UC Berkeley vs. UVA

Should I go to University of California Berkeley or University of Virginia Main Campus? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if UC Berkeley or UVA 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.
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University of California Berkeley vs. University of Virginia Main Campus comparison
University of California Berkeley University of Virginia Main Campus College 3 College 4
University of California Berkeley University of Virginia Main Campus
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Overview

 UC Berkeley UVA
Location Berkeley, CA Charlottesville, VA
Setting Midsize City Small City
Enrollment 45,699 25,924
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #64 #63
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website berkeley.edu virginia.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 UC Berkeley UVA
Tuition (In State) $11,834 $17,490
Tuition (Out of State) $42,611 $53,836
Room & Board $22,692 $13,940
Avg Net Price $16,997 $17,831
Avg Grant Aid $25,951 $29,675
% Receiving Grant Aid 50% 28%

Admission

 UC Berkeley UVA
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 125,910 56,528
Admitted 14,677 9,533
Acceptance Rate 11.7% 16.9%
Enrolled % 45.2% 41.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.87 3.85
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Elite Exceptional
Applicant Competition Very High Very High
ACT Range 30/35 32/34
SAT Range 1310/1530 1410/1530
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Nov 30, 2025

Academics

 UC Berkeley UVA
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (20%)
  • Biology (13%)
  • Engineering (10%)
  • English and Literature (5%)
  • Natural Resources Conservation (5%)
  • Social Sciences (23%)
  • Engineering (10%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)
  • Business (8%)
  • Psychology (7%)

Outcomes

 UC Berkeley UVA
Graduation Rate 90% 94%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $74,700 $77,200
Making Student Loan Payments 79% 86%
Median Student Loan Debt $14,200 $19,500
Median Loan Payment $146 $201

Diversity

 UC Berkeley UVA
% Men 14% 15%
% Women 13% 17%
Racial Diversity Very High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 27% 60%
% Black 2% 6%
% Hispanic 14% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 5%
% International 14% 5%
% Unknown Race 3% 6%

Students

 UC Berkeley UVA
% In-State 79% 65%
% Out-of-State 10% 29%

Campus

 UC Berkeley UVA
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 UVA based on total student enrollment (45,699 students vs. 25,924 students)

UC Berkeley vs. UVA Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UC Berkeley or UVA?

  • University of Virginia Main Campus is 47.8% more expensive to attend than UC Berkeley for in-state tuition ($17,490.00 vs. $11,834.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 26.3% higher at UVA than University of California Berkeley ($53,836.00 vs. $42,611.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of California Berkeley than UVA ($16,997 vs. $17,831)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Virginia Main Campus are 62.8% lower than costs at University of California Berkeley ($13,940 vs. $22,692)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of California Berkeley than University of Virginia Main Campus (50% vs. 28%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Virginia Main Campus students is 14.4% larger than aid received University of California Berkeley ($29,675 vs. $25,951)

UC Berkeley vs. UVA Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of California Berkeley (1397) is 33 points higher than at UVA (1364)
  • Incoming UC Berkeley students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (32) than students at UVA (31)
  • Accepted freshman UC Berkeley students have a 0.02 point higher average high school GPA (3.87) than students at UVA (3.85)
  • UVA has a higher acceptance rate (16.9%) than UC Berkeley (11.7%)

UC Berkeley vs. UVA Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, UC Berkeley or UVA? 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 UVA and UC Berkeley.

  • The graduation rate at UVA is higher than University of California Berkeley (94% vs. 90%)
  • Graduates from University of Virginia Main Campus earn on average $2,500 more per year than UC Berkeley graduates after ten years. ($77,200 vs. $74,700)
  • University of California Berkeley students graduate with a $5,300 lower median federal student loan debt than UVA graduates. ($14,200 vs. $19,500)
  • UC Berkeley graduates are paying $55 less per month on federal student loans than UVA graduates. ($146 vs. $201)
  • More UVA graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UC Berkeley students, three years after graduation. (86% vs. 79%)

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