National university
#7 Best value colleges in the West in AmericaUniversity of California-Davis
Davis, CA · Public · 4-year
Your real cost
Average price after aid $14,741 a year
Median debt at graduation: $13,000 (all students)
Estimate your own price · the college’s net price calculator
Campus tour
UCD Campus Tour en Español · From the college’s official YouTube channel. Plays from YouTube when you tap it.
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 value colleges in America#16 of 674
- Colleges with the lowest student debt in America#29 of 684
- Best colleges for business in America#72 of 1,563
- Colleges with the best earnings for the price in America#32 of 681
- Best colleges for communications and journalism in America#62 of 1,238
- Colleges that pay for themselves fastest in America#30 of 598
Show 25 more
- Best colleges for education in America#68 of 1,318
- Best colleges in America#121 of 1,829
- Colleges with the highest graduation rates in America#123 of 1,829
- Best value colleges in the West in America#7 of 103
- Best colleges for psychology in America#100 of 1,418
- Best test-optional colleges in America#108 of 1,481
- Best colleges for biology and pre-med in America#103 of 1,358
- Best colleges for English in America#102 of 1,283
- Colleges that spend the most on teaching in America#56 of 704
- Best colleges for history in America#105 of 1,247
- Most affordable colleges with strong academics in America#59 of 690
- Best colleges for art and design in America#103 of 1,187
- Best colleges for mathematics in America#106 of 1,215
- Best colleges for chemistry in America#106 of 1,162
- Best colleges for political science and pre-law in America#105 of 1,116
- Best colleges for music in America#101 of 1,063
- Best colleges for computer science in America#74 of 750
- Best colleges for engineering in America#80 of 749
- Best large colleges in America#31 of 256
- Best colleges for economics in America#103 of 788
- Lowest net price for middle-income families in America#103 of 682
- Best colleges for NCAA Division I athletes in America#59 of 367
- Colleges where the most freshmen return in America#126 of 693
- Best colleges under $20,000 a year in America#39 of 197
- Most selective colleges in America#136 of 683
In California
- Colleges with the lowest student debt in California#4 of 61
- Best value colleges in California#5 of 59
- Best value colleges in the West in California#5 of 59
- Best colleges for education in California#7 of 56
- Colleges with the best earnings for the price in California#8 of 62
- Colleges that pay for themselves fastest in California#8 of 54
Show 18 more
- Best colleges in California#19 of 128
- Colleges with the highest graduation rates in California#19 of 128
- Most affordable colleges with strong academics in California#10 of 63
- Lowest net price for middle-income families in California#10 of 61
- Best test-optional colleges in California#17 of 100
- Best colleges for business in California#15 of 88
- Colleges that spend the most on teaching in California#11 of 64
- Best colleges for psychology in California#14 of 74
- Best colleges for art and design in California#15 of 75
- Best colleges for communications and journalism in California#15 of 70
- Best colleges for music in California#15 of 70
- Best colleges for English in California#15 of 68
- Best colleges for biology and pre-med in California#16 of 69
- Best colleges for history in California#16 of 68
- Best colleges for political science and pre-law in California#16 of 67
- Best colleges for mathematics in California#16 of 65
- Best colleges for chemistry in California#16 of 63
- Best large colleges in California#8 of 29
Academic Excellence
Each measure counts for the share shown.
- Graduation rate 35% of scoreThis measure counts for 35% of the Academic Excellence score.86%
- First-year retention 20% of scoreThis measure counts for 20% of the Academic Excellence score.93%
- 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.22 to 1
- Instructional spending per student 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.$34,097
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: $41,238 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) | 31,797 |
|---|---|
| Men and women Undergraduates, fall 2023 (College Scorecard) | Men 41% · Women 59% |
| First-generation students Share of students who are first-generation, by the College Scorecard’s definition | 41% |
| First-year students from another state Of first-time students whose home is a U.S. state, fall 2023 (IPEDS) | 6% |
| Total students | 39,707 |
| Average net price (per year) After grants and scholarships, for students receiving federal aid | $14,741 |
| Cost of attendance (per year) | $41,238 |
| Median federal debt at graduation | $13,000 |
| Graduation rate First-time, full-time students finishing within 150% of normal time | 86% |
| Graduation rate for Pell grant recipients Finishing within 6 years (College Scorecard) | 81% |
| Graduation rate for first-generation students Finishing within 6 years (College Scorecard) | 80% |
| Borrowers paying down their loans within 3 years Borrowers who repaid at least $1 of principal within 3 years (College Scorecard) | 83% |
| First-year retention | 93% |
| Median earnings 10 years after entry | $80,838 |
| Admission rate | 42% |
| Application fee Undergraduate application fee, 2023–24 (IPEDS) | $80 |
| Students receiving Pell grants | 31% |
Value: Exceptional · Top 2% (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 engineering | |
| Computing and information science | |
| Engineering (general) | |
| Chemical Engineering | |
| Mechanical engineering | |
| Biomedical/Medical Engineering | |
| Civil engineering | |
| Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering | |
| Materials Engineering | |
| Statistics | |
| Managerial economics | |
