University of California-Berkeley

Berkeley, CA · WestQuad's selectivityUltra selective

Known forUltra-selectiveBig campusVery diverseHigh earnersHigh graduation rate

Website Admissions Apply Visit Financial aid

Updates

What changed

New and revised figures from the latest data releases, each with its year.

Published Oct 10, 2026

Fall 2026: 133,157 applied (fall 2025: 126,864)University of California-Berkeley (Fall 2026)
Fall 2026: 13,992 admits (fall 2025: 14,524)University of California-Berkeley (Fall 2026)
Fall 2026: 11.0% admitted (fall 2025: 11.4%)University of California-Berkeley (Fall 2026)
Entered fall 2024: 97.0% returned for a second year (entered fall 2023: 96.8%)University of California-Berkeley Common Data Set 2025–26

Sources:University of California-Berkeley (Fall 2026), Fall 2026;University of California-Berkeley Common Data Set 2025–26, Entered fall 2024About the data(retrieved 2026-10-12)

Admissions · Fall 2026

1 in 9 applicants admitted

Berkeley admits about 1 in 9 applicants (11%). That puts it in the "Ultra selective" tier, more selective than 98% of the 1,547 colleges that report admissions.

11%

acceptance rateQuad's selectivityUltra selective

Applied

133,157

Admitted

13,992

Yield

46%

of admits enroll

Avg. GPA

3.90

Applications +68% since fall 2014 · admit rate 16% → 11%Over time

Getting in, in detail: funnel, what they look at, your scores

Students

Who's on campus

A very large campus of 33,068 undergrads, where 29% receive Pell Grants, a typical share compared to other colleges.

33.1K

undergrads · larger than 98% of colleges

Diversity index

0.77

Pell Grant

29%

below the median

First generation

35%

about the median

Midsize cityNCAA D-I FBS · Atlantic Coast ConferenceROTCStudy abroadUndergrad research

Steady · index 0.76 → 0.77 since fall 2014Over time

Students and campus life in detail

Academics

Majors and faculty

The most popular major is Computer and Information Sciences, Other (10% of graduates). 18 students for every faculty member, more than at 83% of colleges. 70% of faculty are full-time. Spends $23,741 a year on instruction per student.

18 to 1

students per faculty member · more than at 83% of colleges

What it costs

In 2023–24, the average first-year paid an estimated $35,699 in total (tuition, housing, food, books and other costs, after grants), $11.4K more than the national median. The 53% who received grants paid $16,538 on average; the other 47% paid the full sticker price of $45,053 in-state / $75,830 out-of-state.

31%

$35.7K

average total cost per year, all first-years, after grants (est.) · $11.4K above the national median

Full price, in-state: $45,053 a year; tuition, housing, food, books, and other costs
Need-based aid: Little need-based aid above $110K; aid thins out for families above that income

Aid generosity

Moderate

grants cover 31% of full price

Federal loans

17%

of undergrads · national median 45%

Your price

Net price calculator

the college's own

Financial aid

Financial aid office Veterans' benefits

Cost falling · −16% after inflation since 2013–14Over time

Prices, who gets aid, and borrowing in detail

Outcomes

What it pays

Former students earn a median $92,446 ten years after enrolling, more than at 97% of colleges; 94% graduate within six years. Four years of net price is about 1.5 years of that salary.

94%

graduate within six years · national median 59%

Median earnings

$92.4K

10 years after entry

Median debt

$13K

≈ $138/month for 10 years

Retention

97%

come back for year two

Graduation rate 91% → 93% since the class that entered fall 2008Over time

Earnings, finishing, 8-year outcomes, by group

Over time · since 2013–14

How it's changed

Since 2013–14, the full price fell 6% after inflation, while what the average first-year paid fell 16%, because grants grew faster. Applications rose 68% since fall 2014, and the acceptance rate went from 16% to 11%.

Cost
Falling
−16% after inflation
Applications
Growing
+68%
Selectivity
More selective
admit rate 16% → 11% (to fall 2024)
Diversity
Steady
index 0.76 → 0.77

Every series, year by year

Keep exploring

Schools like this one

University of California-Los Angeles

9.0% admit · 33.5K undergrads

Similar selectivitySimilar sizeAlso West

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University of Maryland Global Campus

49.7K undergrads

Similar sizeAlso public

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University of California-Santa Barbara

33% admit · 23.1K undergrads

Similar selectivitySimilar sizeAlso West

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The University of Texas at Austin

27% admit · SAT 1380 · 42.9K undergrads

Similar selectivitySimilar sizeAlso public

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Sources for this overviewEvery dataset and year behind the numbers on this profile; tap any ⓘ for one number's source

Sources for this profile

1
IPEDS directory (Institutional Characteristics: HD)
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2025–26 · retrieved 2026-10-12
2
College Scorecard
U.S. Department of Education · most recent release; Fall 2024; 2023–24; Fall 2023 · retrieved 2026-10-12
3
University of California-Berkeley (Fall 2026)
University of California-Berkeley · Fall 2026 · retrieved 2026-10-10
4
University of California-Berkeley Common Data Set
University of California-Berkeley · 2024-25 · retrieved 2026-10-12
5
IPEDS Admissions survey
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12
6
University of California-Berkeley Common Data Set 2025–26
University of California-Berkeley · Fall 2025; Entered fall 2024; 2025–26 (estimated); Fall 2026 entrants; 2025–26; Fall 2027 applicants; Fall 2026 cycle; 2026–27; Class of 2025 · retrieved 2026-10-10
7
IPEDS Institutional Characteristics survey
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2023–24 · retrieved 2026-10-12
8
IPEDS Institutional Characteristics survey (athletics, programs, services, religious affiliation)
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2025–26 · retrieved 2026-10-12
9
IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (part D)
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12
10
IPEDS Completions survey (degrees awarded by field)
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2024–25 graduates · retrieved 2026-10-12
11
College Scorecard Field of Study data
U.S. Department of Education · most recent release · retrieved 2026-10-12
12
IPEDS Finance survey, derived per-student figures
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2023–24 · retrieved 2026-10-12
13
IPEDS Student Financial Aid survey
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2023–24 · retrieved 2026-10-12
14
IPEDS Graduation Rates survey (Pell Grant and subsidized loan recipients)
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Entered fall 2018 · retrieved 2026-10-12
15
Berkeley College of Engineering
University of California-Berkeley · most recent release · retrieved 2026-10-11
16
IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (part C, residence of first-time students)
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12
17
IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (part A, enrollment by level)
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12
18
IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (distance education)
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12
19
IPEDS Salaries survey (SAL, instructional staff, all ranks)
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12
20
IPEDS Outcome Measures survey
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Students entering fall 2016 · retrieved 2026-10-12
21
University of California-Berkeley (2026)
University of California-Berkeley · 2026 · retrieved 2026-10-04

IPEDS unit ID 110635 · Data retrieved 2026-10-12. Tap any ⓘ to see where that number came from and what year it describes. National ranks and medians include every 4-year college that reports the measure. How we source and calculate everything