Head-to-head comparison
University of California, Los Angeles vs. University of California-Berkeley
Real published data on acceptance rates, cost, and outcomes. Side by side.
Calculate your odds at bothIs UCLA or UC Berkeley harder to get into?
UCLA is harder to get into than UC Berkeley. UCLA's acceptance rate is 9.0% compared with 11.0% at UC Berkeley — for every 100 applicants, roughly 9 are admitted at UCLA versus 11 at UC Berkeley. Admitted-student test scores reinforce this: UCLA's 75th percentile SAT is n/a, compared with n/a at UC Berkeley. Note that published acceptance rates compress an important distinction — both pools concentrate hooked applicants (recruited athletes, legacies, first-generation), so the unhooked-applicant admit gap is typically smaller than the headline-rate difference suggests.
Which is cheaper, UCLA or UC Berkeley?
UCLA costs less than UC Berkeley on average. After grants and scholarships, UCLA's average net price is $12,548 per year compared with $13,481 at UC Berkeley — a published gap of about $933 per year before any merit aid. The actual price for a specific family depends on income, assets, and merit awards, so always run each school's official Net Price Calculator before deciding. These figures cover tuition, fees, room, and board, and they assume on-campus residence with a standard meal plan, which is how most need-based aid packages are calibrated.
Which has higher post-graduation earnings?
UC Berkeley graduates earn more on average. Median earnings 10 years after entry are $82,511 at UCLA and $92,446 at UC Berkeley.
Full Comparison
| Metric | UCLA | UC Berkeley |
|---|---|---|
| Acceptance rate | 9.0% | 11.0% |
| Cost of attendance | $38,614 | $45,619 |
| Avg net price (after aid) | $12,548 | $13,481 |
| Undergrad enrollment | 33,475 | 33,068 |
| 6-yr graduation rate | 92.6% | 92.8% |
| Median earnings (10yr) | $82,511 | $92,446 |
| Setting | Los Angeles, California | Berkeley, CA |
Data sources: IPEDS 2024 (federal Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System), Common Data Set 2024–25, and each school's published admit-cycle release. Last verified May 2026.
The Real Differences
UCLA is modestly harder to get into. The 2.0-point gap matters at the margin but doesn't change the overall difficulty tier. Both schools draw similar applicant pools and admit similar profiles.
Net cost is essentially the same at both schools after grants and scholarships, despite different sticker prices. Both schools meet most demonstrated need for in-range income brackets.
UC Berkeley graduates earn $9,935 more on average at the 10-year mark. This usually reflects major distribution more than school quality — schools that concentrate in CS, engineering, and finance pull higher medians than schools with more humanities and social science graduates. UCLA grads' earnings within the same major category are typically comparable.
Geographic difference matters more than the campus tour suggests. UCLA is in Los Angeles, California; UC Berkeley is in Berkeley, CA. Climate, cost-of-living, and proximity to job markets in your target field shape the four-year experience and post-grad pipeline more than most prospective students realize.
Student Body Composition
The two schools have different student body compositions. UCLA is 60.4% women, 7.7% international, and 29.5% Asian-American. UC Berkeley is 55.8% women, 9.8% international, and 35.4% Asian-American.
| Demographic | UCLA | UC Berkeley |
|---|---|---|
| Women | 60.4% | 55.8% |
| International | 7.7% | 9.8% |
| White | 23.9% | 19.8% |
| Asian | 29.5% | 35.4% |
| Hispanic | 24.2% | 22.1% |
| Black | 3.4% | 2.1% |
Personalized estimate
What are your odds at UCLA vs. UC Berkeley?
Get a probability for both schools calibrated to your full profile, not the headline rate.
Run the calculatorThe Verdict
Pick UCLA if
- Net price matters: UCLA costs $933 less per year on average
- its scale and breadth
Pick UC Berkeley if
- Your odds are realistic at UC Berkeley (slightly easier admit)
- Higher median post-grad earnings ($92,446 vs $82,511)
- Higher 6-year graduation rate
- the most selective UC
Headline numbers favor one school or the other on each axis, but neither is unambiguously “better.” The right answer depends on your major fit, geographic preference, financial need, and personal odds at each. Most applicants who get into one of these schools also get into the other.
Full School Pages
For complete admissions data, supplemental essay strategy, and class profile breakdowns:
Full profile
University of California, Los Angeles
9.0% accept · Los Angeles, California
Full profile
University of California-Berkeley
11.0% accept · Berkeley, CA
Sources
- U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard for acceptance rates, test ranges, financial aid, demographics, completion, and earnings.
- IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) for the underlying federal data.
- Each school's most recent published Common Data Set for cycle-specific admissions stats.
Last verified May 2026. Stats reflect each school's most recent publicly published admit cycle.