| Biotechnology | |
| Management science | |
| Economics | |
| Physics | |
| Genetics | |
| Microbiological Sciences and Immunology | |
| Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration | |
| Chemistry | |
| Geology and earth science | |
| Communication studies | |
| Mathematics | |
| Plant Sciences | |
| Biochemistry | |
| Food Science and Technology | |
| Other public administration and social service professions | |
| Other social sciences | |
| Cognitive Science | |
| Biology | |
| Political science | |
| International relations | |
| Physiology and pathology | |
| Natural resources and conservation | |
| Applied mathematics | |
| Nutrition Sciences | |
| Neuroscience | |
| Pharmacology and Toxicology | |
| Design | |
| Ecology and evolutionary biology | |
| East Asian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | |
| Romance languages | |
| Other psychology | |
| Religious studies | |
| Sociology | |
| English | |
| Ethnic and gender studies | |
| Philosophy | |
| Linguistics | |
| Agricultural Production Operations | |
| Film and video | |
| History | |
| Experimental psychology | |
| Anthropology | |
| Theatre | |
| Animal Sciences | |
| Wildlife and Wildlands Science and Management | |
| Fine arts |
Also offered (no earnings published yet): Agricultural business, Apparel and Textiles, Area studies, Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorology, Biochemical Engineering, Biological/Biosystems Engineering, Botany/Plant Biology, Cell/Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences, City/Urban, Community, and Regional Planning, Classical and Ancient Studies, Computer science, Electrical engineering, Environmental Design, Environmental/Environmental Health Engineering, Family and human development, Forestry, German, Interdisciplinary studies, International Agriculture, Landscape Architecture, Liberal arts, Marine Sciences, Music, Other agricultural/animal/plant/veterinary science, Other english language and literature/letters, Other natural resources and conservation, Other physical sciences, Other visual and performing arts, Physical Sciences, Psychology, Science, Technology and Society, Secondary education, Slavic, Baltic and Albanian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics, Social sciences, Soil Sciences, Writing and rhetoric, Zoology/Animal Biology.
What students study most
Share of bachelor’s degrees by field, first majors in 2023–24 (IPEDS).
| Field | Share of degrees |
|---|---|
| Biology | |
| Social sciences | |
| Psychology | |
| Engineering | |
| Business |
Campus life
| School colors | |
|---|---|
| Setting | Suburb |
| Part-time undergraduates | 2% |
| Undergraduates aged 25 and older | 4% |
| On-campus room and board (per year) | $19,426 |
| Sports | NCAA Division I · Big West Conference |
| ROTC | Army |
| Study abroad | Offered |
| Students per faculty member | 22 to 1 |
| Faculty who are full-time | 88%Of instructional faculty, fall 2023 (College Scorecard) |
| Endowment per student | $17,567Endowment at the end of fiscal year 2023, per full-time-equivalent student (IPEDS) |
| Dorm space | For about 52% of studentsCampus beds divided by undergraduate enrollment. Not how many students live on campus (IPEDS) |
| Nearest airport with scheduled flights | Sacramento International Airport (SMF)About 14 miles away in a straight line (OurAirports) |
| Town population | 66,9782020–2024 five-year estimate (U.S. Census Bureau) |
| Nearest city of 250,000 people or more | SacramentoAbout 15 miles away in a straight line (U.S. Census Bureau) |
| Average temperature in January | 47°F1991–2020 normal, from DAVIS 2 WSW EXP FARM, CA US, about 1 miles away (NOAA) |
| Average temperature in July | 75°F1991–2020 normal, from DAVIS 2 WSW EXP FARM, CA US, about 1 miles away (NOAA) |
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 | 0.19 | 0.07 |
| Robbery | 0.06 | 0.01 |
| Aggravated assault | 0.11 | 0.04 |
| Burglary | 0.82 | 0.08 |
| Motor vehicle theft | 4.02 | 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-Davis’s Compass Score?
- Exceptional (grade A). It ranks in the top 7% 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-Davis cost after financial aid?
- The average net price is $14,741 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-Davis?
- University of California-Davis admitted 42% of applicants in the most recent federal data.
- How do University of California-Davis’s graduates do?
- 86% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years; the median earnings of former students ten years after entry are $80,838; the median federal debt at graduation is $13,000.
Ask the school
Something you want to know that isn’t on this page? Ask it here. We send it to the school, and their answer appears on this page. Your name is never shared.
Reviews
Personal experiences from signed-in readers. Reviews are moderated automatically and never change a school’s grades.
No reviews yet.
Sign in to write a review.
My rating and notes
Sign in or create a free account to rate this school privately, keep notes, and save it to your list.
About this school’s data
- IPEDS unit ID 110644
- Carnegie classification: Doctoral university (very high research)
- Accreditation: WASC Senior College and University Commission (U.S. Department of Education DAPIP)
- Report an error or a newer source
- Respond as this school
Colleges like this one
The same kind of school first, then the closest in selectivity, size and cost.
Compare side by side: University of California-Davis vs University of Maryland-College Park · University of California-Davis vs North Carolina State University at Raleigh · University of California-Davis vs University of Georgia · University of California-Davis vs University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
More in California · California rankings