University of California, Berkeley is a public research university in Berkeley, California, within the San Francisco Bay Area. The university is large and has approximately 32,831 undergraduates enrolled and a student body over 45,000. The admissions are extremely competitive since UC Berkeley acceptance rate is approximately 11–12%. Some of the most popular majors are Computer Science, Economics, and Cellular Biology, among many others in its over 400 degree programs. Its six-year graduation rate is 93–94%, with approximately 80% graduating in four years. Graduates of Berkeley proceed to excellent career outcomes with a median starting salary of around INR 75,40,000 (converting from $90,900 median earnings three years after graduation). Computer Science alumni are particularly distinguished, with median salaries of almost INR 1,24,36,000 (approximately $150,000) two years after graduation, rising much higher in the next ten years.
California State University, Los Angeles (Cal State LA) is a multicultural public university located in Los Angeles, California, within the California State University system. It is a mid-sized institution that has around 17,785 full-time and 3,742 part-time undergraduate students with a total enrollment of around 25,000. The admissions are far less selective compared to UC Berkeley, having an acceptance rate of around 92%. Well-represented majors are Business, Psychology, Education, Health Professions, and Social Sciences. The six-year graduation rate is around 52–53%, but only around 9% of the students graduate in four years. However, Cal State LA does play an important role in educating first-generation, transfer, and underrepresented students. Cal State LA alumni have median early career salaries of approximately INR 49,52,000 (converting from $59,715 five years after graduation).
| University of California | California State University | |
|---|---|---|
| Collegedunia Score | 8.4 Out of 10 | 4.1 Out of 10 |
| ranking (overall) | # 17 QS World University 2026 # 8 Times Higher Education 2025 # 12 Center for World University Rankings 2025 | # 1401 QS World University 2025 # 1667 Center for World University Rankings 2025 # 872 US News 2024 |
| Subject Strength | # 3 for Engineering by US News 2025 # 4 for Data Science and Analytics by QS World University 2025 # 29 for Medicine by QS World University 2025 | # 671 for Engineering by Round University Ranking 2020 |
| Programs | UG Programs -31 PG Programs -43 Doctorate Programs -11 | UG Programs -73 PG Programs -69 |
| Acceptance Rate | 11.7 % | 91.9 % |
| Exam Score | GMAT-700 GRE-310 IELTS-7 SAT-1450 TOEFL-90 | IELTS-6 SAT-890 TOEFL-80 |
| Cost to Study | Average Tuition Fees 47346 [For UG Program] Average Tuition Fees 27864 [For PG Program] Hostel + Meal - 56000 Per Year | Average Tuition Fees 16862 [For UG Program] Average Tuition Fees 18296 [For PG Program] Hostel + Meal - 30822 Per Year |
| placement (average package) | Some programs and the average salary are:
| Around 71% of the graduates get employement within six months of graduation. Some of the field of employment and starting salary of the graduates are as follows: Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services: $50,300 Health Professions and Related Programs: $49,600 Social Sciences: $45,900 Education: $54,600 Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting and Related Protective Services: $43,800 |
| application requirements | LORs (usually three); | Submit official transcripts Submit English proficiency test scores Check program specific requirements |
| Campuses and B-Schools | Haas School of Business | NA |
| CollegeDunia Reviews | 6.9/10 Read 11 reviews | 7.8/10 Read 4 reviews |
Top Courses Comparison
| application | #2546 Applicants # 331 Admissions # 13 % Acceptance Rate | # 3705 Admissions # 47 % Acceptance Rate |
| exam scores | Duolingo - 125/160IELTS - 7/9TOEFL - 90/120 | Duolingo - 105/160GMAT - 550/800IELTS - 6/9PTE - 53/90TOEFL - 80/120 |
| Return on Investment/Average Package | #Average Salary140000 | #Average Salary |
| documents required | #Letter of Recommendation + Statement of Purpose | #Letter of Recommendation + Statement of Purpose |
| application dates | May 7, 2025 (Round 3 Application Decision Deadline For 2025 Intake) Sep 11, 2025 (Round 1 Application Deadline For 2026 Intake) Dec 11, 2025 (Round 1 Application Decision Deadline For 2026 Intake) Jan 8, 2026 (Round 2 Application Deadline For 2026 Intake) Mar 26, 2026 (Round 2 Application Decision Deadline For 2026 Intake) Mar 31, 2026 (Round 3 Application Deadline For 2025 Intake) | Feb 15, 2026 (Application Deadline For Fall 2026 Intake) |
Other Popular Comparisons
| General Facts | University of California | California State University |
|---|---|---|
| Type of University | University | University |
| Established | 1868 | 1947 |
| Student:Faculty Ratio | 17.8:1 | 24:1 |
| Location Facts | Overlooking the San Francisco Bay, UC Berkeley campus is spread over approximately 1,232 acres of land. It is the oldest of the ten campuses of University of California. | The university is a part of the California state university system and is located in Los Angeles. |
| Library | UCB Library is the fourth largest library in USA comprising 24 libraries, 325 employees and 832 student employees. UCB Library has 13 million volumes in 300+ languages which includes printed books, journals, e-books, etc. | The Library provides access to over 230 subscription databases, approximately 60,000 journals, 300,000 eBooks, 700,000 print volumes, over 1 million digitized dissertations and theses, as well as special collections covering all subject disciplines to support teaching, learning, research, creative activities, community engagement, and career development. The Library has close to 600,000 print books for circulation. |
