UC Berkeley vs. Oxy

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

 UC Berkeley Oxy
Location Berkeley, CA Los Angeles, CA
Setting Midsize City Large City
Enrollment 45,307 1,942
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #63 #72
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website berkeley.edu oxy.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 UC Berkeley Oxy
Tuition (In State) $11,564 $59,970
Tuition (Out of State) $41,636 $59,970
Room & Board $21,402 $17,330
Avg Net Price $19,257 $44,853
Avg Grant Aid $21,669 $33,025
% Receiving Grant Aid 52% 76%

Admission

 UC Berkeley Oxy
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 128,209 6,305
Admitted 14,523 2,484
Acceptance Rate 11.3% 39.4%
Enrolled % 46.3% 21.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.87 3.63
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Elite Exceptional
Applicant Competition Very High High
ACT Range 30/35 31/34
SAT Range 1310/1530 1370/1510
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 10, 2024

Academics

 UC Berkeley Oxy
Student to Faculty Ratio 19:1 9:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (20%)
  • Biology (13%)
  • Engineering (10%)
  • English and Literature (5%)
  • Natural Resources Conservation (5%)
  • Social Sciences (32%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (10%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • Biology (7%)
  • Foreign Languages (6%)

Outcomes

 UC Berkeley Oxy
Graduation Rate 90% 83%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $74,700 $56,600
Making Student Loan Payments 79% 87%
Median Student Loan Debt $14,200 $23,652
Median Loan Payment $146 $244

Diversity

 UC Berkeley Oxy
% Men 46% 41%
% Women 54% 59%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 27% 49%
% Black 2% 5%
% Hispanic 14% 16%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 9%
% International 14% 6%
% Unknown Race 3% 2%

Students

 UC Berkeley Oxy
% In-State 78% 34%
% Out-of-State 11% 61%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • University of California Berkeley is larger than than Oxy based on total student enrollment (45,307 students vs. 1,942 students)

UC Berkeley vs. Oxy Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UC Berkeley or Oxy?

  • Occidental College is 418.6% more expensive to attend than UC Berkeley for in-state tuition ($59,970.00 vs. $11,564.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 44% higher at Oxy than University of California Berkeley ($59,970.00 vs. $41,636.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of California Berkeley than Oxy ($19,257 vs. $44,853)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Occidental College are 23.5% lower than costs at University of California Berkeley ($17,330 vs. $21,402)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Occidental College than University of California Berkeley (76% vs. 52%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Occidental College students is 52.4% larger than aid received University of California Berkeley ($33,025 vs. $21,669)

UC Berkeley vs. Oxy Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of California Berkeley (1397) is 93 points higher than at Oxy (1304)
  • Incoming UC Berkeley students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (32) than students at Oxy (30)
  • Accepted freshman UC Berkeley students have a 0.24 point higher average high school GPA (3.87) than students at Oxy (3.63)
  • Oxy has a higher acceptance rate (39.4%) than UC Berkeley (11.3%)

UC Berkeley vs. Oxy Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at UC Berkeley is higher than Occidental College (90% vs. 83%)
  • Graduates from University of California Berkeley earn on average $18,100 more per year than Oxy graduates after ten years. ($74,700 vs. $56,600)
  • University of California Berkeley students graduate with a $9,452 lower median federal student loan debt than Oxy graduates. ($14,200 vs. $23,652)
  • UC Berkeley graduates are paying $98 less per month on federal student loans than Oxy graduates. ($146 vs. $244)
  • More Oxy graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UC Berkeley students, three years after graduation. (87% vs. 79%)

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