University of California-Berkeley
Berkeley, California
A 0–100 composite of ROI, graduate earnings, net price, debt and graduation rate. How it’s scored.
Estimated for a typical student paying the average net price over 4 years.
Graduate earnings clearly outpace the cost and debt — this degree pays back quickly.
The numbers behind the verdict
Lifetime ROI: the long view
Cumulative net gain over a high-school-only earner at different career lengths, with tuition and debt interest already subtracted. Built on IRS-verified federal earnings — not self-reported surveys.
Conservative: holds year-5 earnings flat (no raises). Adjust the assumptions, or see the highest 20-year ROI colleges.
Equity & access
Who the college serves and whether the payoff reaches everyone — earnings ten years after starting (IRS-linked), with access measures from federal enrollment data.
18% gap between the two groups
11% gap between the two groups
13% gap between the two groups
Undergraduate enrollment by race/ethnicity. Federal data does not report earnings by race.
Net price by family income
What students actually pay after grants and scholarships, by household income as of 2024.
| Family income | Average net price / yr |
|---|---|
| Family income $0–$30k | $5,311 |
| $30k–$48k | $6,501 |
| $48k–$75k | $9,693 |
| $75k–$110k | $15,074 |
| $110k+ | $34,529 |
How University of California-Berkeley compares
This college against the California and national averages — higher earnings and lower cost/debt are better.
Graduate earnings over time
Median earnings of University of California-Berkeley students 10 years after entering, by cohort year as of 2024.
Best-paying majors at University of California-Berkeley
Fields of study ranked by their own ROI — earnings five years after graduating against the cost and debt. Click a major for the deep dive.
| Major | Credential | Earnings (5 yr) | Median debt | 10-yr ROI | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering | Associate's | $240,462 | $13,674 | +6,019% | Strong return |
| Computer Science | Associate's | $225,140 | $13,750 | +5,534% | Strong return |
| Chemistry | Master's | $165,865 | — | +4,383% | Strong return |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | Certificate | $266,651 | — | +4,010% | Strong return |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | Associate's | $145,003 | $11,300 | +3,118% | Strong return |
| Information Science/Studies | Certificate | $214,399 | — | +3,041% | Strong return |
| Applied Mathematics | Associate's | $144,689 | $14,500 | +2,992% | Strong return |
| Statistics | Associate's | $145,658 | $15,400 | +2,990% | Strong return |
| Cell/Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences | Master's | $120,275 | — | +2,692% | Strong return |
| Economics | Associate's | $125,636 | $12,650 | +2,454% | Strong return |
| Chemical Engineering | Associate's | $126,322 | $18,155 | +2,322% | Strong return |
| Mechanical Engineering | Associate's | $112,325 | $13,000 | +2,024% | Strong return |
| Social Sciences, Other | Associate's | $113,294 | $15,000 | +2,006% | Strong return |
| Education, General | Master's | $96,664 | — | +1,816% | Strong return |
| Urban Studies/Affairs | Associate's | $105,067 | $15,000 | +1,752% | Strong return |
| Civil Engineering | Associate's | $104,581 | $14,342 | +1,751% | Strong return |
| Cognitive Science | Associate's | $100,651 | $14,589 | +1,624% | Strong return |
| Mechanical Engineering | Certificate | $135,617 | — | +1,581% | Strong return |
| Natural Resources Conservation and Research | Master's | $89,838 | — | +1,563% | Strong return |
| Communication and Media Studies | Associate's | $93,369 | $11,100 | +1,460% | Strong return |
| Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other | Associate's | $93,915 | $14,500 | +1,417% | Strong return |
| Area Studies | Associate's | $92,837 | $14,839 | +1,378% | Strong return |
| Chemical Engineering | Certificate | $122,239 | — | +1,332% | Strong return |
| Natural Resources Conservation and Research | Associate's | $89,932 | $12,817 | +1,320% | Strong return |
| Biomedical/Medical Engineering | Associate's | $89,225 | $14,896 | +1,265% | Strong return |
Calculate your own ROI
Adjust the assumptions for your situation — the verdict, break-even and chart update live.
ROI at University of California-Berkeley
Estimates from federal data; your result will vary. How this works.
Admissions & profile
Location
Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard. ROI is computed by Degree Return — see how. Read the methodology. Data as of 2024.
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