

Two ratings: the overall grade compares colleges the conventional way (outcomes, cost, resources, experience, reputation). The Outcome Rating asks what students earn: 60% wage-adjusted earnings 10 years after enrolling, 25% graduation, 15% retention. Methodology
What happens to students who enroll at University of California-Berkeley, from the U.S. Department of Education’s College Scorecard.
Typical debt at graduation equals about 14% of one year’s median earnings ten years after entry.
Earnings rank: 95th percentile among bachelor’s-degree-focused colleges after a partial adjustment for local wage levels (CA wage index 1.21). This drives the Outcome Rating.
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, retrieved Oct 2026. Earnings are for federally aided students who enrolled, whether or not they graduated.
Median pay of bachelor's degree graduates by field of study, and how each program ranks against every college reporting that major — by raw pay and adjusted for state wage levels. Same school, very different paychecks.
| Major | 1 yr after | 4 yrs after | vs. national | Rank (pay) | Rank (wage-adj.) | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Computer Science | $149,866 | $204,379 | +91% | #9 of 349 | #10 | $13,750 |
| Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering | $137,295 | $200,543 | +99% | #2 of 258 | #2 | $13,674 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | $90,008 | $144,599 | +112% | #4 of 1176 | #6 | $11,300 |
| Operations Research | $88,685 | $138,883 | +13% | — | — | — |
| Economics | $80,446 | $135,050 | +63% | #14 of 368 | #22 | $12,650 |
| Statistics | $83,227 | $133,986 | +45% | #4 of 50 | #6 | $15,400 |
| Chemical Engineering | $81,553 | $121,027 | +23% | #3 of 158 | #32 | $18,155 |
| Cognitive Science | $64,559 | $120,193 | +47% | #4 of 19 | #5 | $14,589 |
| Mechanical Engineering | $88,497 | $119,371 | +30% | #5 of 318 | #16 | $13,000 |
| Applied Mathematics | $71,814 | $118,414 | +29% | #7 of 45 | #7 | $14,500 |
| Biomedical/Medical Engineering | $73,348 | $110,597 | +18% | #9 of 118 | #28 | $14,896 |
| Civil Engineering | $78,142 | $108,548 | +25% | #1 of 233 | #8 | $14,342 |
| Microbiological Sciences and Immunology | $50,706 | $103,546 | +65% | #1 of 49 | #1 | $14,455 |
| Social Sciences | $61,109 | $101,138 | +78% | #1 of 35 | #1 | $15,000 |
| Physics | $50,219 | $96,043 | +25% | #13 of 107 | #28 | $15,000 |
| Astronomy and Astrophysics | $54,746 | $90,943 | +33% | — | — | $19,500 |
| Computer and Information Sciences | $88,030 | — | — | — | — | $13,550 |
| Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies | $45,461 | $87,791 | +58% | #8 of 207 | #11 | $14,500 |
| Chemistry | $59,576 | $82,386 | +27% | #11 of 209 | #34 | $11,077 |
| Mathematics | $46,674 | $80,654 | +16% | #82 of 309 | #122 | $18,500 |
| Nutrition Sciences | $35,161 | $79,391 | +32% | #1 of 53 | #3 | $14,177 |
| Biology | $36,642 | $79,163 | +38% | #27 of 841 | #68 | $13,000 |
| Natural Resources Conservation and Research | $47,338 | $78,624 | +43% | #4 of 265 | #9 | $12,817 |
| Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services | $25,059 | $76,724 | +53% | #4 of 90 | #3 | $14,000 |
| Architecture | $50,917 | $76,679 | +15% | #7 of 78 | #33 | $15,000 |
| Public Health | $48,351 | $76,572 | +30% | #13 of 215 | #29 | $11,708 |
| Urban Studies/Affairs | $58,171 | $76,125 | +22% | #3 of 30 | #6 | $15,000 |
| Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | $40,818 | $75,715 | +38% | #14 of 225 | #23 | $11,593 |
| Communication and Media Studies | $43,696 | $75,612 | +34% | #21 of 660 | #46 | $11,100 |
| Political Science and Government | $45,418 | $75,128 | +19% | #65 of 565 | #133 | $13,000 |
| Sociology | $40,774 | $71,363 | +36% | #12 of 462 | #21 | $13,000 |
| Film/Video and Photographic Arts | $29,011 | $70,963 | +62% | #2 of 144 | #2 | $15,000 |
| Non-Professional Legal Studies | $43,886 | $70,636 | +14% | #10 of 39 | #11 | $13,000 |
| Area Studies | $50,728 | $70,366 | +24% | #10 of 70 | #17 | $14,839 |
| Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies | $44,553 | $69,373 | +43% | #5 of 137 | #17 | $13,000 |
| Social Work | $44,906 | $67,393 | +30% | #8 of 420 | #26 | $13,000 |
| Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies | $34,559 | $67,291 | +30% | #3 of 103 | #5 | $15,076 |
| Cell/Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences | $43,270 | $66,577 | +-0% | #20 of 35 | #26 | $13,450 |
| International/Globalization Studies | $46,660 | $66,522 | +11% | #19 of 87 | #32 | $15,636 |
| Peace Studies and Conflict Resolution | — | $65,269 | +3% | #4 of 6 | #4 | — |
| Research and Experimental Psychology | $34,450 | $64,904 | +17% | #25 of 82 | #31 | $12,280 |
| History | $28,849 | $64,755 | +28% | #35 of 459 | #61 | $13,034 |
| Anthropology | $28,661 | $64,359 | +38% | #8 of 188 | #12 | $12,572 |
| Philosophy | $36,355 | $63,326 | +16% | #24 of 86 | #36 | $13,345 |
| Psychology | — | $62,835 | +24% | #57 of 1027 | #158 | — |
| English Language and Literature | $27,462 | $60,187 | +24% | #55 of 576 | #96 | $12,979 |
| Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft | $22,610 | $55,555 | +40% | #4 of 255 | #14 | $15,012 |
| Fine and Studio Arts | $20,368 | $51,699 | +25% | #41 of 423 | #86 | $12,464 |
| Landscape Architecture | $43,413 | — | — | — | — | — |
| Music | $14,166 | — | — | — | — | $12,800 |
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study data. Earnings are for graduates who received federal aid and were working; small programs are not reported.
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Rankings based on Repit College Grade among schools offering each program.
| Category | In-State | Out-of-State |
|---|---|---|
| Tuition | $11,834 | $42,611 |
| Total Cost (On-Campus) | $45,053 | $75,830 |
| Family Income | Average Net Price |
|---|---|
| $0 - $30,000 | $5,895 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $7,751 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $11,424 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $18,713 |
| $110,001+ | $35,154 |
Programs ranked by number of degrees awarded annually.
Careers that graduates from University of California-Berkeley's top programs commonly pursue.
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Compare with other 4-Year public institutions of similar size.
Data source: IPEDS 2023-24 | Last updated: October 2026 | Methodology