National university
#22 Colleges with the best earnings for the price in AmericaUniversity of California-Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA · Public · 4-year
Your real cost
Average price after aid $12,548 a year
Median debt at graduation: $14,000 (all students)
Estimate your own price · the college’s net price calculator
Upcoming admissions events
- UCLA Transfer Admission: Telling Your Story Through the UC Personal Insight QuestionsOctober 23, 2026 · 11:00 AM to 02:15 PM · UCLA Ackerman Union, Bruin Viewpoint RoomJoin UCLA Transfer Admission Representatives for an engaging workshop on the Personal Insight Questions (PIQs).More about UCLA Transfer Admission: Telling Your Story Through the UC Personal Insight QuestionsAdd to calendar
- Virtual Transfer Admission PresentationNovember 5, 2026 · 4 p.m.–5 p.m. · VirtualMore about Virtual Transfer Admission PresentationAdd to calendar
- Ask Us Anything: Tips and Insights from UCLA Transfer AdmissionNovember 6, 2026 · 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM · VirtualJoin us for an interactive workshop designed to help you navigate the UC application with confidence.More about Ask Us Anything: Tips and Insights from UCLA Transfer AdmissionAdd to calendar
- Virtual Transfer Admission PresentationDecember 10, 2026 · 4 p.m.–5 p.m. · VirtualMore about Virtual Transfer Admission PresentationAdd to calendar
View all upcoming events (1 more) · 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 nursing in America#10 of 1,068
- Best value colleges in America#9 of 674
- Colleges that spend the most on teaching in America#11 of 704
- Best colleges for business in America#25 of 1,563
- Best value colleges in the West in America#2 of 103
- Best colleges for communications and journalism in America#25 of 1,238
Show 27 more
- Best colleges for education in America#27 of 1,318
- Colleges with the highest graduation rates in America#52 of 1,829
- Best colleges in America#53 of 1,829
- Best large colleges in America#8 of 256
- Best test-optional colleges in America#47 of 1,481
- Colleges with the best earnings for the price in America#22 of 681
- Best colleges for psychology in America#47 of 1,418
- Colleges that pay for themselves fastest in America#21 of 598
- Best colleges for biology and pre-med in America#48 of 1,358
- Most selective colleges in America#26 of 683
- Best colleges for English in America#49 of 1,283
- Best colleges for art and design in America#46 of 1,187
- Best colleges for history in America#51 of 1,247
- Best colleges for mathematics in America#51 of 1,215
- Best colleges for chemistry in America#51 of 1,162
- Best colleges for music in America#47 of 1,063
- Best colleges for political science and pre-law in America#50 of 1,116
- Most affordable colleges with strong academics in America#34 of 690
- Best colleges for engineering in America#37 of 749
- Best colleges for computer science in America#38 of 750
- Colleges with the lowest student debt in America#40 of 684
- Best colleges for economics in America#51 of 788
- Colleges where the most freshmen return in America#47 of 693
- Best colleges in the Los Angeles area#5 of 69
- Best colleges for NCAA Division I athletes in America#27 of 367
- Lowest net price for middle-income families in America#56 of 682
- Best colleges under $20,000 a year in America#19 of 197
In California
- Best value colleges in California#2 of 59
- Best value colleges in the West in California#2 of 59
- Best colleges for education in California#2 of 56
- Best colleges for nursing in California#2 of 53
- Colleges that spend the most on teaching in California#3 of 64
- Best colleges in California#7 of 128
Show 26 more
- Colleges with the highest graduation rates in California#7 of 128
- Best colleges for business in California#5 of 88
- Lowest net price for middle-income families in California#4 of 61
- Best test-optional colleges in California#7 of 100
- Most selective colleges in California#4 of 57
- Most affordable colleges with strong academics in California#5 of 63
- Best colleges for art and design in California#6 of 75
- Best colleges for psychology in California#6 of 74
- Best colleges for communications and journalism in California#6 of 70
- Best colleges for music in California#6 of 70
- Colleges that pay for themselves fastest in California#5 of 54
- Colleges with the best earnings for the price in California#6 of 62
- Best colleges for biology and pre-med in California#7 of 69
- Best colleges for English in California#7 of 68
- Best colleges for history in California#7 of 68
- Best large colleges in California#3 of 29
- Best colleges for political science and pre-law in California#7 of 67
- Best colleges for mathematics in California#7 of 65
- Best colleges for chemistry in California#7 of 63
- Best colleges for engineering in California#7 of 56
- Best colleges for computer science in California#7 of 54
- Best colleges for economics in California#7 of 54
- Colleges with the lowest student debt in California#9 of 61
- Best colleges for NCAA Division I athletes in California#4 of 26
- Colleges where the most freshmen return in California#10 of 63
- Best colleges under $20,000 a year in California#5 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.20 to 1
- Instructional spending per student 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.$73,875
