UC Berkeley vs. Rutgers

Should I go to University of California Berkeley or Rutgers University New Brunswick? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if UC Berkeley or Rutgers is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.
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University of California Berkeley vs. Rutgers University New Brunswick comparison
University of California Berkeley Rutgers University New Brunswick College 3 College 4
University of California Berkeley Rutgers University New Brunswick
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Overview

 UC Berkeley Rutgers
Location Berkeley, CA New Brunswick, NJ
Setting Midsize City Small City
Enrollment 45,307 50,637
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #63 #112
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website berkeley.edu rutgers.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 UC Berkeley Rutgers
Tuition (In State) $11,564 $12,900
Tuition (Out of State) $41,636 $30,600
Room & Board $21,402 $13,909
Avg Net Price $19,257 $17,535
Avg Grant Aid $21,669 $12,785
% Receiving Grant Aid 52% 57%

Admission

 UC Berkeley Rutgers
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 128,209 41,654
Admitted 14,523 27,612
Acceptance Rate 11.3% 66.3%
Enrolled % 46.3% 28.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.87 3.3
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Elite Exceptional
Applicant Competition Very High Low
ACT Range 30/35 28/33
SAT Range 1310/1530 1270/1480
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Nov 30, 2023

Academics

 UC Berkeley Rutgers
Student to Faculty Ratio 19:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (20%)
  • Biology (13%)
  • Engineering (10%)
  • English and Literature (5%)
  • Natural Resources Conservation (5%)
  • Social Sciences (16%)
  • Communication (10%)
  • Psychology (10%)
  • Biology (10%)
  • Engineering (8%)

Outcomes

 UC Berkeley Rutgers
Graduation Rate 90% 77%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $74,700 $66,200
Making Student Loan Payments 79% 68%
Median Student Loan Debt $14,200 $22,215
Median Loan Payment $146 $229

Diversity

 UC Berkeley Rutgers
% Men 46% 46%
% Women 54% 54%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 27% 42%
% Black 2% 7%
% Hispanic 14% 13%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 3%
% International 14% 7%
% Unknown Race 3% 2%

Students

 UC Berkeley Rutgers
% In-State 78% 85%
% Out-of-State 11% 8%

Campus

 UC Berkeley Rutgers
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No Yes
Daycare Facility Yes Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Rutgers University New Brunswick is larger than than UC Berkeley based on total student enrollment (50,637 students vs. 45,307 students)

UC Berkeley vs. Rutgers Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UC Berkeley or Rutgers?

  • Rutgers University New Brunswick is 11.6% more expensive to attend than UC Berkeley for in-state tuition ($12,900.00 vs. $11,564.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 36.1% higher at UC Berkeley than Rutgers University New Brunswick ($41,636.00 vs. $30,600.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Rutgers University New Brunswick than UC Berkeley ($17,535 vs. $19,257)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Rutgers University New Brunswick are 53.9% lower than costs at University of California Berkeley ($13,909 vs. $21,402)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Rutgers University New Brunswick than University of California Berkeley (57% vs. 52%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of California Berkeley students is 69.5% larger than aid received Rutgers University New Brunswick ($21,669 vs. $12,785)

UC Berkeley vs. Rutgers Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, UC Berkeley or Rutgers? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Rutgers or UC Berkeley .

  • The average SAT score at University of California Berkeley (1397) is 172 points higher than at Rutgers (1225)
  • Accepted freshman UC Berkeley students have a 0.57 point higher average high school GPA (3.87) than students at Rutgers (3.3)
  • Rutgers has a higher acceptance rate (66.3%) than UC Berkeley (11.3%)

UC Berkeley vs. Rutgers Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, UC Berkeley or Rutgers? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between Rutgers and UC Berkeley.

  • The graduation rate at UC Berkeley is higher than Rutgers University New Brunswick (90% vs. 77%)
  • Graduates from University of California Berkeley earn on average $8,500 more per year than Rutgers graduates after ten years. ($74,700 vs. $66,200)
  • University of California Berkeley students graduate with a $8,015 lower median federal student loan debt than Rutgers graduates. ($14,200 vs. $22,215)
  • UC Berkeley graduates are paying $83 less per month on federal student loans than Rutgers graduates. ($146 vs. $229)
  • More UC Berkeley graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Rutgers students, three years after graduation. (79% vs. 68%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/