| Updated On - Sep 18, 2025
University of Michigan (UMich) is a public research university with a campus located in Ann Arbor, Michigan, in a midsize city environment. It is a large university with around 33,730 undergraduate students. The admissions are highly competitive with an acceptance rate of around 17-18%. Some of the most popular majors are Computer Science, Engineering, Business, Social Sciences, and Psychology. The six-year graduation rate is about 93%, and UMich graduates who use federal aid have median earnings of around US$83,648 five years after graduation.
University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) is a public research university based in Los Angeles, California, located in an urban environment. The institution is big with approximately 32,423 undergraduate students. Admissions are extremely competitive, and the acceptance rate is around 8-10%. The most popular majors are Social Sciences, Biology, Psychology, Engineering, and Economics. The six-year graduation rate is approximately 92-93%, and UCLA graduates have median earnings of approximately US$70,700 ten years after matriculation.
| University of Michigan | University of California | |
|---|---|---|
| Collegedunia Score | 7.5 Out of 10 | 7.8 Out of 10 |
| ranking (overall) | # 45 QS World University 2026 # 16 Center for World University Rankings 2025 # 22 Times Higher Education 2025 | # 46 QS World University 2026 # 17 Center for World University Rankings 2025 # 18 Times Higher Education 2025 |
| Subject Strength | # 11 for Engineering by US News 2025 # 32 for Data Science and Analytics by QS World University 2025 # 19 for Medicine by QS World University 2025 | # 13 for Engineering by US News 2025 # 12 for Medicine by QS World University 2025 # 12 for Law by US News 2025 |
| Programs | UG Programs -37 PG Programs -87 Doctorate Programs -31 | UG Programs -24 PG Programs -43 Doctorate Programs -7 |
| Acceptance Rate | 18.0 % | 9.0 % |
| Exam Score | GMAT-610 GRE-310 IELTS-7 PTE-68 SAT-1340 TOEFL-79 | GMAT-670 IELTS-7 SAT-1330 TOEFL-87 |
| Cost to Study | Average Tuition Fees 49350 [For UG Program] Average Tuition Fees 21389 [For PG Program] Hostel + Meal - 24376 Per Year | Average Tuition Fees 42993 [For UG Program] Average Tuition Fees 26544 [For PG Program] Hostel + Meal - 36045 Per Year |
| placement (average package) | Average salary is 79,000 USD per annum. Annual ROI is 9.5%. Popular employers are Ford Motor, General Motors, Quicken Loans, Amazon, etc. | Graduate Employability rank: QS-#3 University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) is one of the top public universities in Los Angeles, United States. It is ranked #44 in QS World University Rankings 2023.
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| application requirements | High School score/grade should be equivalent to 2.7 GPA. Indian student's transcripts must be sent by the Controller of the examinations. Fulfill other country-specific requirements. | 94% in 12th for UG and 83% in bachelors for graduate admission; Name and email of references; Statement of Purpose |
| Campuses and B-Schools | Ross School of Business | Anderson School of Management |
| CollegeDunia Reviews | 8.5/10 Read 17 reviews | 8.0/10 Read 11 reviews |
Top Courses Comparison
| ranking | # 13 for Business by US News 2025 # 21 for Business by Times Higher Education 2025 # 29 for Business by QS World University 2025 | # 20 for Business by Times Higher Education 2025 # 31 for Business by QS World University 2025 |
| application | #2989 Applicants # 421 Admissions # 14 % Acceptance Rate | #2865 Applicants # 360 Admissions # 12 % Acceptance Rate |
| exam scores | IELTS - 7/9PTE - 70/90TOEFL - 100/120 | Duolingo - 130/160GMAT - 670/800IELTS - 7/9TOEFL - 87/120 |
| documents required | #Letter of Recommendation + Statement of Purpose | #Letter of Recommendation + Statement of Purpose |
| application dates | May 1, 2025 (Round 3 Decision Date For Fall 2026 Intake) Sep 8, 2025 (Round 1 Application Deadline For Fall 2026 Intake) Dec 5, 2025 (Round 1 Decision Date For Fall 2026 Intake) Jan 5, 2026 (Round 2 Application Deadline For Fall 2026 Intake) Mar 13, 2026 (Round 2 Decision Date For Fall 2026 Intake) Mar 23, 2026 (Round 3 Application Deadline For Fall 2026 Intake) Aug 31, 2026 (Tuition Payment deadline) | Dec 12, 2025 (Round 1 Decision Date for 2026 Intake) Jan 6, 2026 (Round 2 Application Deadline for 2026 Intake) Mar 27, 2026 (Round 2 Decision Date for 2026 Intake) Apr 7, 2026 (Round 3 Application Deadline for 2026 Intake) May 15, 2026 (Round 3 Decision Date for 2026 Intake) Oct 1, 2025 (Round 1 Application Deadline for 2026 Intake) |
Other Popular Comparisons
| General Facts | University of Michigan | University of California |
|---|---|---|
| Type of University | University | University |
| Established | 1817 | 1919 |
