
8
Top feeder programs

Why University of California-Irvine Matters

University of California-Irvine is a public research university in Irvine, CA and its outcomes are not an accident. They are driven by selective admissions, a top-tier research enterprise, and a well-connected, high-opportunity alumni network. The result: graduates whose earnings land in the top 4% 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
30,197
Setting
Urban
Designations
HSI
Primary Strengths
Social Sciences, Biology & Biomedical, Psychology, Business & Marketing

Why students choose University of California-Irvine

Strong STEM core
A heavy concentration in technical fields
Top-tier research university
R1 status: undergraduates work alongside leading researchers
Influential alumni network
High cross-class social capital and reach
Exceptional earning outcomes
Graduate earnings in the top 4% of colleges

CollegeRanker Report Card

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

A-
Top 13% overall
A
Earnings
$80,735 median
A-
Value
5.7× net price
C+
Affordability
$14,251/yr net
A
Graduation
86% graduate
A
Selectivity
29% admit rate
A
Diversity
0.75 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

Selective
29% admit rate

Selective — admits about 29% of applicants. Run your numbers in the admissions predictor below.

Check your odds →
2
Can I Afford It?

Net price + aid

C+
$14,251/yr net

Students pay about $14,251 a year after grants and scholarships — 17% below the typical U.S. college. See net price by family income below.

See cost & aid →
3
What Happens After?

Earnings + debt

A
$80,735 median

Graduates earn a median of $80,735 ten years after enrolling — 98% above the typical college, against $15,000 in median debt.

See outcomes →
4
Does It Change Lives?

Mobility + social capital

1.78 connectedness

Strong cross-class social capital — an economic-connectedness score of 1.78 (Opportunity Insights).

See mobility →

Overview

About 30% of students at the University of California-Irvine are first-generation college students. This highlights the school's commitment to accessibility and support for those navigating higher education without familial guidance. With nearly 30,000 students, UCI creates a vibrant campus life with diverse academic opportunities.

According to data from Opportunity Insights, UCI graduates see substantial earnings, with a median income of $80,735 within ten years of graduation. This suggests that students are likely to experience upward mobility after completing their degrees. While specific mobility rates are not available, the university's strong graduation rate of 86% indicates that a majority of students successfully complete their programs.

The net price for attending UCI is approximately $14,251, making it a relatively affordable option for a public university in California. Graduates incur a median debt of $15,000, which is manageable given their earning potential. Students who thrive here are often those who are engaged in social sciences, psychology, business, or engineering, benefiting from a supportive academic environment and a wealth of resources.

Rankings

Can I Get In?

How selective University of California-Irvine 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-Irvine? Acceptance Rate & Requirements

Based in Irvine, California, University of California-Irvine reviews applications selectively. The acceptance rate runs near 29%. The graduation rate is roughly 86%.

Acceptance Rate
29%
Retention Rate
94%
Full-Time Faculty
83%
Faculty Salary (mo)
$19,250
Student–Faculty Ratio
18:1
Diversity Index
0.75
First-Gen Students
44%
Applicants
119,191
Admitted
25,212

Inside the Admissions Office

School-reported Common Data Set · 2024-25

The acceptance rate tells you how hard University of California-Irvine 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. 19% of admitted students go on to enroll here, making it a school most admitted students ultimately pass on.

Yield Rate
19%
of admits enroll
Source: University of California-Irvine's Common Data Set, 2024-25 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-Irvine? Tuition, Net Price & Aid

Published tuition at University of California-Irvine is $49,922, 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 $14,251. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $8,123 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $15,000 in federal student loans.

In-State Tuition
$15,722
Out-of-State
$49,922
Avg Net Price
$14,251
Median Debt
$15,000
Pell Grant Rate
36%
Federal Loan Rate
20%

What Families Actually Pay

Family Income $0–$30K
$8,123
Family Income $30K–$48K
$9,313
Family Income $48K–$75K
$11,642
Family Income $110K+
$30,546

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-Irvine — 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-Irvine Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI

Ten years out, alumni of University of California-Irvine earn a median of $80,735, well above the national average for bachelor's degree holders.

6 Years After Entry
$56,210
8 Years
$67,970
10 Years
$80,735
Debt-to-Earnings
0.19x
Earning > $25K
71%

Earnings Trajectory

$56,210 6yr $67,970 8yr $80,735 10yr

Graduation by Timeframe

100% (3,730)
69%
100% (3,730)
69%
100% (3,730)
69%
100% (3,730)
69%

Where Grads Go

University of California-Irvine is a top feeder for:

Rank among programs feeding each employer.

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

Explore the Career Destination Guide → Source: University of California-Irvine — Full-Time MBA Employment Report (Class of 2024)

How University Compares

Dot right of center = above national average.

NATIONAL AVGGraduation86%Earnings 10yr$81KNet Price$14KRetention94%Median Debt$15KPell Grant Rate36%

Net Price by Family Income

What families actually pay after aid, by income bracket.

$8K$0-30K$9K$30-48K$12K$48-75K$31K$110K+

College ROI Calculator

Is University of California-Irvine Worth It?

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

Yes — for most students, University of California-Irvine delivers a positive return. Over four years, the typical net price is $14,251/year ($57,004 total). Graduates earn $80,735 at ten years, and over a 20-year career we project $2,717,189 in total earnings — a net gain of $2,660,185 (47.7× your investment). The median debt is $15,000, which takes less than a year to pay back at typical earnings. With a 86% graduation rate, the path to that return is well-tested. This is a exceptional ROI compared to national averages.

Total Cost (4yr)
$57,004
Projected 20yr Earnings
$2,717,189
Net Return
$2,660,185
ROI Multiple
47.7×
Cost Per Year
$14,251
Median Debt
$15,000
Debt Payback
Less than 1 yr
Graduation Rate
86%
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-Irvine? 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-Irvine. Its economic connectedness score is 1.78, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (0.00), 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
1.78
Cross-class friendships
Friending Bias
0.00
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-Irvine 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-Irvine'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-Irvine? Acceptance Rate & Requirements

Based in Irvine, California, University of California-Irvine reviews applications selectively. The acceptance rate runs near 29%. The graduation rate is roughly 86%.

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

Published tuition at University of California-Irvine is $49,922, 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 $14,251. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $8,123 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $15,000 in federal student loans.

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

Ten years out, alumni of University of California-Irvine earn a median of $80,735, well above the national average for bachelor's degree holders.

How Connected Is University of California-Irvine? 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-Irvine. Its economic connectedness score is 1.78, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (0.00), 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.

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

About 19% of admitted students choose to enroll at University of California-Irvine — its yield rate (2024-25 Common Data Set). Yield reflects how often a school wins when applicants weigh competing offers.

Compare University of California-Irvine

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