| Campus Life | UCB consists of the Sather Tower, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Lawrence Hall of Science, Space Sciences Laboratory, UC Botanical Garden, UC Museum of Paleontology, UC Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive (BAMPFA). | California State University, Los Angeles offers a number of student services including nonremedial tutoring, a women's center, a job placement service, a day care, health services, and health insurance. Cal State LA also offers campus safety and police services like 24-hour foot and vehicle patrols, late night transport/escort service, 24-hour emergency telephones, lighted pathways/sidewalks, and student patrols. Associated Students Incorporated (ASI) is the student government of California State University, Los Angeles. ASI represents the interests of the student body and acts as the officially recognized voice of the students. In addition, ASI sponsors a number of campus events and activities using mandatory student fees.Students can become a member in one of the university's 100 student clubs and organizations. |
| Hostel | #Room & Board - $16000 #Room & Board--Apartment - $18000 #Room & Board--Residence Hall - $22000 | #On campus - $13356 #Off campus (not with family) - $14502 #Off campus (with family) - $2964 |
| Famous Alumni | With a total of 520,566 alumni, UCB has 31 Nobel Laureates, 207 Turing Award, 20 Academic Awards, 20 Pulitzer Prize winners. | James A. Bell – CFO of the Boeing Company Suzanna Guzmán mezzo soprano, an original associate artists of Los Angeles Opera |
| City Life | Berkeley is in close proximity to San Francisco which is only a 20 minutes ride with public transport. You can hike up to Beverly Hills, explore the oldest museums, Victorian architecture, and more. Flying to Vegas and Los Angeles is also easy or drive to lake Tahoe, Berkeley’s location is within close distance to most locations. There are a lot of bars, restaurants, coffee shops, parks, etc. The unemployment rate for Nov 2022 was 3.3%. | The cost of living in Los Angeles is 43% higher than the national average. Though expensive, living in Los Angeles is cheaper than living in New York City, which is a plus. To live comfortably in Los Angeles, an average annual salary of $75,000 for one person is recommended. As part of the California Mediterranean climate, residents enjoy mild to hot and dry weather all year round with virtually no humidity. One of the many reasons why people want to move to Los Angeles is for the weather alone. The job market in Los Angeles is very competitive. The most popular jobs in Los Angeles may be in the movie and entertainment industries, but that is tough to break into on their own. One of the hottest industries on the rise in the city is the technology industry. Some top tech companies in Los Angeles include Google, Hulu, Headspace, Postmates, and ChowNow. Surprisingly, Los Angeles is home to over 500 technology companies and start-ups and is making a name for itself as one of the top technology hubs in the world. |
| Weather |
University of California, Berkeley vs California State University, Los Angeles
Subject Strength & Global Rankings (2025/2026)
UC Berkeley is ranked perennially among the leading public universities globally and has an international reputation for engineering, computer science, economics, and natural sciences. In QS World University Rankings 2026, Berkeley ranks between 17 worldwide, while Cal State LA is not included in global rankings and is regionally aligned. Berkeley has bred Nobel winners, Pulitzer recipients, and Silicon Valley executives, while Cal State LA is most famous for its first-ever Chicano Studies program and social mobility efforts.
General Information
UC Berkeley is a flagship research institution with enormous academic resources, heavy research output, and highly competitive students. In contrast, Cal State LA has a mission that is more community-based, educating a multicultural metropolitan population with accessible, career-concentrated education. While Berkeley's size and reputation are internationally influential, Cal State LA is nationally known for its role in student mobility and regional workforce development.
Acceptance Rate & Admissions
UC Berkeley is very selective in admissions, with an overall acceptance rate of approximately 11–12%, ranking it among the most competitive public institutions in America. Cal State LA, however, accepts a large majority of its applicants, at an acceptance rate of around 92%, providing more access to higher education.
Research Impact & Facilities
UC Berkeley is a research powerhouse with state-of-the-art laboratories, large libraries, and a robust global research presence, especially in the STEM and social sciences. Cal State LA has accredited programs and good academic offerings, but it focuses more on teaching, applied research, and professional preparation.
Cost & Financial Aid
UC Berkeley is more expensive in tuition and living expenses, but it offers good financial assistance packages for in-state, out-of-state, and international students. Cal State LA being in the CSU system is among the cheapest public California universities, averaging a net price of around INR 3,77,000 (approximately $4,551) and where 85% of the students receive financial assistance.
Career Outcomes & Alumni Success
UC Berkeley alumni consistently earn higher lifetime incomes, especially in business and STEM fields, with elite positions in tech, academia, and government. Cal State LA alumni also have good outcomes, especially in business, education, and public service, but at lower income levels than Berkeley alumni. Whereas Berkeley's alumni network is international and powerful, Cal State LA's alumni influence is particularly concentrated in Southern California and among first-generation college students.
