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Berkeley vs CU-Boulder

Nestled in the vibrant cities of Berkeley, California, and Boulder, Colorado, the University of California-Berkeley and the University of Colorado Boulder stand as two prominent beacons of higher education. While both institutions share a commitment to academic excellence and offer a diverse range of programs, they also possess distinct characteristics that cater to different student preferences and aspirations. From their contrasting acceptance rates and popular majors to their unique student body demographics and graduation outcomes, these universities present prospective students with distinct opportunities and experiences. Explore our comprehensive comparison table to delve into the nuances that set these institutions apart and discover which one aligns best with your academic pursuits and personal aspirations.
University of California-Berkeley logo

University of California-Berkeley

 		University of Colorado Boulder logo

University of Colorado Boulder

Overview

Location Berkeley, California Boulder, Colorado
Campus setting City: Midsize City: Midsize
College type 4 year 4 year
Control/business model Public Public
Calendar system Semester Semester
Degrees offered Undergraduate and Graduate Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate 96.0% 87.0%
Common app member No Yes
Religious affiliation

Admission

Acceptance rate 14.4% 79.6%
Application fees
Undergraduate: $70
Graduate: $120
Undergraduate: $50
Graduate: $60
SAT range N/A 1170 - 1390
ACT range N/A 25 - 31
Students submitting SAT score 32.0%
Students submitting ACT score 16.0%
Total number of applicants 112,843 54,756
Total number of admissions given out 16,295 43,576
Admitted students who chose to enroll 6,931 6,785
Yield rate 42.5% 15.6%
Test scores (SAT/ACT) N/A N/A
High school GPA Required Required
Recommendation letters Not required Not required
High school transcript Not required Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL) Required Required

Tuition and Fees

Sticker price
In state: $37,920
Out of state: $67,674
In state: $29,725
Out of state: $55,543
Average net price $17,652 $22,532
Tuition
In state: $11,442
Out of state: $41,196
In state: $10,728
Out of state: $36,546
Room & board $20,236 $15,220
Available payment plans
  • Tuition payment plan
  • Guaranteed tuition plan
  • Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid

Students receiving financial aid

(Grants & scholarships)

 52.0%
Average amount $21,406 		53.0%
Average amount $9,214
Students receiving federal student loan 15.0%
Average amount $4,586 		27.0%
Average amount $4,986
Students taking out private loans 6.0%
Average amount $7,122 		6.0%
Average amount $24,094

Students and Campus
Undergraduate students 31,814
Men 45.4% Women 54.6% 		30,886
Men 54.8% Women 45.2%
Graduate students 13,222
Men 51.7% Women 48.3% 		8,114
Men 57.8% Women 42.2%
Racial/ethnic diversity
Moderate
Low
Out-of-state students 16.9% 48.8%
International students 18.0% 7.1%
Campus local/setting City: Midsize City: Midsize
Dormitory capacity 9,630 7,500
First year students are required to live on campus? No No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from California New Jersey Texas Virginia New York Colorado California Texas Illinois New York

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Engineering
  • Business
  • Computer and Information Science
  • Legal Profession
  • Health Professions
  • Business
  • Engineering
  • Communication and Journalism
  • Visual & Performing Arts
  • Legal Profession
Students to faculty ratio 20:1 18:1
Institutional accreditation Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University Commission Higher Learning Commission

Outcome

Graduation rate 92.8% 74.0%
Dropout rate 6.3% 8.6%
Transferred out N/A 15.9%
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $171,936
  • Year 3: $191,597
Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $122,038
  • Year 3: $167,052
Computer Science (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $125,250
  • Year 2: $125,388
  • Year 3: $161,399
Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $126,367
  • Year 2: $128,868
  • Year 3: $160,666
Law (First Professional Degrees)
  • Year 1: $160,390
  • Year 2: $142,470
  • Year 3: $143,984
Information Science/Studies (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $119,358
  • Year 3: $143,516
Chemistry (Doctoral Degrees)
  • Year 1: $107,442
  • Year 2: $63,005
  • Year 3: $112,973
Optometry (First Professional Degrees)
  • Year 1: $74,750
  • Year 2: $91,363
  • Year 3: $104,601
Mechanical Engineering (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $95,600
  • Year 2: $85,760
  • Year 3: $103,738
Applied Mathematics (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $71,282
  • Year 2: $65,387
  • Year 3: $102,543
Engineering, General (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $105,752
  • Year 2: $116,679
  • Year 3: $121,033
Aerospace, Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering (Doctoral Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $97,071
  • Year 3: $118,373
Computer Science (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $93,907
  • Year 2: $94,408
  • Year 3: $108,458
Aerospace, Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $85,254
  • Year 2: $89,641
  • Year 3: $97,860
Mechanical Engineering (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $76,200
  • Year 2: $75,706
  • Year 3: $92,272
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $87,191
  • Year 2: $80,503
  • Year 3: $87,258
Computer Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $74,023
  • Year 2: $75,204
  • Year 3: $86,676
Computer Science (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $69,804
  • Year 2: $75,921
  • Year 3: $85,563
Communication Disorders Sciences and Services (Doctoral Degrees)
  • Year 1: $75,633
  • Year 2: $83,177
  • Year 3: $85,039
Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $68,440
  • Year 2: $71,957
  • Year 3: $83,132

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The list of suggested college comparisons provided below is generated automatically by our system, utilizing statistics gathered from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) and various online sources. If you don't find the colleges you wish to compare, please visit our comparison page. There, you can search for the specific colleges and initiate your comparison.
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