University of California-Berkeley vs University of California-Los Angeles

Compare historical evidence, then verify your personal fit and cost.

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By Admit Coach / GPTKIDS LLC · Methodology
MeasureUniversity of California-BerkeleyUniversity of California-Los Angeles
CampusCACA
Institution typePublicPublic
Historical average net price$13,481$12,548
Four-year constant-cost scenario$53,924$50,192
In-state published cost of attendance$45,395$35,953
Out-of-state published cost of attendance$76,172$68,527
Admission policy / historical acceptance rate11.7%8.6%
Six-year graduation rate92.9%92.6%
Verify your costOfficial cost calculator / college cost pageOfficial cost calculator / college cost page

Reporting years are not verified for every imported field. Historical averages are not current prices or aid offers; public net-price averages may cover in-state students. The four-year scenario assumes unchanged cost and aid, excluding inflation and loan interest.

Berkeley or UCLA: start with the route into your major

Application scope: First-year applicants. Berkeley's cited L&S policy covers fall 2023 and later entrants; UCLA's page does not identify an entry year.

Berkeley L&S high-demand majors

Berkeley advises applicants who already want an L&S high-demand major to select it as their primary major. Changing into one after enrollment involves a separate review with limited places. Check the current list and declaration conditions for your program. Official source: Berkeley L&S high-demand majors.

UCLA major and supplemental requirements

UCLA says major choice does not affect first-year admission to its College of Letters and Science. Professional schools have different requirements; arts, music, nursing, and theater applicants should check supplemental materials and their separate deadlines. Official source: UCLA major and supplemental requirements.

Put the differences into your decision

Write down the exact college and major on each application. An offer of campus admission may leave different steps before you can study the subject you want. For cost and aid, use the same residency status in both calculators and compare housing and travel separately.

Sources checked . Policies can change; verify the linked pages for your entry year. This check date covers the policy notes, not the reporting years of the historical metrics above.

Campus admission rates are historical context, not personal admission probabilities.

Make this comparison useful

Can I afford either college?

Open both official calculators above using the same household information. Compare grants, annual out-of-pocket cost, borrowing and renewal conditions. Historical net price is context, not your offer.

Work through the affordability checklist →
What do graduation outcomes tell me?

The six-year rate describes an institution-level historical cohort. It does not predict your outcome or necessarily describe transfer, part-time or major-specific experiences. Ask each college about completion in your major, advising, required course availability and support.

Understand the cohort and data limitations →

Check the gaps in your college list →

Decide what to verify next

  1. Check admission to your intended major and current testing policy.
  2. Run each official cost calculator with the same household assumptions.
  3. Compare renewable grants, remaining budget gaps and deadlines.

Saved categories start as target placeholders; they do not assess personal admission chances. Explore academic fit or check affordability.

Sources: IPEDS and College Scorecard. Institution-level outcomes describe past cohorts and do not predict individual results.

Next steps

Free admission chance calculator · How chances are calculated · How many colleges to apply to · Test-optional colleges

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