UCI vs. UVA

Should I go to University of California Irvine or University of Virginia Main Campus? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if UCI or UVA 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.
Add a college to compare up to four schools

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

William & Mary UCLA UCSD UNC Chapel Hill UCSB JMU Virginia Tech UC Davis Michigan UC Riverside University of Richmond Georgetown
University of California Irvine vs. University of Virginia Main Campus comparison
University of California Irvine University of Virginia Main Campus College 3 College 4
University of California Irvine University of Virginia Main Campus
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

 UCI UVA
Location Irvine, CA Charlottesville, VA
Setting Rural Fringe Small City
Enrollment 35,937 26,082
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #91 #59
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website uci.edu virginia.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 UCI UVA
Tuition (In State) $11,564 $16,980
Tuition (Out of State) $41,636 $51,870
Room & Board $17,699 $12,890
Avg Net Price $14,033 $19,469
Avg Grant Aid $17,411 $26,818
% Receiving Grant Aid 80% 34%

Admission

 UCI UVA
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 119,191 50,926
Admitted 25,212 9,503
Acceptance Rate 21.2% 18.7%
Enrolled % 22.5% 42.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.75 3.85
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Very High Elite
Applicant Competition Very High Very High
ACT Range 26/33 32/34
SAT Range 1230/1430 1400/1540
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

 UCI UVA
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (23%)
  • Biology (16%)
  • Psychology (11%)
  • Business (8%)
  • Engineering (8%)
  • Social Sciences (23%)
  • Engineering (10%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)
  • Business (8%)
  • Psychology (7%)

Outcomes

 UCI UVA
Graduation Rate 85% 94%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $61,800 $77,200
Making Student Loan Payments 76% 86%
Median Student Loan Debt $17,000 $19,500
Median Loan Payment $175 $201

Diversity

 UCI UVA
% Men 45% 45%
% Women 55% 55%
Racial Diversity Very High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 15% 60%
% Black 2% 6%
% Hispanic 25% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 5%
% International 16% 5%
% Unknown Race 1% 6%

Students

 UCI UVA
% In-State 81% 62%
% Out-of-State 7% 33%

Campus

 UCI UVA
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility Yes Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • University of California Irvine is larger than than UVA based on total student enrollment (35,937 students vs. 26,082 students)

UCI vs. UVA Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UCI or UVA?

  • University of Virginia Main Campus is 46.8% more expensive to attend than UCI for in-state tuition ($16,980.00 vs. $11,564.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 24.6% higher at UVA than University of California Irvine ($51,870.00 vs. $41,636.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of California Irvine than UVA ($14,033 vs. $19,469)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Virginia Main Campus are 37.3% lower than costs at University of California Irvine ($12,890 vs. $17,699)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of California Irvine than University of Virginia Main Campus (80% vs. 34%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Virginia Main Campus students is 54% larger than aid received University of California Irvine ($26,818 vs. $17,411)

UCI vs. UVA Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of Virginia Main Campus (1364) is 189 points higher than at UCI (1175)
  • Incoming UVA students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (31) than students at UCI (27)
  • Accepted freshman UVA students have a 0.1 point higher average high school GPA (3.85) than students at UCI (3.75)
  • UCI has a higher acceptance rate (21.2%) than UVA (18.7%)

UCI vs. UVA Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, UCI or UVA? 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 UVA and UCI.

  • The graduation rate at UVA is higher than University of California Irvine (94% vs. 85%)
  • Graduates from University of Virginia Main Campus earn on average $15,400 more per year than UCI graduates after ten years. ($77,200 vs. $61,800)
  • University of California Irvine students graduate with a $2,500 lower median federal student loan debt than UVA graduates. ($17,000 vs. $19,500)
  • UCI graduates are paying $26 less per month on federal student loans than UVA graduates. ($175 vs. $201)
  • More UVA graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UCI students, three years after graduation. (86% vs. 76%)

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