In-state vs. out-of-state tuition at Berkeley
Berkeley charges $16,347 a year in published tuition and fees for California residents, about $8,174 a semester, and $50,547 a year for students from other states, about $25,274 a semester, a difference of $34,200. About 16% of first-year students came from out of state. You may pay less if receiving grants or scholarships. Compare out-of-state tuition at 100 public universities →
What makes Berkeley different
- Test-free admission. Like all University of California campuses, Berkeley does not consider SAT or ACT scores.
- Computing and science at scale. Computer science, other computing fields, molecular and cell biology, economics and electrical engineering are among its largest majors.
- The Bay Area. Campus is across the bay from San Francisco, close to Silicon Valley.
What Berkeley students study
The most common bachelor's degrees (class of 2024): computer science (796), other computing fields (771), molecular and cell biology (691), economics (631), electrical engineering (492) and business administration (425). Source: IPEDS Completions, first majors only.
You may thrive at Berkeley if…
- You're a strong, independent student who likes a big, fast-moving place.
- You're interested in computing, science, economics or engineering.
- You want to be near the Bay Area's technology and research world.
Worth asking about
- How do you declare high-demand majors like computer science?
- What research opportunities are open to undergraduates in their first two years?
How Berkeley compares with the other ACC schools
Berkeley is one of the ACC's most selective universities and receives more applications than any other. See how the 18 ACC schools differ.
FAQ
What is Berkeley's acceptance rate? 11.0% for fall 2024.
What is Berkeley's out-of-state acceptance rate? 10.3% for fall 2025, compared with 13.6% for California residents. Berkeley admitted 3,114 of 30,130 out-of-state applicants and 9,874 of 72,646 California residents, according to the University of California's preliminary fall 2025 figures (admission offers as of June 2025). Applicants · Admits International applicants are counted separately. Out-of-state tuition and fees are $50,547 a year before aid; you may pay less if receiving grants or scholarships. Compare out-of-state acceptance rates at public universities →
What is Berkeley known for? Its research, computing and science, and its Bay Area setting.
How much does Berkeley cost? Published tuition and fees are $16,347 a year in-state and $50,547 out-of-state, before any aid.
How much is UC Berkeley tuition per semester? About $8,174 a semester for California residents and $25,274 for out-of-state students, based on published yearly tuition and fees of $16,347 and $50,547 before aid.
Is UC Berkeley an R1 university? Yes. In the 2025 Carnegie Classifications, the University of California, Berkeley is an R1 university, the group with the highest research spending and doctoral degrees. What R1 means →
How many students go to UC Berkeley? About 33,100 undergraduates (fall 2024).
Wondering if a large research university fits you?
Lens's College Ideas suggest which kinds of colleges may suit you. Start with Lens →