UCLA vs. UT Austin

Deciding between University of California Los Angeles and The University of Texas at Austin? The table below shows tuition, aid, admissions, and outcomes side by side. Data comes from public sources across more than 3,000 U.S. colleges and universities. No account is required.

University of California Los Angeles
The University of Texas at Austin

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

  • Overview

  • Location
  • UCLA Los Angeles, CA
  • UT Austin Austin, TX
  • Setting
  • UCLA Large City
  • UT Austin Large City
  • Total enrollment
  • UCLA 47,335
  • UT Austin 53,864
  • Type
  • UCLA Public 4 Year
  • UT Austin Public 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • UCLA #66
  • UT Austin #105
  • Religious Affiliation
  • UCLA -
  • UT Austin -
  • Status
  • UCLA Non-profit
  • UT Austin Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • UCLA
  • UT Austin

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • UCLA $15,203
  • UT Austin $11,688
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • UCLA $49,403
  • UT Austin $44,908
  • Room & Board
  • UCLA $18,369
  • UT Austin $14,828
  • Average Net Price
  • UCLA $14,512
  • UT Austin $17,942
  • Average Grant Aid
  • UCLA $25,627
  • UT Austin $13,681
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • UCLA 49%
  • UT Austin 42%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • UCLA 146,272
  • UT Austin 72,885
  • Admitted
  • UCLA 13,114
  • UT Austin 19,417
  • Acceptance Rate
  • UCLA 9%
  • UT Austin 26.6%
  • Enrolled
  • UCLA 50.4%
  • UT Austin 47.4%
  • Typical SAT score
  • UCLA 1420
  • UT Austin 1380
  • Typical ACT score
  • UCLA 32
  • UT Austin 30
  • Average High School GPA
  • UCLA 3.92
  • UT Austin 3.8
  • Typical High School Grades
  • UCLA A
  • UT Austin A-
  • Admissions Standards
  • UCLA Elite
  • UT Austin Exceptional
  • Applicant Competition
  • UCLA Extreme
  • UT Austin High
  • ACT Range
  • UCLA 29/35
  • UT Austin 27/33
  • SAT Range
  • UCLA 1300/1530
  • UT Austin 1250/1510
  • Submit Test Scores
  • UCLA Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
  • UT Austin Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
  • Application Deadline
  • UCLA Nov 30, 2026
  • UT Austin Dec 1, 2026

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • UCLA 20:1
  • UT Austin 18:1
  • Popular Majors
  • UCLA
    • Social Sciences (27%)
    • Biology (14%)
    • Psychology (9%)
    • Engineering (9%)
    • History (7%)
  • UT Austin
    • Social Sciences (13%)
    • Communication (13%)
    • Business (12%)
    • Engineering (11%)
    • Biology (9%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • UCLA 90%
  • UT Austin 81%
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • UCLA $70,700
  • UT Austin $68,600
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • UCLA 78%
  • UT Austin 77%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • UCLA $16,300
  • UT Austin $22,250
  • Median Loan Payment
  • UCLA $168
  • UT Austin $230

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • UCLA 43%
  • UT Austin 44%
  • % Women
  • UCLA 57%
  • UT Austin 56%
  • Racial Diversity
  • UCLA Very High
  • UT Austin Very High
  • HBCU
  • UCLA No
  • UT Austin No
  • % White
  • UCLA 27%
  • UT Austin 44%
  • % Asian
  • UCLA 29%
  • UT Austin 20%
  • % Black
  • UCLA 3%
  • UT Austin 4%
  • % Hispanic
  • UCLA 21%
  • UT Austin 22%
  • % Native American
  • UCLA 0%
  • UT Austin 0%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • UCLA 0%
  • UT Austin 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • UCLA 5%
  • UT Austin 4%
  • % International
  • UCLA 13%
  • UT Austin 5%
  • % Unknown Race
  • UCLA 2%
  • UT Austin 1%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • UCLA 79%
  • UT Austin 87%
  • % Out-of-State
  • UCLA 12%
  • UT Austin 8%

  • Campus

  • Campus Housing
  • UCLA Yes
  • UT Austin Yes
  • Freshman Dorm Required
  • UCLA No
  • UT Austin No
  • Meal Plan
  • UCLA Yes
  • UT Austin Yes
  • Weekend/Evening Classes
  • UCLA No
  • UT Austin No
  • Daycare Facility
  • UCLA Yes
  • UT Austin Yes

Comparable Facts

Compare University of California Los Angeles in Los Angeles, CA with The University of Texas at Austin in Austin, TX on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

The University of Texas at Austin is larger than UCLA based on total student enrollment (53,864 students vs. 47,335 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • University of California Los Angeles is located in Los Angeles, CA (Large City setting); The University of Texas at Austin is in Austin, TX (Large City setting).
  • University of California Los Angeles is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. The University of Texas at Austin is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: University of California Los Angeles 20:1; The University of Texas at Austin 18:1.

UCLA vs. UT Austin Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UCLA or UT Austin? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of California Los Angeles than UT Austin ($14,512 vs. $17,942).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at The University of Texas at Austin are 19.3% lower than at University of California Los Angeles ($14,828 vs. $18,369).
  • University of California Los Angeles is 30.1% more expensive for in-state tuition than UT Austin (about $3,515 more per year; $15,203.00 vs. $11,688.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 10% higher at UCLA than at The University of Texas at Austin (about $4,495 more per year; $49,403.00 vs. $44,908.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at University of California Los Angeles than at The University of Texas at Austin (49% vs. 42%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of California Los Angeles students is 87.3% larger than aid received by The University of Texas at Austin students ($25,627 vs. $13,681).

UCLA vs. UT Austin Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, UCLA or UT Austin? Typical SAT and ACT scores (same estimates as in the table above), middle 50% test ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between UT Austin and UCLA.

  • The typical SAT score (median estimate) at University of California Los Angeles (1420) is 40 points higher than at UT Austin (1380).
  • Incoming UCLA students have a 2 point higher typical ACT composite (median estimate) (32 vs. 30 at UT Austin).
  • Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: University of California Los Angeles 1300/1530; The University of Texas at Austin 1250/1510.
  • Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: University of California Los Angeles 29/35; The University of Texas at Austin 27/33.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: UCLA - Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind); UT Austin - Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional).
  • Typical fall application deadline: UCLA Nov 30, 2026; UT Austin Dec 1, 2026.
  • Accepted freshman UCLA students have a 0.12 point higher average high school GPA (3.92) than students at UT Austin (3.8).
  • UT Austin has a higher acceptance rate (26.6%) than UCLA (9%).
  • The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 50.4% at UCLA vs. 47.4% at UT Austin.

UCLA vs. UT Austin Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for UCLA and UT Austin? Graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt are common indicators. The bullets below summarize the same federal outcomes fields as the comparison table (College Scorecard / IPEDS where applicable).

  • University of California Los Angeles's six-year graduation rate (90%) is higher than The University of Texas at Austin's (81%).
  • Graduates from University of California Los Angeles earn a median of about $2,100 more per year than UT Austin graduates about ten years after starting college ($70,700 vs. $68,600), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, University of California Los Angeles graduates have a $5,950 lower median loan debt than UT Austin graduates ($16,300 vs. $22,250).
  • Among borrowers, UCLA graduates have an estimated $62 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than UT Austin graduates ($168 vs. $230).
  • More UCLA graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UT Austin students, three years after graduation. (78% vs. 77%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.