National university
#2 Best colleges for social work in AmericaUniversity of California-Berkeley
Berkeley, CA · Public · 4-year
Your real cost
Average price after aid $13,481 a year
Median debt at graduation: $13,000 (all students)
Estimate your own price · the college’s net price calculator
Upcoming admissions events
- College Information Day and UC Berkeley ShowcaseOctober 24, 2026 · 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. · On campusThis signature outreach event offers an exciting opportunity to explore higher education options.More about College Information Day and UC Berkeley ShowcaseAdd to calendar
View all upcoming events · From the college's admissions website.
Rankings
Where this college places on our top lists. Lists are worked out from official data and our own research; places in the top quarter of each list are shown. See every list
In America
- Best colleges for social work in America#2 of 605
- Best colleges for business in America#21 of 1,563
- Best value colleges in America#10 of 674
- Best colleges for communications and journalism in America#22 of 1,238
- Best large colleges in America#5 of 256
- Colleges that pay for themselves fastest in America#12 of 598
Show 26 more
- Colleges with the best earnings for the price in America#16 of 681
- Best colleges in America#43 of 1,829
- Best test-optional colleges in America#39 of 1,481
- Colleges with the highest graduation rates in America#49 of 1,829
- Best colleges for psychology in America#38 of 1,418
- Best colleges for biology and pre-med in America#39 of 1,358
- Best value colleges in the West in America#3 of 103
- Best colleges for art and design in America#37 of 1,187
- Best colleges for English in America#41 of 1,283
- Best colleges for history in America#42 of 1,247
- Best colleges for mathematics in America#42 of 1,215
- Best colleges for chemistry in America#42 of 1,162
- Best colleges for music in America#39 of 1,063
- Best colleges for political science and pre-law in America#42 of 1,116
- Best colleges for engineering in America#30 of 749
- Colleges with the lowest student debt in America#29 of 684
- Best colleges for computer science in America#32 of 750
- Most selective colleges in America#35 of 683
- Best colleges for economics in America#42 of 788
- Best colleges for NCAA Division I athletes in America#22 of 367
- Most affordable colleges with strong academics in America#44 of 690
- Colleges where the most freshmen return in America#51 of 693
- Lowest net price for middle-income families in America#54 of 682
- Best colleges under $20,000 a year in America#16 of 197
- Best colleges in the San Francisco Bay Area area#2 of 18
- Colleges that spend the most on teaching in America#116 of 704
In California
- Best colleges for business in California#3 of 88
- Best large colleges in California#1 of 29
- Best colleges for social work in California#1 of 26
- Best colleges in California#5 of 128
- Colleges with the highest graduation rates in California#6 of 128
- Lowest net price for middle-income families in California#3 of 61
Show 24 more
- Best test-optional colleges in California#5 of 100
- Best value colleges in California#3 of 59
- Best value colleges in the West in California#3 of 59
- Best colleges for art and design in California#4 of 75
- Best colleges for psychology in California#4 of 74
- Colleges that pay for themselves fastest in California#3 of 54
- Best colleges for communications and journalism in California#4 of 70
- Best colleges for music in California#4 of 70
- Colleges with the best earnings for the price in California#4 of 62
- Colleges with the lowest student debt in California#4 of 61
- Best colleges for biology and pre-med in California#5 of 69
- Best colleges for English in California#5 of 68
- Best colleges for history in California#5 of 68
- Best colleges for political science and pre-law in California#5 of 67
- Best colleges for NCAA Division I athletes in California#2 of 26
- Best colleges for mathematics in California#5 of 65
- Best colleges for chemistry in California#5 of 63
- Best colleges for engineering in California#5 of 56
- Best colleges for computer science in California#5 of 54
- Best colleges for economics in California#5 of 54
- Most affordable colleges with strong academics in California#6 of 63
- Most selective colleges in California#7 of 57
- Colleges where the most freshmen return in California#11 of 63
- Best colleges under $20,000 a year in California#4 of 17
Academic Excellence
Each measure counts for the share shown.
- Graduation rate 35% of scoreThis measure counts for 35% of the Academic Excellence score.93%
- First-year retention 20% of scoreThis measure counts for 20% of the Academic Excellence score.97%
- Entering students' test scores 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.Not reported
- Student-to-faculty ratio 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.18 to 1
- Instructional spending per student 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.$23,741
Bars show points on each measure’s scale. How Academic Excellence is computed.
Source: College Scorecard (College Scorecard, most recent cohorts (data release 06/10/2026))
What families pay, by income
Average yearly price after grants and scholarships, for students who receive federal aid.
| Family income | Price after aid |
|---|---|
| Up to $30,000 | |
| $30,001–$48,000 | |
| $48,001–$75,000 | |
| $75,001–$110,000 | |
| Over $110,000 |
Full cost of attendance before aid: $45,619 a year.
Use the college’s net price calculator for your own estimate.
Cost and value
Federal data: what families pay after aid, what graduates earn, and what they owe.
| Undergraduate students Fall enrollment (IPEDS) | 33,078 |
|---|---|
| Men and women College Scorecard, fall 2023 | Men 44% · Women 56% |
| First-generation students College Scorecard | 35% |
| First-year students from another state IPEDS, fall 2023 | 11% |
| Total students | 45,699 |
| Average net price (per year) After grants and scholarships, for students receiving federal aid | $13,481 |
| Cost of attendance (per year) | $45,619 |
| Median federal debt at graduation | $13,000 |
| Graduation rate First-time, full-time students finishing within 150% of normal time | 93% |
| Graduation rate for Pell grant recipients College Scorecard, within 6 years | 72% |
| Graduation rate for first-generation students College Scorecard, within 6 years | 70% |
| Borrowers paying down their loans within 3 years College Scorecard, within 3 years | 80% |
| First-year retention | 97% |
| Median earnings 10 years after entry | $92,446 |
| Admission rate | 11% |
| Application fee IPEDS, 2023–24 | $80 |
| Students receiving Pell grants | 29% |
Value: Exceptional · Top 1% (how it’s computed)
Sources: College Scorecard · IPEDS College Navigator · Net price calculator
College Scorecard, most recent cohorts (data release 06/10/2026); IPEDS 2024-25 directory and institutional characteristics; fall 2023 enrollment.
