National university
#19 Best value colleges in AmericaUniversity of California-Irvine
Irvine, CA · Public · 4-year
Your real cost
Average price after aid $14,251 a year
Median debt at graduation: $15,000 (all students)
Estimate your own price · the college’s net price calculator
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 criminal justice in America#10 of 1,046
- Best colleges for nursing in America#21 of 1,068
- Best value colleges in America#19 of 674
- Best colleges for business in America#48 of 1,563
- Best colleges for communications and journalism in America#46 of 1,238
- Best colleges for education in America#49 of 1,318
Show 29 more
- Colleges with the best earnings for the price in America#32 of 681
- Best colleges in America#88 of 1,829
- Colleges that pay for themselves fastest in America#30 of 598
- Best colleges for psychology in America#73 of 1,418
- Best test-optional colleges in America#80 of 1,481
- Best colleges for biology and pre-med in America#75 of 1,358
- Best colleges for English in America#75 of 1,283
- Colleges with the highest graduation rates in America#109 of 1,829
- Best colleges for history in America#78 of 1,247
- Best colleges for art and design in America#75 of 1,187
- Best colleges for mathematics in America#78 of 1,215
- Best colleges for chemistry in America#78 of 1,162
- Best colleges for music in America#74 of 1,063
- Best colleges for political science and pre-law in America#78 of 1,116
- Best colleges for computer science in America#53 of 750
- Best large colleges in America#19 of 256
- Most affordable colleges with strong academics in America#52 of 690
- Best colleges for engineering in America#58 of 749
- Colleges with the lowest student debt in America#53 of 684
- Best value colleges in the West in America#9 of 103
- Best colleges for economics in America#77 of 788
- Colleges that spend the most on teaching in America#72 of 704
- Best colleges in the Los Angeles area#8 of 69
- Colleges where Pell Grant students thrive in America#18 of 154
- Best colleges for NCAA Division I athletes in America#45 of 367
- Lowest net price for middle-income families in America#93 of 682
- Best colleges under $20,000 a year in America#27 of 197
- Most selective colleges in America#95 of 683
- Colleges where the most freshmen return in America#98 of 693
In California
- Best colleges for criminal justice in California#1 of 40
- Best colleges for nursing in California#3 of 53
- Best colleges for education in California#4 of 56
- Best colleges in California#11 of 128
- Best colleges for business in California#8 of 88
- Best value colleges in California#6 of 59
Show 27 more
- Best value colleges in the West in California#6 of 59
- Best colleges for psychology in California#8 of 74
- Best test-optional colleges in California#11 of 100
- Best colleges for art and design in California#9 of 75
- Colleges with the highest graduation rates in California#16 of 128
- Most affordable colleges with strong academics in California#8 of 63
- Best colleges for communications and journalism in California#9 of 70
- Best colleges for music in California#9 of 70
- Colleges with the best earnings for the price in California#8 of 62
- Best colleges for English in California#9 of 68
- Best colleges for biology and pre-med in California#10 of 69
- Best colleges for history in California#10 of 68
- Lowest net price for middle-income families in California#9 of 61
- Colleges that pay for themselves fastest in California#8 of 54
- Best colleges for political science and pre-law in California#10 of 67
- Best colleges for mathematics in California#10 of 65
- Best colleges for chemistry in California#10 of 63
- Best large colleges in California#5 of 29
- Best colleges for engineering in California#10 of 56
- Colleges with the lowest student debt in California#11 of 61
- Best colleges for computer science in California#10 of 54
- Best colleges for economics in California#10 of 54
- Colleges where Pell Grant students thrive in California#4 of 21
- Most selective colleges in California#11 of 57
- Colleges that spend the most on teaching in California#13 of 64
- Best colleges for NCAA Division I athletes in California#6 of 26
- Colleges where the most freshmen return in California#15 of 63
Academic Excellence
Each measure counts for the share shown.
