University of California-Los Angeles: Cost, Graduate Salary, Acceptance Rate and Return on Investment
University of California-Los Angeles is a public college in Los Angeles, CA. Students pay about $12,548 a year in net price, and the median graduate earns $82,511 ten years after enrolling. By our Degree-ROI measure the degree pays back in about 1.8 years and adds $293,918 over a decade, ranking it #42 of 918 (top 5%) by value added.
What is University of California-Los Angeles's acceptance rate?
University of California-Los Angeles has an acceptance rate of 9.0%, which makes it highly selective. It is a public institution in Los Angeles, CA enrolling about 33,475 students, with a 92.6% graduation rate.
How much does University of California-Los Angeles cost?
University of California-Los Angeles costs about $12,548 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 $64,192. Published sticker cost of attendance is $38,614 per year.
How much do University of California-Los Angeles graduates earn?
Ten years after enrolling, the median University of California-Los Angeles student earns $82,511 per year. That is $35,811 more than the $46,700 that the typical worker with only a high-school diploma earns.
Is University of California-Los Angeles worth it? Degree ROI and payback period
University of California-Los Angeles pays back its roughly $64,192 cost in about 1.8 years, then keeps returning the earnings premium. Over the first decade the degree adds about $293,918 net of cost, a 5.58x return on the money invested. That ranks it #42 of 918 (top 5%) 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-Los Angeles graduation rate and student debt
92.6% of University of California-Los Angeles students complete their degree, and the median graduate leaves with $14,000 in federal student debt. That debt is about 17% of one year of median graduate earnings.
University of California-Los Angeles by the numbers (vs the typical college)
How University of California-Los Angeles 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 | $12,548 | $20,299 | cheaper than 85% |
| Median earnings (10 yrs) | $82,511 | $54,768 | 91th |
| Graduation rate | 92.6% | 57.0% | 97th |
| Acceptance rate | 9.0% | 75.7% | more selective than 98% |
| 10-yr value added | $293,918 | -$28,192 | 96th |
| ROI multiple (per $1) | 5.58x | 0.73x | 98th |
| Payback period | 1.8 yrs | 8.8 yrs | faster than 98% |
How University of California-Los Angeles compares with its nearest rivals
University of California-Los Angeles ranks #42 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-Los Angeles is a public college in Los Angeles, CA with 33,475 undergraduates. Its published cost of attendance is $38,614 a year, but the average aided family pays $12,548, a 68% discount from the sticker price. The median borrower leaves owing $14,000, equal to 17% of one year of median earnings ten years out. Getting in is the binding constraint at University of California-Los Angeles: 9.0% of applicants are admitted.
- Northwestern University (Evanston, IL; #41 of 918; 95.5% graduate) costs $16,619 more per year ($29,167 net), and its graduates earn $6,852 more ten years out ($89,363). Northwestern University adds $1,044 more ten-year value than University of California-Los Angeles. Northwestern University pays back its cost in 3.1 years.
- Washington University in St Louis (St. Louis, MO; #43 of 918; 94.3% graduate) costs $9,238 more per year ($21,786 net), and its graduates earn $3,671 more ten years out ($86,182). University of California-Los Angeles adds $3,742 more ten-year value than Washington University in St Louis. Washington University in St Louis pays back its cost in 2.7 years.
- University of Michigan-Ann Arbor (Ann Arbor, MI; #40 of 918; 93.2% graduate) costs $590 more per year ($13,138 net), and its graduates earn $1,137 more ten years out ($83,648). University of Michigan-Ann Arbor adds $3,510 more ten-year value than University of California-Los Angeles. University of Michigan-Ann Arbor pays back its cost in 2 years.
- New Jersey Institute of Technology (Newark, NJ; #44 of 918; 72.9% graduate) costs $3,956 more per year ($16,504 net), and its graduates earn $1,765 more ten years out ($84,276). University of California-Los Angeles adds $5,174 more ten-year value than New Jersey Institute of Technology. New Jersey Institute of Technology pays back its cost in 2.3 years.
- The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art (New York, NY; #39 of 918; 80.7% graduate) costs $721 more per year ($13,269 net), and its graduates earn $1,336 more ten years out ($83,847). Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art adds $9,476 more ten-year value than University of California-Los Angeles. Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art pays back its cost in 1.8 years.
| College | Value rank | Net price / yr | Earnings (10 yrs) | Graduation | 10-yr value added |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art | #39 | $13,269 | $83,847 | 80.7% | $303,394 |
| University of Michigan-Ann Arbor | #40 | $13,138 | $83,648 | 93.2% | $297,428 |
| Northwestern University | #41 | $29,167 | $89,363 | 95.5% | $294,962 |
| University of California-Los Angeles | #42 | $12,548 | $82,511 | 92.6% | $293,918 |
| Washington University in St Louis | #43 | $21,786 | $86,182 | 94.3% | $290,176 |
| New Jersey Institute of Technology | #44 | $16,504 | $84,276 | 72.9% | $288,744 |
Paying for University of California-Los Angeles
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-Los Angeles worth the cost compared to other colleges?
By value added net of cost, University of California-Los Angeles ranks #42 of 918 (top 5%) of the 918 four-year colleges we rank, and returns about 5.58x the money invested over a decade.
Is University of California-Los Angeles expensive compared to other colleges?
Its $12,548 average net price is below the $20,299 median for the colleges in this snapshot, making it cheaper than 85% of them.
Do University of California-Los Angeles graduates earn more than average?
Median earnings of $82,511 ten years out are above the $54,768 median, higher than 91% of the colleges here.
How hard is it to get into University of California-Los Angeles compared to other colleges?
Its 9.0% acceptance rate is below the 75.7% median, making it more selective than 98% 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.