UC Irvine vs U of A

Envision yourself immersed in the vibrant academic landscapes of the University of California-Irvine (UCI) and the University of Arizona (UA). While both institutions share a commitment to academic excellence, they offer distinct experiences shaped by their unique strengths. UCI, nestled in the heart of Orange County, boasts a highly selective admissions process, with an acceptance rate of 27%, while UA, located in the vibrant city of Tucson, welcomes a broader range of students, reflected in its 80% acceptance rate. Explore the nuances of their academic offerings, as UCI excels in fields like engineering, biological sciences, and social sciences, while UA shines in areas such as agriculture, environmental science, and business. Delve into the diverse student bodies of these universities, where UCI fosters a predominantly Asian and White community, and UA embraces a more diverse mix of ethnicities. Discover the impact of these institutions on their graduates' success, with UCI boasting a slightly higher graduation rate of 84% compared to UA
University of Arizona logo

University of Arizona

University of California-Irvine logo

University of California-Irvine

Overview

Location Tucson, Arizona Irvine, California
Campus setting City: Large City: Large
College type 4 year 4 year
Control/business model Public Public
Calendar system Semester Quarter
Degrees offered Undergraduate and Graduate Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate 84.0% 93.0%
Common app member Yes No
Religious affiliation

Admission

Acceptance rate 87.3% 28.8%
Application fees
Undergraduate: $50

Graduate: $85
Undergraduate: $70

Graduate: $120
SAT range 1120 - 1370 N/A
ACT range 21 - 29 N/A
Students submitting SAT score 13.0%
Students submitting ACT score 19.0%
Total number of applicants 48,065 107,950
Total number of admissions given out 41,946 31,110
Admitted students who chose to enroll 8,436 6,489
Yield rate 20.1% 20.9%
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) Not required Required

Tuition and Fees

Sticker price
In state: $30,136

Out of state: $54,658
In state: $35,033

Out of state: $64,787
Average net price $17,242 $11,633
Tuition
In state: $11,299

Out of state: $35,821
In state: $11,442

Out of state: $41,196
Room & board
Room/dormitory: $8,400

Meal plan: $5,050
$16,869
Available payment plans
  • Guaranteed tuition plan
  • Tuition payment plan
  • Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid

Students receiving financial aid

(Grants & scholarships)

92.0%
Average amount $13,790
78.0%
Average amount $16,868
Students receiving federal student loan 24.0%
Average amount $4,845
18.0%
Average amount $4,696
Students taking out private loans 3.0%
Average amount $20,814
2.0%
Average amount $7,702

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 37,434
Men 44.3% Women 55.7%
29,449
Men 45.4% Women 54.6%
Graduate students 10,840
Men 44.5% Women 55.5%
7,056
Men 49.8% Women 50.2%
Racial/ethnic diversity
Moderate
Moderate
Out-of-state students 48.8% 13.5%
International students 6.5% 18.0%
Campus local/setting City: Large City: Large
Dormitory capacity 7,036 15,493
First year students are required to live on campus? No No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from Arizona California Washington Illinois Colorado California Washington Hawaii Texas New York

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Health Professions
  • Business
  • Engineering
  • Education
  • Biological and Biomedical Sciences
  • Business
  • Biological and Biomedical Sciences
  • Health Professions
  • Engineering
  • Education
Students to faculty ratio 17:1 18:1
Institutional accreditation Higher Learning Commission Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University Commission

Outcome

Graduation rate 64.3% 83.7%
Dropout rate 14.3% 6.4%
Transferred out 19.6% 9.1%
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)
Physics (Doctoral Degrees)
  • Year 1: $88,673
  • Year 2: $123,527
  • Year 3: $127,192
Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration (First Professional Degrees)
  • Year 1: $110,426
  • Year 2: $117,473
  • Year 3: $122,962
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Doctoral Degrees)
  • Year 1: $110,630
  • Year 2: $103,746
  • Year 3: $104,908
Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $100,116
  • Year 2: $83,388
  • Year 3: $98,461
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $91,677
  • Year 2: $92,743
  • Year 3: $98,271
Chemistry (Doctoral Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $84,653
  • Year 3: $96,308
Computer and Information Sciences, General (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $89,806
  • Year 2: $75,518
  • Year 3: $89,884
Mining and Mineral Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $76,657
  • Year 2: $73,035
  • Year 3: $87,557
Computer Science (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $72,627
  • Year 2: $79,199
  • Year 3: $86,387
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $77,284
  • Year 2: $74,953
  • Year 3: $83,742
Health and Medical Administrative Services (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $122,124
  • Year 2: $190,536
  • Year 3: $178,048
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $104,708
  • Year 2: $90,983
  • Year 3: $109,642
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $109,417
  • Year 2: $115,339
  • Year 3: $102,324
Law (First Professional Degrees)
  • Year 1: $77,451
  • Year 2: $97,959
  • Year 3: $101,335
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $72,618
  • Year 2: $81,929
  • Year 3: $95,882
Mechanical Engineering (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $79,284
  • Year 3: $95,654
Computer Science (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $70,796
  • Year 2: $73,128
  • Year 3: $86,654
Management Information Systems and Services (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $55,841
  • Year 2: $65,332
  • Year 3: $85,004
Computer Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $68,056
  • Year 2: $69,338
  • Year 3: $80,300
Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $67,396
  • Year 2: $65,387
  • Year 3: $80,210

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