“What are the best UC schools?” Have you ever had this question? You may have heard about some schools within the University of California (UC) system. Almost every applicant will consider one or two of the UC schools during the application season. Each of them has its own features and most popular majors, attracting students with different interests. Follow us and learn about their latest ranking and differences among UC schools.
An Overview of the University of California System
UC system originated from the College of California, founded in Oakland in 1853. In March 1868, it was officially renamed “University of California”. In 1873, in honor of George Berkeley, one of the greatest philosophers of the 18th century, the college town where the University of California is located was named “Berkeley City.” Since then, it has gradually set up UC schools in Los Angeles and other places. Today, the UC system has grown as one of the most influential public university systems in the world, known as “the model of public higher education.” With 206,874 applicants in 2023, its campuses have been one of the most popular universities in the US.
The list of UC schools
There are 10 schools in the UC system. Except for UC San Francisco, which does not have an undergraduate program, they all offer undergraduate and graduate degrees. Here is the list of all UC schools.
1. University of California, Berkeley
2. University of California, Los Angeles
3. University of California, Santa Barbara
4. University of California, San Diego
5. University of California, San Francisco
6. University of California, Irvine
7. University of California, Davis
8. University of California, Santa Cruz
9. University of California, Riverside
10. University of California, Merced
UC Schools Ranked
The ranking of UC schools considers factors such as academic research, teaching quality, and faculty. The academic strength and research level are crucial for a university’s reputation and status in its fields. All top UC schools are included in the U.S. News & World Report’s list of the best national universities. The chart below also includes UC schools acceptance rate.
| UC Schools | U.S. News Ranking National Universities(tie) |
Founding Year | Acceptance Rate | In-state Tuition | Out-of-state Tuition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UCLA | 15 | 1919 | 9% | $14,208 | $46,503 |
| UC Berkeley | 17 | 1868 | 12% | $16,832 | $51,032 |
| UC San Diego | 29 | 1960 | 25% | $16,815 | $51,015 |
| UC Davis | 33 | 1905 | 42% | $15,794 | $47,682 |
| UC Irvine | 33 | 1965 | 26% | $14,737 | $46,626 |
| UC Santa Barbara | 39 | 1909 | 28% | $15,460 | $47,755 |
| UC Merced | 58 | 2005 | 89% | $14,610 | $46,905 |
| UC Riverside | 76 | 1954 | 70% | $14,316 | $48,516 |
| UC Santa Cruz | 84 | 1965 | 61% | $15,983 | $50,183 |
University of California, Los Angeles
- #16 in Best Undergraduate Engineering Programs (tie)
- #5 in Psychology Programs (tie)
- #10 in Biocomputing/Bioinformatics/Biotechnology (tie)
The University of California, Los Angeles, is the best UC campus in the United States. It ranks among the top 10 public universities in the United States. UCLS has a variety of fields, from the arts to engineering.
Compared to UCB, In terms of life sciences, UCLA’s life science is much better because it has an independent medical school and rich research resources. UCLA also has strengths in psychology and clinical psychology, as well as education. In addition, UCLA is located near Hollywood, which makes UCLA famous in the field of art, especially film and television production.
University of California, Berkeley
- #3 in Best Undergraduate Engineering Programs
- #2 in Business Programs (tie)
- #2 in Computer Science (tie)
UC Berkeley is one of the best UC schools in California. The engineering and computer science majors at UC Berkeley rank among the top 3 in the United States, comparable to those at MIT, Stanford, and Carnegie Mellon. If you are looking for the best UC schools for engineering, choose UC Berkeley.
Additionally, UC Berkeley’s programs in natural sciences, mathematics, engineering, and computer science are the strongest among the University of California schools. This does not imply that the economics, statistics, and social science programs, including journalism, are not also of high quality. The university is also one of the Best UC schools for business, with its business programs ranking second in the U.S. News ranking.
University of California, San Diego
- #20 in Best Undergraduate Engineering Programs (tie)
- #8 in Biomedical
- #4 in Biocomputing/Bioinformatics/Biotechnology
The University of California, San Diego, was one of the top 10 popular science colleges in the United States. The university is located near the beach and has a beautiful campus.
UCSD is famous for its life sciences, featuring its own medical school and infirmary, alongside extensive research initiatives. The School of Medicine and Pharmacy occupies nearly half the campus. The university is surrounded by top biological research institutions and tech companies, offering students valuable internship and research opportunities.
Additionally, UCSD is one of the best UC schools for computer science. It is strong in science, mathematics, and engineering, with programs in biological sciences, bioengineering, and aerospace ranking among the top 20 in the U.S. The visual arts and economics departments are also well-regarded.
University of California, Davis
- #30 in Best Undergraduate Engineering Programs (tie)
- #1 in Biological / Agricultural (tie)
- #22 in Economics (tie)
UC Davis is the biggest UC campus. It is well known for its School of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences and School of Veterinary Medicine. They are always ranked first in the United States. UC Davis has strength in agronomy. If you are interested in plants and wine, you can consider its unique program, viticulture, and winemaking program. Agronomy at this university is so influential that the programs in other colleges may involve agronomy-related topics.
In addition to UCB, UCD also has an atomic nuclear physics laboratory. Engineering, biology, environmental science, psychology, economics, and other majors are always among the top 30 in the United States.