Earnings by major
Median earnings of bachelor’s graduates a few years after finishing, by major (College Scorecard).
| Major | Median earnings |
|---|---|
| Computer science | |
| Electrical engineering | |
| Business administration | |
| Operations Research | |
| Economics | |
| Statistics | |
| Chemical Engineering | |
| Cognitive Science | |
| Mechanical engineering | |
| Applied mathematics | |
| Biomedical/Medical Engineering | |
| Civil engineering | |
| Microbiological Sciences and Immunology | |
| Other social sciences | |
| Physics | |
| Astronomy and Astrophysics | |
| Interdisciplinary studies | |
| Chemistry | |
| Mathematics | |
| Nutrition Sciences | |
| Biology | |
| Natural resources and conservation | |
| Linguistics | |
| Architecture | |
| Public health | |
| Urban Studies/Affairs | |
| Romance languages | |
| Communication studies | |
| Political science | |
| Sociology | |
| Film and video | |
| Pre-law and legal studies | |
| Area studies | |
| Writing and rhetoric | |
| Social work | |
| Ethnic and gender studies | |
| Cell/Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences | |
| Global studies | |
| Peace Studies and Conflict Resolution | |
| Experimental psychology | |
| History | |
| Anthropology | |
| Philosophy | |
| Psychology | |
| English | |
| Theatre | |
| Fine arts |
Also offered (no earnings published yet): Agricultural Engineering, Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorology, Botany/Plant Biology, Celtic Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics, Classical and Ancient Studies, Classics, Computing and information science, Dance, East Asian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics, Engineering Physics, Engineering Science, Environmental Design, Environmental/Environmental Health Engineering, Environmental/Natural Resources Management and Policy, Forestry, Geography, Geology and earth science, German, Landscape Architecture, Liberal arts, Manufacturing Engineering, Materials Sciences, Middle/Near Eastern and Semitic Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics, Music, Nuclear Engineering, Other engineering, Other foreign languages, literatures, and linguistics, Other natural resources and conservation, Pharmacology and Toxicology, Physical Sciences, Physiology and pathology, Religious studies, Slavic, Baltic and Albanian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics.
What students study most
Share of bachelor’s degrees by field, first majors in 2023–24 (IPEDS).
| Field | Share of degrees |
|---|---|
| Computer and information sciences | |
| Social sciences | |
| Engineering | |
| Biology | |
| Interdisciplinary studies |
Campus life
| School colors | |
|---|---|
| Setting | City |
| Part-time undergraduates | 5% |
| Undergraduates aged 25 and older | 5% |
| On-campus room and board (per year) | $23,750 |
| Sports | NCAA Division I · Atlantic Coast Conference |
| ROTC | Army · Navy · Air Force |
| Study abroad | Offered |
| Students per faculty member | 18 to 1 |
| Undergraduates registered with the disability office | About 16%IPEDS, 2023–24 |
| Faculty who are full-time | 70%College Scorecard, fall 2023 |
| Endowment per student | $69,023IPEDS, 2023, per student |
| Dorm space | For about 30% of studentsBeds per undergraduate; not who lives on campus |
| Nearest airport with airline service | Oakland San Francisco Bay Airport (OAK)About 11 miles away · about 30 minutes by car |
| Town population | 120,257Census, 2020–2024 |
| Nearest city of 250,000 people or more | OaklandAbout 7 miles away · about 20 minutes by car |
| Typical weather | 51°F in January · 64°F in JulyNOAA, 1991–2020, from Berkeley, CA |
Federal data (IPEDS and College Scorecard), except school colors.
Campus safety reports
On-campus crimes reported in 2024, per 1,000 students.
| Category | This campus | U.S. rate |
|---|---|---|
| Rape | 0.29 | 0.07 |
| Robbery | 0.19 | 0.01 |
| Aggravated assault | 0.48 | 0.04 |
| Burglary | 0.64 | 0.08 |
| Motor vehicle theft | 3.77 | 0.15 |
Numbers reflect what each campus reported. They differ with campus size and how reporting is done, so compare with care. U.S. rate: total reported offenses divided by total students at every institution in the report.
Questions families ask
- What is University of California-Berkeley’s Compass Score?
- Exceptional (grade A+). It ranks in the top 3% of rated colleges. The grade comes from outcomes (40%: graduation, retention and earnings), entering students (40%: test scores and selectivity), cost (15%: debt and price after aid) and teaching (5%: class size), all from federal data.
- How much does University of California-Berkeley cost after financial aid?
- The average net price is $13,481 a year for students who receive federal aid, after grants and scholarships. What your family pays depends on income; the college’s net price calculator gives your own estimate.
- How hard is it to get into University of California-Berkeley?
- University of California-Berkeley admitted 11% of applicants in the most recent federal data.
- How do University of California-Berkeley’s graduates do?
- 93% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years; the median earnings of former students ten years after entry are $92,446; the median federal debt at graduation is $13,000.
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About this school’s data
- IPEDS unit ID 110635
- Carnegie classification: Doctoral university (very high research)
- Accreditation: WASC Senior College and University Commission (U.S. Department of Education DAPIP)
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