UC Berkeley vs. UCSD

Should I go to University of California Berkeley or University of California San Diego? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if UC Berkeley or UCSD is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.

Add a college to compare up to four schools

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

USD San Diego State UCSB UCLA UCI UC Davis UW-Seattle Stanford UC Riverside UT Austin Purdue Michigan
University of California Berkeley vs. University of California San Diego comparison
University of California Berkeley University of California San Diego College 3 College 4
University of California Berkeley University of California San Diego
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

UC Berkeley UCSD
Location Berkeley, CA La Jolla, CA
Setting Midsize City Large City
Enrollment 45,307 42,006
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #63 #89
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website berkeley.edu ucsd.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

UC Berkeley UCSD
Tuition (In State) $11,564 $11,564
Tuition (Out of State) $41,636 $41,636
Room & Board $21,402 $16,710
Avg Net Price $19,257 $16,111
Avg Grant Aid $21,669 $20,782
% Receiving Grant Aid 52% 55%

Admission

UC Berkeley UCSD
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 128,209 131,197
Admitted 14,523 31,103
Acceptance Rate 11.3% 23.7%
Enrolled % 46.3% 21%
Avg High School GPA 3.87 3.82
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Elite Exceptional
Applicant Competition Very High Very High
ACT Range 30/35 28/34
SAT Range 1310/1530 1270/1480
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline Nov 30, 2024 Nov 30, 2024

Academics

UC Berkeley UCSD
Student to Faculty Ratio 19:1 19:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (20%)
  • Biology (13%)
  • Engineering (10%)
  • English and Literature (5%)
  • Natural Resources Conservation (5%)
  • Biology (23%)
  • Social Sciences (21%)
  • Engineering (10%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • General Studies (7%)

Outcomes

UC Berkeley UCSD
Graduation Rate 90% 85%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $74,700 $67,900
Making Student Loan Payments 79% 82%
Median Student Loan Debt $14,200 $18,500
Median Loan Payment $146 $191

Diversity

UC Berkeley UCSD
% Men 46% 50%
% Women 54% 50%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 27% 21%
% Black 2% 1%
% Hispanic 14% 16%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 5%
% International 14% 17%
% Unknown Race 3% 2%

Students

UC Berkeley UCSD
% In-State 78% 81%
% Out-of-State 11% 8%

Campus

UC Berkeley UCSD
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility Yes Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • University of California Berkeley is larger than than UCSD based on total student enrollment (45,307 students vs. 42,006 students)

UC Berkeley vs. UCSD Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UC Berkeley or UCSD?

  • University of California Berkeley and UCSD cost the same to attend based on in-state tuition ($11,564.00 vs. $11,564.00)
  • Out of state tuition is the same at UC Berkeley as University of California San Diego ($41,636.00 vs. $41,636.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of California San Diego than UC Berkeley ($16,111 vs. $19,257)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of California San Diego are 28.1% lower than costs at University of California Berkeley ($16,710 vs. $21,402)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of California San Diego than University of California Berkeley (55% vs. 52%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of California Berkeley students is 4.3% larger than aid received University of California San Diego ($21,669 vs. $20,782)

UC Berkeley vs. UCSD Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, UC Berkeley or UCSD? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between UCSD or UC Berkeley .

  • The average SAT score at University of California Berkeley (1397) is 53 points higher than at UCSD (1344)
  • Incoming UC Berkeley students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (32) than students at UCSD (31)
  • Accepted freshman UC Berkeley students have a 0.05 point higher average high school GPA (3.87) than students at UCSD (3.82)
  • UCSD has a higher acceptance rate (23.7%) than UC Berkeley (11.3%)

UC Berkeley vs. UCSD Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, UC Berkeley or UCSD? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between UCSD and UC Berkeley.

  • The graduation rate at UC Berkeley is higher than University of California San Diego (90% vs. 85%)
  • Graduates from University of California Berkeley earn on average $6,800 more per year than UCSD graduates after ten years. ($74,700 vs. $67,900)
  • University of California Berkeley students graduate with a $4,300 lower median federal student loan debt than UCSD graduates. ($14,200 vs. $18,500)
  • UC Berkeley graduates are paying $45 less per month on federal student loans than UCSD graduates. ($146 vs. $191)
  • More UCSD graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UC Berkeley students, three years after graduation. (82% vs. 79%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/