| Student:Faculty Ratio | 15:1 | 19:1 |
| Male:Female | 52% Male, 48% Female | 47% Male, 53% Female |
| Location Facts | Michigan is considered one of the top 10 best craft beer states of the USA. It has the fourth highest per capita GDP growth rate of 2.5%. Manufactiring sector is the highest contributor. | Five mile from Pacific Ocean, Located in West-wood neighborhood of LA |
| Library | Considered as one of the top 10 academic research libraries in North America; Over 14,283,067 volumes and 291,791 serials | 12 million print and electronic volumes |
| Campus Life | Counselling & Psychological Services; International Centre; Office of Student Conflict Resolution; Office of Student Conflict Resolution; Services for Students with Disabilities; Student Legal Services; Campus Infoormation Centers | Over 100 Student organizations |
| Hostel | #Room and Board - $15328 #Room and Board - $9048 | #Room & Board - $17436 #Room and Board - $18609 |
| Famous Alumni | Over 36 Pulitzer Prize winners and 8 Nobel laureates; Larry Page (Google Co-founder), Gerald Ford (late US President), Arther Miller (playwright), Theodore Roethke (poet), Martha Minow (former Dean of Harvard Law School) | 14 Nobel laureates, 15 Mac Authors |
| City Life | The Great Lakes State is one of the top cities to live in. It shares its border with Canada and has four out five Great Lakes. The high student population offers high cultural diversity. It is one of the cheapest midwestern states to live in. It has a food dominated nightlife with few night clubs and music locations. It has a growing tech startup community. The unemployment rate is 4.6 (2020). | Los Angeles (LA) is the second most populous city of USA; Hollywood is located here; 841 Museums and art galleries, California Beaches, Disneyland park, Los Angeles offers various concert halls, regular festivals, and bustling nightlife; Ranked 7th on Global City Index and 9th on Global Economic Power Index; Unemployment rate in December 2019 was 4%; Industries employing maximum number of people are healthcare, retail, hospitality, and manufacturing |
| Weather |
University of Michigan vs UCLA
Subject Strength & Global Rankings (2025/2026)
UMich and UCLA are both top-tier public universities with international reputations and excellent research outputs. UMich is ranked among the world's top institutions in Engineering, Business, Medicine, and Social Sciences. UCLA is equally strong particularly in Life Sciences, Humanities, Arts & Social Sciences, and Engineering; both institutions regularly feature in the world's top 50 in numerous global rankings.
General Information
UMich, which was established in 1817, has ~ 33,730 undergrads (fall 2023), with 19 schools and colleges, and more than 280+ undergraduate degree programs. Its Ann Arbor campus is large in size and well resourced, with high graduation and retention rates. UCLA, which was established in 1919, has ~ 32,423 undergrads, numerous graduate programs, and advantages from being situated in Los Angeles for cultural, industry, and research partnerships.
Acceptance Rate & Admissions
Admissions to both are extremely competitive. UMich accepts around 17-18% of applicants. UCLA admits fewer, between 8-10%. SAT/ACT scores for admitted students are high: UMich's middle 50% SAT is ~ 1350-1530, ACT ~ 31-34; UCLA has comparable upper ranges. Both schools currently employ test-optional policies in most situations, but admitted students generally possess highly strong academic achievements (GPAs, course difficulty, standardized tests).
Research Impact & Facilities
Both are R1: very high research activity. UMich has big research funding, major institutes (e.g. data, medicine, engineering etc.), strong labs, international research collaborations. UCLA also has major research centers, good funding, high citation impact, particularly in biomedical sciences, arts & humanities, and engineering. Their facilities, faculty strength, and infrastructure are some of the best in the U.S.
Cost & Financial Aid
UMich out-of-state vs in-state tuition is dramatically different; residents of Michigan save on costs and some guarantees; non-residents pay more. Financial aid to many students is high in percentage. UCLA offers lower tuition to California residents, and robust financial aid policies particularly for in-state, but out-of-state is more.
Career Outcomes & Alumni Success
UMich alumni possess high six-year graduation rates (~ 93%) and excellent alumni outcomes; confirmed median five-year post-grad earnings are ~$83,648 for recipients of federal aid. UCLA alumni also possess high graduation rates (~ 92-93%) and median post-enrollment earnings ten years out at ~$70,700. Both institutions have powerful alumni networks, excellent career resources, and superior industry, academic, and research placement.
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