UC Irvine vs University of Nevada-Reno (UNR)
When it comes to higher education, University of California-Irvine (UCI) and University of Nevada-Reno (UNR) stand out as two compelling options for prospective students. UCI, a public research university located in Irvine, California, boasts a highly selective admissions process with an acceptance rate of 30%, while UNR, a public research university in Reno, Nevada, offers a more accessible admissions process with an acceptance rate of 81%. Both universities offer a diverse range of undergraduate and graduate programs, with UCI excelling in fields like engineering, biological sciences, and social sciences, and UNR excelling in areas such as engineering, nursing, and education. While UCI's student body is predominantly Asian (38%) and White (30%), UNR's student body is more diverse, with a significant Hispanic population (30%) and a larger proportion of White students (48%). To help you make an informed decision, we've compiled a comprehensive comparison table
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![]() University of California-Irvine |
![]() University of Nevada-Reno |
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Overview |
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Location | Irvine, California | Reno, Nevada |
Campus setting | City: Large | City: Large |
College type | 4 year | 4 year |
Control/business model | Public | Public |
Calendar system | Quarter | Semester |
Degrees offered | Undergraduate and Graduate | Undergraduate and Graduate |
Students retention rate | 93.0% | 78.0% |
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No | Yes |
Religious affiliation | ||
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Admission |
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Acceptance rate | 28.8% | 88.2% |
Application fees |
Undergraduate:
$70
Graduate:
$120
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Undergraduate:
$60
Graduate:
$60
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SAT range | N/A | 1060 - 1270 |
ACT range | N/A | 20 - 26 |
Students submitting SAT score | 12.0% | |
Students submitting ACT score | 60.0% | |
Total number of applicants | 107,950 | 9,421 |
Total number of admissions given out | 31,110 | 8,306 |
Admitted students who chose to enroll | 6,489 | 3,412 |
Yield rate | 20.9% | 41.1% |
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 |
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Tuition and Fees |
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Sticker price |
In state:
$35,033
Out of state:
$64,787
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In state:
$26,796
Out of state:
$42,888
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Average net price | $11,633 | $16,398 |
Tuition |
In state:
$11,442
Out of state:
$41,196
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In state:
$7,470
Out of state:
$23,562
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Room & board | $16,869 |
Room/dormitory:
$5,850
Meal plan:
$5,792
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Available payment plans |
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Financial Aid |
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Students receiving financial aid
(Grants & scholarships) |
78.0%
Average amount $16,868 |
86.0%
Average amount $7,232 |
Students receiving federal student loan |
18.0%
Average amount $4,696 |
29.0%
Average amount $5,001 |
Students taking out private loans |
2.0%
Average amount $7,702 |
4.0%
Average amount $12,013 |
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Students and Campus |
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Undergraduate students |
29,449
Men 45.4% Women 54.6% |
17,025
Men 47.1% Women 52.9% |
Graduate students |
7,056
Men 49.8% Women 50.2% |
4,009
Men 39.3% Women 60.7% |
Racial/ethnic diversity |
Moderate
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Moderate
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Out-of-state students | 13.5% | 26.1% |
International students | 18.0% | 2.8% |
Campus local/setting | City: Large | City: Large |
Dormitory capacity | 15,493 | 3,524 |
First year students are required to live on campus? | No | No |
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from | California Washington Hawaii Texas New York | Nevada California Hawaii Oregon Washington |
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Academics |
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Popular study areas |
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Students to faculty ratio | 18:1 | 17:1 |
Institutional accreditation | Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University Commission | Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities |
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Outcome |
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Graduation rate | 83.7% | 62.7% |
Dropout rate | 6.4% | 34.1% |
Transferred out | 9.1% | N/A |
Alumni salary by major (Top 10) |
Health and Medical Administrative Services (Master's Degrees)
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees)
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Master's Degrees)
Law (First Professional Degrees)
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Bachelor's Degrees)
Mechanical Engineering (Master's Degrees)
Computer Science (Bachelor's Degrees)
Management Information Systems and Services (Bachelor's Degrees)
Computer Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
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Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Master's Degrees)
Computer and Information Sciences, General (Master's Degrees)
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees)
Mining and Mineral Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
Computer Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
Civil Engineering (Master's Degrees)
Psychology, General (Master's Degrees)
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Bachelor's Degrees)
Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
Medicine (First Professional Degrees)
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