- Graduation rate 35% of scoreThis measure counts for 35% of the Academic Excellence score.87%
- First-year retention 20% of scoreThis measure counts for 20% of the Academic Excellence score.94%
- 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.19 to 1
- Instructional spending per student 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.$29,852
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: $38,632 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) | 29,503 |
|---|---|
| Men and women College Scorecard, fall 2023 | Men 44% · Women 56% |
| First-generation students College Scorecard | 44% |
| First-year students from another state IPEDS, fall 2023 | 9% |
| Total students | 36,582 |
| Average net price (per year) After grants and scholarships, for students receiving federal aid | $14,251 |
| Cost of attendance (per year) | $38,632 |
| Median federal debt at graduation | $15,000 |
| Graduation rate First-time, full-time students finishing within 150% of normal time | 87% |
| Graduation rate for Pell grant recipients College Scorecard, within 6 years | 74% |
| Graduation rate for first-generation students College Scorecard, within 6 years | 74% |
| Borrowers paying down their loans within 3 years College Scorecard, within 3 years | 78% |
| First-year retention | 94% |
| Median earnings 10 years after entry | $80,735 |
| Admission rate | 29% |
| Application fee IPEDS, 2023–24 | $80 |
| Students receiving Pell grants | 36% |
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 | |
| Computer science | |
| Nursing | |
| Management information systems | |
| Electrical engineering | |
| Materials Engineering | |
| Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering | |
| Mechanical engineering | |
| Chemical Engineering | |
| Biomedical/Medical Engineering | |
| Civil engineering | |
| Computing and information science | |
| Physics | |
| Economics | |
| Business administration | |
| Managerial economics | |
| Mathematics | |
| Chemistry | |
| Geology and earth science | |
| Software and media applications | |
| Urban Studies/Affairs | |
| Political science | |
| Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration | |
| Public health | |
| Interdisciplinary studies | |
| Natural resources and conservation | |
| Criminology | |
| Journalism | |
| Global studies | |
| Sociology | |
| Psychology | |
| Biology | |
| Romance languages | |
| Education (general) | |
| Experimental psychology | |
| English | |
| History | |
| Film and video | |
| Anthropology | |
| Ethnic and gender studies | |
| Music | |
| Theatre | |
| Dance | |
| Fine arts |
Also offered (no earnings published yet): Area studies, Biochemistry, Biomathematics, Bioinformatics, and Computational Biology, Botany/Plant Biology, Cell/Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences, Classical and Ancient Studies, Classics, Cognitive Science, Design, East Asian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics, Ecology and evolutionary biology, Engineering (general), Environmental Design, Environmental/Environmental Health Engineering, Genetics, Human Biology, Information science, Liberal arts, Linguistics, Mathematics and Computer Science, Microbiological Sciences and Immunology, Neuroscience, Philosophy, Physiology and pathology, Programming, Religious studies, Secondary education, Social sciences.
What students study most
Share of bachelor’s degrees by field, first majors in 2023–24 (IPEDS).
| Field | Share of degrees |
|---|---|
| Social sciences | |
| Psychology | |
| Business | |
| Biology | |
| Engineering |
Campus life
| School colors | |
|---|---|
| Setting | City |
| Part-time undergraduates | 2% |
| Undergraduates aged 25 and older | 3% |
| On-campus room and board (per year) | $18,991 |
| Sports | NCAA Division I · Big West Conference |
| ROTC | Army · Air Force |
| Study abroad | Offered |
| Students per faculty member | 19 to 1 |
| Faculty who are full-time | 83%College Scorecard, fall 2023 |
| Endowment per student | $22,155IPEDS, 2023, per student |
| Dorm space | For about 53% of studentsBeds ÷ undergraduates; not how many live on campus |
| Nearest major airport | John Wayne Orange County International Airport (SNA)About 2 miles away |
| Town population | 311,690Census, 2020–2024 |
| Nearest city of 250,000 people or more | IrvineAbout 5 miles away |
| Typical weather | 58°F in January · 73°F in JulyNOAA, 1991–2020, from Santa Ana John Wayne Airport, CA, about 3 miles away |
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 | 0.27 | 0.07 |
| Robbery | 0.01 | 0.01 |
| Aggravated assault | 0.01 | 0.04 |
| Burglary | 0.28 | 0.08 |
| Motor vehicle theft | 2.83 | 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-Irvine’s Compass Score?
- Exceptional (grade A). It ranks in the top 6% 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-Irvine cost after financial aid?
- The average net price is $14,251 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-Irvine?
- University of California-Irvine admitted 29% of applicants in the most recent federal data.
- How do University of California-Irvine’s graduates do?
- 87% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years; the median earnings of former students ten years after entry are $80,735; the median federal debt at graduation is $15,000.
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About this school’s data
- IPEDS unit ID 110653
- Carnegie classification: Doctoral university (very high research)
- Accreditation: WASC Senior College and University Commission (U.S. Department of Education DAPIP)
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Colleges like this one
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