UC Berkeley vs. USF

Should I go to University of California Berkeley or University of San Francisco? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if UC Berkeley or USF 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. University of San Francisco comparison
University of California Berkeley University of San Francisco College 3 College 4
University of California Berkeley University of San Francisco
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Overview

 UC Berkeley USF
Location Berkeley, CA San Francisco, CA
Setting Midsize City Large City
Enrollment 45,307 9,688
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #63 #137
Religious Affiliation - Roman Catholic - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website berkeley.edu usfca.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 UC Berkeley USF
Tuition (In State) $11,564 $54,980
Tuition (Out of State) $41,636 $54,980
Room & Board $21,402 $16,550
Avg Net Price $19,257 $42,953
Avg Grant Aid $21,669 $30,916
% Receiving Grant Aid 52% 96%

Admission

 UC Berkeley USF
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 128,209 23,103
Admitted 14,523 16,444
Acceptance Rate 11.3% 71.2%
Enrolled % 46.3% 9.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.87 3.57
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Elite Very High
Applicant Competition Very High Low
ACT Range 30/35 27/31
SAT Range 1310/1530 1210/1410
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 Jan 15, 2024

Academics

 UC Berkeley USF
Student to Faculty Ratio 19:1 13:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (20%)
  • Biology (13%)
  • Engineering (10%)
  • English and Literature (5%)
  • Natural Resources Conservation (5%)
  • Business (34%)
  • Social Sciences (15%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Psychology (5%)

Outcomes

 UC Berkeley USF
Graduation Rate 90% 70%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $74,700 $70,400
Making Student Loan Payments 79% 73%
Median Student Loan Debt $14,200 $25,000
Median Loan Payment $146 $258

Diversity

 UC Berkeley USF
% Men 46% 35%
% Women 54% 65%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 27% 27%
% Black 2% 3%
% Hispanic 14% 19%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 1%
% Two or More Races 5% 7%
% International 14% 19%
% Unknown Race 3% 2%

Students

 UC Berkeley USF
% In-State 78% 55%
% Out-of-State 11% 34%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • University of California Berkeley is larger than than USF based on total student enrollment (45,307 students vs. 9,688 students)

UC Berkeley vs. USF Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UC Berkeley or USF?

  • University of San Francisco is 375.4% more expensive to attend than UC Berkeley for in-state tuition ($54,980.00 vs. $11,564.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 32% higher at USF than University of California Berkeley ($54,980.00 vs. $41,636.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of California Berkeley than USF ($19,257 vs. $42,953)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of San Francisco are 29.3% lower than costs at University of California Berkeley ($16,550 vs. $21,402)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of San Francisco than University of California Berkeley (96% vs. 52%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of San Francisco students is 42.7% larger than aid received University of California Berkeley ($30,916 vs. $21,669)

UC Berkeley vs. USF Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of California Berkeley (1397) is 225 points higher than at USF (1172)
  • Incoming UC Berkeley students have a 6 point higher average ACT score (32) than students at USF (26)
  • Accepted freshman UC Berkeley students have a 0.3 point higher average high school GPA (3.87) than students at USF (3.57)
  • USF has a higher acceptance rate (71.2%) than UC Berkeley (11.3%)

UC Berkeley vs. USF Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, UC Berkeley or USF? 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 USF and UC Berkeley.

  • The graduation rate at UC Berkeley is higher than University of San Francisco (90% vs. 70%)
  • Graduates from University of California Berkeley earn on average $4,300 more per year than USF graduates after ten years. ($74,700 vs. $70,400)
  • University of California Berkeley students graduate with a $10,800 lower median federal student loan debt than USF graduates. ($14,200 vs. $25,000)
  • UC Berkeley graduates are paying $112 less per month on federal student loans than USF graduates. ($146 vs. $258)
  • More UC Berkeley graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former USF students, three years after graduation. (79% vs. 73%)

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