University of California, Irvine
- #35 in Best Undergraduate Engineering Programs (tie)
- #26 in Nursing (tie)
- #10 in Software Engineering (tie)
UC Irvine‘s proximity to Silicon Valley makes for great internship opportunities. Among the top ranked UC schools, UC Irvine is also the only school inside the University of California system that offers criminology, which is also UCI’s most powerful major and one of the top 3 in the nation.
The organic chemistry in the field of chemistry is also a nice choice for students. Additionally, the university has set up the School of Computer Science, which covers computer science, software engineering, and human-computer interaction. Other popular majors are engineering, earth science, biology, and math.
University of California, Santa Barbara
- #35 in Best Undergraduate Engineering Programs (tie)
- #43 in Economics (tie)
Many of UCSB‘s professors have won Nobel Prizes in chemistry, physics, and economics, and its materials engineering, chemical engineering, and electrical engineering are very powerful. Physics has not been established for a long time, but it is very strong and only admits students pursuing a PhD. Besides, economics, psychology, political science, information technology, computer science, and English are also ace majors.
UCSB ranking is 39 among the national universities, according to U.S. News. Marine Biology is UCSB’s special major, and UCSB is one of the few universities in America that offers this major. There are two branches: marine and freshwater. Besides taking courses, students are required to do experiments in laboratories and go on field trips. The Pacific Ocean is not far away from UCSB, along with four nearby natural land and water conservation areas, which are natural resources and conditions for the study of marine biology.
University of California, Riverside
- #90 in Best Undergraduate Engineering Programs (tie)
- #78 in Economics (tie)
The University of California, Riverside, ranks top in the social sciences in the United States, and biomedicine is second to none in California. With a long history, the College of Natural and Agricultural Sciences originated from the University of California Citrus Experiment Station.
The university is about an hour’s drive from Los Angeles. The student body is majority-minority. The acceptance rate at this prettiest UC campus is 70%, so it’s much easier for students graduating from one of the best high schools in California to enter this university. What’s more, its business school is growing quickly. Its graduates majoring in computer science graduates have had good job prospects in recent years.
University of California, Santa Cruz
- #98 in Best Undergraduate Engineering Programs (tie)
- #78 in Economics (tie)
Physics is the strongest major at UCSC, with the highest citation rate of physics papers among all physics departments at any university in the United States. Astronomy is one of the strongest majors at UCSC. Its Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics only admits applicants for PhD. Due to its proximity to the Monterey Bay Marine Reserve, marine biology and earth sciences are highly popular.
University of California, Merced
- #139 in Best Undergraduate Engineering Programs (tie)
- #69 in Public Health
UC Merced emphasizes scientific research and public service. The university inherits and continues the high research standards of the University of California system. Focusing on sustainable construction, it is dedicated to advanced research and environmental protection. Additionally, it aims to stimulate economic and cultural diversification in the surrounding areas.
There is a lot of groundbreaking work going on at UC Merced in diabetes, cancer, bacterial diseases, antibiotic resistance, solar energy, climate change, water quality and availability, ecology, engineering, archaeology, culture, history, political science, computer science, and more.
Conclusion
Best UC schools excel in various rankings for 2025, with UCLA tied for 15th and UC Berkeley closely following in the U.S. News rankings. UC Davis and UCSD also performed well, ranked 28th and 29th, respectively. All UC’s campuses have popular majors with distinct features. They are recognized for their academic excellence and research capabilities. Hope the comprehensive knowledge of these UC schools can help you make informed decisions when you have no idea of choosing schools.
FAQ
Which UC is hard to get into?
According to the newest statistics of U.S. News in 2024, UCLA is the hardest UC school to get into, with 9% of the acceptance rate.
| UC Schools | Acceptance Rate |
|---|---|
| UCLA | 9% |
| UC Berkeley | 12% |
| UC San Diego | 25% |
| UC Irvine | 26% |
| UC Santa Barbara | 28% |
| UC Davis | 42% |
| UC Santa Cruz | 61% |
| UC Riverside | 70% |
| UC Merced | 89% |
Which UC is the most prestigious?
UCLA
According to the 2025 U.S. News ranking, UCLA ranks 15th among national universities.
| UC Schools | U.S. News Ranking National Universities(tie) |
|---|---|
| UCLA | 15 |
| UC Berkeley | 17 |
| UC San Diego | 29 |
| UC Irvine | 33 |
| UC Davis | 33 |
| UC Santa Barbara | 39 |
| UC Merced | 58 |
| UC Riverside | 76 |
| UC Santa Cruz | 84 |
Which UC is most expensive?
UC Berkeley.
The in-state tuition of UC Berkeley is $16,832, and its out-of-state tuition is $51,032, making it the most expensive UC school.
| UC Schools | In-state Tuition | Out-of-state Tuition |
|---|---|---|
| UCLA | $14,208 | $46,503 |
| UC Riverside | $14,316 | $48,516 |
| UC Merced | $14,610 | $46,905 |
| UC Irvine | $14,737 | $46,626 |
| UC Santa Barbara | $15,460 | $47,755 |
| UC Davis | $15,794 | $47,682 |
| UC Santa Cruz | $15,983 | $50,183 |
| UC San Diego | $16,815 | $51,015 |
| UC Berkeley | $16,832 | $51,032 |