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: $38,614 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) | 33,040 |
|---|---|
| Men and women College Scorecard, fall 2023 | Men 40% · Women 60% |
| First-generation students College Scorecard | 38% |
| First-year students from another state IPEDS, fall 2023 | 14% |
| Total students | 46,678 |
| Average net price (per year) After grants and scholarships, for students receiving federal aid | $12,548 |
| Cost of attendance (per year) | $38,614 |
| Median federal debt at graduation | $14,000 |
| 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 | 82% |
| Graduation rate for first-generation students College Scorecard, within 6 years | 81% |
| Borrowers paying down their loans within 3 years College Scorecard, within 3 years | 79% |
| First-year retention | 97% |
| Median earnings 10 years after entry | $82,511 |
| Admission rate | 9% |
| Application fee IPEDS, 2023–24 | $80 |
| Students receiving Pell grants | 28% |
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 engineering | |
| Computing and information science | |
| Managerial economics | |
| Electrical engineering | |
| Nursing | |
| Biomedical/Medical Engineering | |
| Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering | |
| Statistics | |
| Mechanical engineering | |
| Chemical Engineering | |
| Applied mathematics | |
| Cognitive Science | |
| Mathematics | |
| Civil engineering | |
| Economics | |
| Physics | |
| Global studies | |
| Geology and earth science | |
| Natural resources and conservation | |
| Interdisciplinary studies | |
| Political science | |
| Biochemistry | |
| Cell/Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences | |
| Chemistry | |
| Geography | |
| Human Biology | |
| Design | |
| Microbiological Sciences and Immunology | |
| Sociology | |
| Linguistics | |
| Biology | |
| Philosophy | |
| Experimental psychology | |
| Psychology | |
| History | |
| Physiology and pathology | |
| Romance languages | |
| East Asian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | |
| Neuroscience | |
| English | |
| Ethnic and gender studies | |
| Anthropology | |
| Area studies | |
| Ecology and evolutionary biology | |
| Film and video | |
| Music | |
| Fine arts | |
| Theatre | |
| Dance |
Also offered (no earnings published yet): Agricultural Engineering, Architecture, Arts management, Astronomy and Astrophysics, Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorology, Biomathematics, Bioinformatics, and Computational Biology, Classical and Ancient Studies, Classics, Communication studies, Computer science, Genetics, Geography and Environmental Studies, Geological/Geophysical Engineering, German, Human resources, Liberal arts, Literature, Materials Engineering, Materials Sciences, Middle/Near Eastern and Semitic Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics, Other foreign languages, literatures, and linguistics, Other visual and performing arts, Public Policy Analysis, Religious studies, Secondary education, Slavic, Baltic and Albanian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics, Social and Philosophical Foundations of Education.
What students study most
Share of bachelor’s degrees by field, first majors in 2023–24 (IPEDS).
| Field | Share of degrees |
|---|---|
| Social sciences | |
| Biology | |
| Psychology | |
| Engineering | |
| Mathematics and statistics |
Campus life
| School colors | |
|---|---|
| Setting | City |
| Part-time undergraduates | 2% |
| Undergraduates aged 25 and older | 3% |
| On-campus room and board (per year) | $18,369 |
| Sports | NCAA Division I · Big Ten Conference |
| ROTC | Army · Navy · Air Force |
| Study abroad | Offered |
| Students per faculty member | 20 to 1 |
| Faculty who are full-time | 75%College Scorecard, fall 2023 |
| Endowment per student | $69,551IPEDS, 2023, per student |
| Dorm space | For about 72% of studentsBeds ÷ undergraduates; not how many live on campus |
| Nearest major airport | Los Angeles International Airport (LAX)About 9 miles away |
| Town population | 3,857,263Census, 2020–2024 |
| Nearest city of 250,000 people or more | Los AngelesAbout 4 miles away |
| Typical weather | 60°F in January · 70°F in JulyNOAA, 1991–2020, from U C L A, 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 | 0.85 | 0.07 |
| Robbery | 0.17 | 0.01 |
| Aggravated assault | 0.49 | 0.04 |
| Burglary | 0.76 | 0.08 |
| Motor vehicle theft | 4.14 | 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-Los Angeles’s Compass Score?
- Exceptional (grade A). It ranks in the top 4% 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-Los Angeles cost after financial aid?
- The average net price is $12,548 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-Los Angeles?
- University of California-Los Angeles admitted 9% of applicants in the most recent federal data.
- How do University of California-Los Angeles’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 $82,511; the median federal debt at graduation is $14,000.
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About this school’s data
- IPEDS unit ID 110662
- 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
The same kind of school first, then the closest in selectivity, size and cost.
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