A+
Overall Niche Grade
How are grades calculated?
  1. Academics
    A+
  2. Value
    A+
  3. Diversity
    A
  4. Campus
    B+
  5. Athletics
    A+
  6. Party Scene
    A
  7. Professors
    A
  8. Location
    A-
  9. Dorms
    C-
  10. Campus Food
    A
  11. Student Life
    A+
  12. Safety
    C
View Full Report Card
University of California - Berkeley is ...
Public
Athletic Division
NCAA Division I-FBS
Athletic Conference
Pacific-12 Conference
Address
200 California Hall
Berkeley, CA 94720
Website
berkeley.edu

University of California - Berkeley Rankings

Niche rankings are based on rigorous analysis of key statistics from the U.S. Department of Education and millions of reviews.

Admissions

Acceptance Rate
17%
Application Deadline
November 30
SAT Range
1250-1510
ACT Range
30-34
Application Fee
$70
SAT/ACT
Required
High School GPA
Required
Will You Get In?

Test Scores and GPA for University of California - Berkeley

Cost

Net Price
$16,601/ year
National
$15,403
Average cost after financial aid for students receiving grant or scholarship aid, as reported by the college.
Net Price by Household Income
  • <$30k
    $7,338/ year
  • $30-48k
    $9,384/ year
  • $49-75k
    $12,260/ year
  • $76-110k
    $19,289/ year
  • $110k+
    $28,961/ year

Academics

Professors
A
Based on faculty accomplishments, salary, student reviews, and additional factors.
Student Faculty Ratio
17:1
Evening Degree Programs
No
70%
of students agree that professors put a lot of effort into teaching their classes.227 responses
40%
of students agree that it is easy to get the classes they want.236 responses
38%
of students agree that the workload is easy to manage.236 responses

Majors

Most Popular Majors
  • Economics
    538 Graduates
  • Cellular Biology
    482 Graduates
  • Computer Science
    422 Graduates
  • Electrical and Electronics Engineering
    365 Graduates
  • Political Science and Government
    364 Graduates
  • Biology
    339 Graduates
  • Psychology
    339 Graduates
  • Business Administration and Management
    338 Graduates
  • Social Sciences
    297 Graduates
  • English
    275 Graduates

Students

Full-Time Enrollment
26,622Undergrads
Undergrads Over 25
5%
Pell Grant
26%
Varsity Athletes
3%
Poll
What one word or phrase best describes the typical student at this school?
Based on 148 responses
Report
  • Competitive and hardworking
    30%
  • Motivated, driven
    20%
  • Dedicated and exceptionally intelligent
    18%
  • Motivated, hardworking, intelligent and amazing!!!
    14%
  • Motivated but know how to have fun
    9%
  • Motivated, Quirky, Intelligent
    5%
  • They are some characters
    2%

Campus Life

Freshmen Live On-Campus
—
Poll
62%
of students say that Greek life is average, and no one will treat you differently if you don't join.291 responses
Poll
60%
of students say varsity sports are a big part of campus life.349 responses
Poll
What one word or phrase best describes your school?
Based on 152 responses
Report
  • Diverse, liberal, crazy, and intelligent
    28%
  • Diverse and liberal
    16%
  • Inclusive and intelligent
    13%
  • Competitive, awe- inspiring, + challenging
    10%
  • AMAZING
    9%
  • Competative and liberal
    7%
  • Competitive, liberal, and difficult
    7%

After College

Median Earnings 6 Years After Graduation
$62,700/ year
National
$33,028
Graduation Rate
92%
National
48%
Employed 2 Years After Graduation
86%
National
83%
68%
of students feel confident they will find a job in their field after graduation.154 responses
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University of California - Berkeley Reviews

3,676 reviews
All Categories
My experience at University of California, Berkeley has been overall very positive. The professors are all very good lecturers, while some may not be as good at actually teaching, they make up for it by providing helpful tutors and graduate student advisors. Being in the Bay Area has allowed me to have plentiful opportunities I usually would not have had if I went to a university in another area. There are several student organizations, clubs, sports teams and other activities that students can join to feel welcome and part of something! Since it is a big school, I had to learn quickly that no one is going to be holding your hand so it made me become very independent and ask for what I need because no one is going to give it to me. I have loved the past 3 years here and would highly recommend it to anyone who is looking for a great education in a great area with lots of unique opportunities!
Review University of California - Berkeley
Overall, UC Berkeley is a great place. UC Berkeley has great academics, delicious food at and around campus, and it is number one public university in the world after all! However, there are some downsides to attending UC Berkeley. The housing situation is awful at Berkeley. Dorms and apartments are expensive and are hard to get. Homeless people around the campus and number of violent protests make Berkeley an unpleasant and dangerous place to live in. Your days will be filled with protestors blocking pathways and random people yelling and handing out flyers.
Berkeley has a big, beautiful campus with world-renowned programs in STEM, the Arts & Humanities, and Business. It's ivy-league quality but in a down-to-earth, wildly liberating California environment. Highly recommend for anyone serious about working in Silicon Valley OR who's passionate about social justice, the environment, animal welfare. Also has an AMAZING, massive English lit program with incredibly Ivy League-educated professors (as well as a Cambridge and Oxford). Has a small college-town vibe with a frat row that's active but nerdier than most. It's VERY easy to switch majors and very possible to switch degrees as well. It's a very open and flexible place, but if you're a staunch right-wing conservative, you will have a hard time. Do your research on the specific major(s) you're considering and see what the professors/programs focus on. There's no Creative Writing major and Film is focused exclusively on film history/theory (few opportunities for screenwriting/production.