University of California-Berkeley: Cost, Graduate Salary, Acceptance Rate and Return on Investment
University of California-Berkeley is a public college in Berkeley, CA. Students pay about $13,481 a year in net price, and the median graduate earns $92,446 ten years after enrolling. By our Degree-ROI measure the degree pays back in about 1.5 years and adds $390,536 over a decade, ranking it #19 of 918 (top 3%) by value added.
What is University of California-Berkeley's acceptance rate?
University of California-Berkeley has an acceptance rate of 11.0%, which makes it highly selective. It is a public institution in Berkeley, CA enrolling about 33,068 students, with a 92.9% graduation rate.
How much does University of California-Berkeley cost?
University of California-Berkeley costs about $13,481 per year in average net price, what a typical student actually pays after grants and scholarships. Over four years, including typical borrowing, that totals roughly $66,924. Published sticker cost of attendance is $45,619 per year.
How much do University of California-Berkeley graduates earn?
Ten years after enrolling, the median University of California-Berkeley student earns $92,446 per year. That is $45,746 more than the $46,700 that the typical worker with only a high-school diploma earns.
Is University of California-Berkeley worth it? Degree ROI and payback period
University of California-Berkeley pays back its roughly $66,924 cost in about 1.5 years, then keeps returning the earnings premium. Over the first decade the degree adds about $390,536 net of cost, a 6.84x return on the money invested. That ranks it #19 of 918 (top 3%) by value added. Its top-tier value is driven mainly by a low net price and strong graduate earnings.
Top 10% value
University of California-Berkeley graduation rate and student debt
92.9% of University of California-Berkeley students complete their degree, and the median graduate leaves with $13,000 in federal student debt. That debt is about 14% of one year of median graduate earnings.
University of California-Berkeley by the numbers (vs the typical college)
How University of California-Berkeley compares to the median four-year college in our snapshot. Percentile is its rank among the 918 colleges that report both earnings and cost (higher is better).
| Metric | This school | Median college | Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| Avg net price / yr | $13,481 | $20,299 | cheaper than 81% |
| Median earnings (10 yrs) | $92,446 | $54,768 | 96th |
| Graduation rate | 92.9% | 57.0% | 97th |
| Acceptance rate | 11.0% | 75.7% | more selective than 97% |
| 10-yr value added | $390,536 | -$28,192 | 98th |
| ROI multiple (per $1) | 6.84x | 0.73x | 99th |
| Payback period | 1.5 yrs | 8.8 yrs | faster than 99% |
How University of California-Berkeley compares with its nearest rivals
University of California-Berkeley ranks #19 of 918 by ten-year value added. The five profiled colleges closest to it in that ranking are compared below on the same federal data: none of them costs less per year and 5 of them produce higher median earnings ten years after entry.
University of California-Berkeley is a public college in Berkeley, CA with 33,068 undergraduates. Its published cost of attendance is $45,619 a year, but the average aided family pays $13,481, a 70% discount from the sticker price. The median borrower leaves owing $13,000, equal to 14% of one year of median earnings ten years out. Getting in is the binding constraint at University of California-Berkeley: 11.0% of applicants are admitted.
- Santa Clara University (Santa Clara, CA; #18 of 918; 88.2% graduate) costs $36,581 more per year ($50,062 net), and its graduates earn $16,737 more ten years out ($109,183). Santa Clara University adds $14,884 more ten-year value than University of California-Berkeley. Santa Clara University pays back its cost in 3.5 years.
- Georgetown University (Washington, DC; #20 of 918; 94.5% graduate) costs $27,334 more per year ($40,815 net), and its graduates earn $11,048 more ten years out ($103,494). University of California-Berkeley adds $1,356 more ten-year value than Georgetown University. Georgetown University pays back its cost in 3.1 years.
- University of Notre Dame (Notre Dame, IN; #17 of 918; 96.0% graduate) costs $13,299 more per year ($26,780 net), and its graduates earn $7,534 more ten years out ($99,980). University of Notre Dame adds $16,144 more ten-year value than University of California-Berkeley. University of Notre Dame pays back its cost in 2.4 years.
- Boston College (Chestnut Hill, MA; #21 of 918; 90.9% graduate) costs $28,223 more per year ($41,704 net), and its graduates earn $11,491 more ten years out ($103,937). University of California-Berkeley adds $3,982 more ten-year value than Boston College. Boston College pays back its cost in 3.2 years.
- Stevens Institute of Technology (Hoboken, NJ; #16 of 918; 88.2% graduate) costs $27,865 more per year ($41,346 net), and its graduates earn $16,326 more ten years out ($108,772). Stevens Institute of Technology adds $37,800 more ten-year value than University of California-Berkeley. Stevens Institute of Technology pays back its cost in 3.1 years.
| College | Value rank | Net price / yr | Earnings (10 yrs) | Graduation | 10-yr value added |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stevens Institute of Technology | #16 | $41,346 | $108,772 | 88.2% | $428,336 |
| University of Notre Dame | #17 | $26,780 | $99,980 | 96.0% | $406,680 |
| Santa Clara University | #18 | $50,062 | $109,183 | 88.2% | $405,420 |
| University of California-Berkeley | #19 | $13,481 | $92,446 | 92.9% | $390,536 |
| Georgetown University | #20 | $40,815 | $103,494 | 94.5% | $389,180 |
| Boston College | #21 | $41,704 | $103,937 | 90.9% | $386,554 |
Paying for University of California-Berkeley
Net price is what a family pays after grants, so the aid a student qualifies for moves every figure above. Our sister sites cover that side of the decision: the Pell Grant 2026-2027 guide sets out who qualifies and the maximum award, the education grants guide lists federal, state and institutional grants beyond Pell, and the best AI tools for students compares what is worth paying for once enrolled.
Frequently asked
Is University of California-Berkeley worth the cost compared to other colleges?
By value added net of cost, University of California-Berkeley ranks #19 of 918 (top 3%) of the 918 four-year colleges we rank, and returns about 6.84x the money invested over a decade.
Is University of California-Berkeley expensive compared to other colleges?
Its $13,481 average net price is below the $20,299 median for the colleges in this snapshot, making it cheaper than 81% of them.
Do University of California-Berkeley graduates earn more than average?
Median earnings of $92,446 ten years out are above the $54,768 median, higher than 96% of the colleges here.
How hard is it to get into University of California-Berkeley compared to other colleges?
Its 11.0% acceptance rate is below the 75.7% median, making it more selective than 97% of the colleges in the snapshot.
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Federal data behind this page
What a programme costs, what its graduates earn, and what aid is available are published by federal statistical agencies rather than by any provider's marketing page, and the sources below are the primary ones. They are linked so a reader can check a figure here directly.
- College Scorecard publishes the federal cost, completion and post-enrolment earnings data used to compare programmes.
- National Center for Education Statistics is the federal statistical agency for education and the source most published figures trace back to.
- IPEDS holds the institution-level survey data behind enrolment, price and completion comparisons.
- Federal Student Aid states what aid exists, who qualifies, and what repayment actually obligates a borrower to.
- CFPB paying for college documents how education financing works and where its common traps are.
- US Department of Education sets the policy framework the accreditation and aid systems operate under.
- Department of Education laws and policy carries the rules that decide whether a provider or credential is recognised.
This page compares programmes on published data. Outcomes vary by student, and a reader's own aid package and circumstances decide what a programme actually costs them.