About

About University of California-Berkeley

public research universitystem and social scienceslarge public institutioncalifornia flagship

University of California-Berkeley is a public research university in Berkeley, CA, known for its public research university, stem and social sciences, and large public institution. With an acceptance rate of 11%, Cal is highly selective, typically enrolling around 6,728 students each year. Cal is test optional; submitting a strong score can strengthen an application, though it is not required for consideration. Cal meets 100% of demonstrated financial need and has replaced loans with grants; for families earning under $100,000, the net cost is often $0.

Admissions

University of California-Berkeley acceptance rate and admitted student profile

highly selective

11%
Overall Accept Rate
3.75
Typical Admitted GPA
GPATypical admitted range: 3.75 – 4.00 unweighted

Build your free list to see where your GPA lands at University of California-Berkeley →

Application Strategy

Strategy tips for applying to University of California-Berkeley

The first 2 tips apply to all applicants. Your personalized strategy requires your profile — build your free list to unlock it.

Essay Strategy
Berkeley reads your Personal Insight Questions looking for concrete evidence of your thinking and growth, so for each of the four PIQs you choose, anchor every response in a specific moment, project, or decision rather than broad claims about yourself.
Application Strategy
Berkeley admits students to specific colleges and majors, so your PIQs and activities list should make a clear case for why you belong in your intended major, especially for high-demand programs like EECS, Computer Science, or Business Administration.

Get a tailored strategy for University of California-Berkeley. Build your free list to unlock personalized advice on submitting test scores and discover your actual admission odds based on your student profile.

Build My Free List →

Financial Aid & Cost

What University of California-Berkeley actually costs your family

Average net prices by income bracket from College Scorecard data.

Loan-free financial aid: University of California-Berkeley has replaced all loans with grants. For families earning under $100,000, the average net annual cost is $0. University of California-Berkeley's sticker price of ~$71k/year bears almost no resemblance to what most families pay.
Family IncomeSticker PriceEst. Net Cost / yr
0-30kOften $0~$71k/yr~$0 / yr
30k-48kOften $0~$71k/yr~$0 / yr
48k-75kOften $0~$71k/yr~$0 / yr
75k-110k~$71k/yr$15.1k
110k+~$71k/yr$34.5k

Not sure what University of California-Berkeley would cost your family? Build your free SpearMatch list. We show estimated net cost for every college on your list based on your income bracket.

Unlock real pricing for University of California-Berkeley and matching colleges →

Personalize this page

Compare your profile to University of California-Berkeley's admitted class

SpearMatch builds a tiered college list from your actual grades, scores, and preferences — and shows where you stand at every college. Free, no account, 4 minutes.

Build My Free List →

✓ Free forever  ·  ✓ No account  ·  ✓ 1,300+ four-year US colleges

Outcomes & Campus

Student outcomes and campus profile

93%
6-Year Graduation Rate
$75k
Median Earnings (6 yrs)
19:1
Student-Faculty Ratio
32,634
Undergrad Enrollment
University of California-Berkeley Acceptance Rate & Admissions | SpearMatch