UC Davis vs Berkeley

Nestled in the heart of California's Central Valley, University of California-Davis (UC Davis) and its vibrant campus await you. With an acceptance rate of 41%, UC Davis offers a diverse range of undergraduate programs, including renowned majors in agriculture, biological sciences, and engineering. In contrast, University of California-Berkeley (UC Berkeley), situated in the bustling city of Berkeley, boasts a highly selective admissions process with an acceptance rate of 17%. UC Berkeley excels in fields such as computer science, engineering, and economics, attracting top students from around the world. While both universities share a commitment to academic excellence, their distinct locations, acceptance rates, and popular majors cater to different student preferences and aspirations. Explore our comprehensive comparison table to discover which university aligns best with your academic goals and personal preferences.
University of California-Berkeley logo

University of California-Berkeley

University of California-Davis logo

University of California-Davis

Overview

Location Berkeley, California Davis, California
Campus setting City: Midsize Suburb: Small
College type 4 year 4 year
Control/business model Public Public
Calendar system Semester Quarter
Degrees offered Undergraduate and Graduate Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate 96.0% 91.0%
Common app member No No
Religious affiliation

Admission

Acceptance rate 14.4% 48.8%
Application fees
Undergraduate: $70

Graduate: $120
Undergraduate: $70

Graduate: $120
SAT range N/A N/A
ACT range N/A N/A
Students submitting SAT score
Students submitting ACT score
Total number of applicants 112,843 87,120
Total number of admissions given out 16,295 42,475
Admitted students who chose to enroll 6,931 7,482
Yield rate 42.5% 17.6%
Test scores (SAT/ACT) N/A N/A
High school GPA Required Required
Recommendation letters Not required Not required
High school transcript Not required Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL) Required Required

Tuition and Fees

Sticker price
In state: $37,920

Out of state: $67,674
In state: $32,584

Out of state: $62,338
Average net price $17,652 $16,640
Tuition
In state: $11,442

Out of state: $41,196
In state: $11,442

Out of state: $41,196
Room & board $20,236 $17,018
Available payment plans
  • Tuition payment plan
  • Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid

Students receiving financial aid

(Grants & scholarships)

52.0%
Average amount $21,406
59.0%
Average amount $17,628
Students receiving federal student loan 15.0%
Average amount $4,586
23.0%
Average amount $4,043
Students taking out private loans 6.0%
Average amount $7,122
11.0%
Average amount $3,360

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 31,814
Men 45.4% Women 54.6%
31,657
Men 39.8% Women 60.2%
Graduate students 13,222
Men 51.7% Women 48.3%
8,393
Men 43.8% Women 56.2%
Racial/ethnic diversity
Moderate
Moderate
Out-of-state students 16.9% 7.5%
International students 18.0% 17.0%
Campus local/setting City: Midsize Suburb: Small
Dormitory capacity 9,630 11,142
First year students are required to live on campus? No No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from California New Jersey Texas Virginia New York California Washington Illinois Texas Hawaii

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Engineering
  • Business
  • Computer and Information Science
  • Legal Profession
  • Health Professions
  • Biological and Biomedical Sciences
  • Business
  • Agriculture
  • Engineering
  • Family and Consumer Sciences
Students to faculty ratio 20:1 21:1
Institutional accreditation Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University Commission Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University Commission

Outcome

Graduation rate 92.8% 86.9%
Dropout rate 6.3% 11.8%
Transferred out N/A N/A
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $171,936
  • Year 3: $191,597
Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $122,038
  • Year 3: $167,052
Computer Science (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $125,250
  • Year 2: $125,388
  • Year 3: $161,399
Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $126,367
  • Year 2: $128,868
  • Year 3: $160,666
Law (First Professional Degrees)
  • Year 1: $160,390
  • Year 2: $142,470
  • Year 3: $143,984
Information Science/Studies (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $119,358
  • Year 3: $143,516
Chemistry (Doctoral Degrees)
  • Year 1: $107,442
  • Year 2: $63,005
  • Year 3: $112,973
Optometry (First Professional Degrees)
  • Year 1: $74,750
  • Year 2: $91,363
  • Year 3: $104,601
Mechanical Engineering (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $95,600
  • Year 2: $85,760
  • Year 3: $103,738
Applied Mathematics (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $71,282
  • Year 2: $65,387
  • Year 3: $102,543
Health Professions and Related Clinical Sciences, Other (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $121,903
  • Year 2: $135,393
  • Year 3: $137,917
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $127,500
  • Year 2: $125,015
  • Year 3: $135,009
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $106,299
  • Year 2: $116,258
  • Year 3: $127,335
Computer and Information Sciences, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $76,488
  • Year 2: $81,609
  • Year 3: $103,694
Veterinary Biomedical and Clinical Sciences (First Professional Degrees)
  • Year 1: $80,669
  • Year 2: N/A
  • Year 3: $100,961
Educational Administration and Supervision (Doctoral Degrees)
  • Year 1: $112,976
  • Year 2: $98,186
  • Year 3: $99,585
Computer Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $81,487
  • Year 2: $82,440
  • Year 3: $98,364
Mechanical Engineering (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $87,604
  • Year 3: $94,032
Engineering, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $74,487
  • Year 2: $70,370
  • Year 3: $89,594
Law (First Professional Degrees)
  • Year 1: $73,514
  • Year 2: $74,262
  • Year 3: $87,586

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