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Rank #3

University of California, Berkeley

Berkeley, CA · Public · Midsize City · Doctoral Universities: Very High Research Activity

Source: Forbes America's Top Colleges 2024Updated: 1/15/2025Enrollment: 45,036Student-Faculty: 20:1

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Key Stats in Context

Acceptance Rate11.0%
Highly selective

Admits roughly 1 in 5 applicants — you need a compelling application beyond just numbers

Average SAT1,440
Very competitive

Students typically score in the top 5-10% nationally

Average Net Price$18,400
Affordable

Reasonable cost that many families can manage with some planning

Median Earnings (10yr)$79,800
Strong

Graduates earn significantly more than average — the degree carries real economic weight

Freshman Retention96.0%
Excellent

Nearly all students return — a sign that students are thriving

Graduation Rate92.0%
Excellent

Nearly everyone graduates — strong academic support and student commitment

Student-Faculty Ratio20:1
Larger classes

More students per professor — you may need to be proactive about office hours

Crime Rate (per 1,000)7.1
Above average

Higher than typical — worth reviewing specific incident types and campus safety resources

Median Debt at Graduation$14,500
Very manageable

Low debt burden — monthly payments will be very reasonable after graduation

Peer Comparison

Compared against similarly-ranked schools

University of California, Berkeley

#3
Acceptance11.0%
Net Price$18,400
Earnings (10y)$79,800
Graduation92.0%
Retention96.0%

Stanford University

#1
Acceptance3.6%
Net Price$17,000
Earnings (10y)$97,500
Graduation95.0%
Retention98.0%

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

#2
Acceptance3.8%
Net Price$19,998
Earnings (10y)$124,700
Graduation95.0%
Retention99.0%

Yale University

#4
Acceptance4.6%
Net Price$18,500
Earnings (10y)$89,500
Graduation97.0%
Retention98.0%

Program-Level Earnings & Debt

Median earnings and debt by field of study at this school

Computer Science$120,000$15,000
Engineering$98,000$14,500
Business & Marketing$85,000$16,000
Social Sciences$62,000$15,000
Biological Sciences$52,000$14,000
Psychology$48,000$15,000
Physical Sciences$65,000$13,500
ProgramEarningsDebt

Admissions & Test Scores

Acceptance rate11.0%
Average SAT1,440
SAT Math (25th-75th)700–790
SAT Reading (25th-75th)680–760
ACT Midpoint33
Graduation rate92.0%
Freshman retention96.0%
Student-faculty ratio20:1

Cost & Financial Aid

In-state tuition$14,312
Out-of-state tuition$44,066
Cost of attendance$71,280
Average net price$18,400
Pell Grant recipients33.0%
Median debt at graduation$14,500
Federal loan rate20.0%
Loan default rate (3yr)0.8%

Outcomes & Earnings

Median earnings (10 years)$79,800
Enrollment45,036
Campus settingMidsize City
Official sitewww.berkeley.edu

Campus Safety

Total on-campus crimes320
Crime rate per 1,000 students7.1

Academic Programs

Computer Science15.0%
Engineering12.0%
Business & Marketing10.0%
Social Sciences9.0%
Biological Sciences8.0%
Psychology5.0%
Physical Sciences4.0%

Student Demographics

Female54.0%
Part-time3.0%
White20.0%
Black3.0%
Hispanic22.0%
Asian35.0%