B+
Very Good
Score: 75/100
Overall (traditional)
A
Outcome Rating
89/100 · earnings-weighted

University of California-Davis

4-Year Public
📍 Davis, California 95616
University of California-Davis campus, Davis, CA
University of California-Davis campus, Davis, CA. Photo: Arlen from SF, CA, CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons.
Outcomes
A+
90/100
Affordability
C+
58/100
Resources
C+
61/100
Experience
A+
91/100
Prestige
B+
76/100

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

Quick Stats

39,707
Total Enrollment
85%
Graduation Rate
93%
Retention Rate
21.0:1
Student-Faculty Ratio
42%
Acceptance Rate
$17,315
Avg Net Price
🏠 Housing Market Near University of California-Davis ▼

5% of first-year students live off campus and not with family (U.S. Dept. of Education, IPEDS). Upper-year students at most universities move off campus at much higher rates, so near-campus rental demand is typically larger than this figure suggests.

Avg Home Value
$847,606
Avg Monthly Rent
$2,666
1-Year Change
-0.9%

Earnings, Debt & Completion

What happens to students who enroll at University of California-Davis, from the U.S. Department of Education’s College Scorecard.

$80,838
Median earnings 10 yrs after entry
$58,461
Median earnings 6 yrs after entry
$13,000
Median debt at graduation
85.7%
Completion rate (within 150% of normal time)
31.4%
Students receiving Pell grants

Typical debt at graduation equals about 16% of one year’s median earnings ten years after entry.

Earnings rank: 89th 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.

Earnings by Major at University of California-Davis

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.

Major1 yr after4 yrs aftervs. nationalRank (pay)Rank (wage-adj.)Median debt
Computer Engineering$96,418$145,422+33%#16 of 189#20$12,703
Computer and Information Sciences$84,343$138,673+50%#23 of 459#31$14,000
Engineering$82,956$114,228+28%#4 of 57#12$14,939
Chemical Engineering$68,337$102,649+5%#37 of 158#101$15,750
Mechanical Engineering$75,231$102,161+11%#27 of 318#147$13,867
Biomedical/Medical Engineering$68,419$98,504+5%#39 of 118#75$15,979
Civil Engineering$75,165$95,939+11%#15 of 233#102$16,000
Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering$71,633$93,414-5%#42 of 59#57$18,748
Materials Engineering$74,110$89,983-2%#21 of 34#30$18,777
Statistics$49,264$88,033-5%#25 of 50#34$14,917
Business/Managerial Economics$54,546$87,455+12%#21 of 84#47$12,917
Biotechnology$59,156$87,406+30%#4 of 13#4$12,843
Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods$52,684$86,155+-0%#59 of 126#74$12,000
Economics$50,295$83,248+1%#153 of 368#214$12,500
Physics—$78,569+2%#54 of 107#69$14,354
Genetics$41,334$77,411+17%#3 of 9#4$13,848
Microbiological Sciences and Immunology$46,005$74,343+19%#9 of 49#21$11,000
Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration$40,002$73,595-37%#24 of 29#27$13,065
Chemistry$42,204$73,365+13%#51 of 209#102$13,000
Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences$43,462$73,337+22%#11 of 138#34$16,000
Communication and Media Studies$42,569$72,778+29%#33 of 660#64$13,000
Mathematics$29,300$72,640+4%#133 of 309#188$11,932
Plant Sciences$43,873$72,335+28%#4 of 44#8—
Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology$42,266$70,754+8%#33 of 110#61$11,000
Food Science and Technology$52,084$70,571+-0%#14 of 29#22$14,666
Public Administration and Social Service Professions$44,593$69,702+13%#3 of 10#6$14,171
Social Sciences$45,178$68,535+21%#5 of 35#8$12,580
Cognitive Science$42,342$68,463-16%#15 of 19#18$15,000
Biology$35,241$68,120+19%#129 of 841#275$13,000
Political Science and Government$36,208$67,759+7%#156 of 565#261$13,687
International Relations and National Security Studies$34,949$67,056+1%#56 of 118#77$12,500
Physiology, Pathology and Related Sciences$37,550$66,461+7%#21 of 64#37$14,154
Natural Resources Conservation and Research$38,954$65,983+20%#31 of 265#58$15,000
Applied Mathematics$53,940$65,508-28%#43 of 45#44$13,000
Nutrition Sciences$34,512$64,519+7%#10 of 53#24$14,166
Neurobiology and Neurosciences$29,765$63,720+2%#33 of 67#44$12,917
Pharmacology and Toxicology$39,202$63,567-8%#4 of 5#4$12,072
Design and Applied Arts$32,816$62,209+21%#57 of 299#113$14,924
Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology$32,161$62,011+27%#7 of 62#11$19,591
East Asian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics$28,997$60,939+18%#4 of 24#5$14,500
Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics$29,330$60,797+11%#67 of 225#122$14,235
Psychology$31,345$60,257+19%#4 of 9#4$14,059
Religion/Religious Studies—$59,448+44%#8 of 45#15—
Sociology$32,137$59,171+12%#92 of 462#186$12,600
English Language and Literature$25,477$59,012+21%#70 of 576#119$13,500
Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies$32,563$58,670+13%#19 of 103#27$14,000
Philosophy$32,749$58,633+8%#40 of 86#48$13,000
Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services$22,965$58,443+17%#21 of 90#32$13,798
Agricultural Production Operations—$58,236+9%#6 of 14#9$10,999
Film/Video and Photographic Arts$19,258$57,999+33%#11 of 144#16$17,500

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.

For parents & investors

The University of California-Davis Town Property Report

  • Avg home value near campus: $847,606
  • Avg rent near campus: $2,666/mo — vs ~$1,389/mo campus room rate
  • Top nearby ZIP by cap rate: 95605 (4.1% cap, West Sacramento)

Get the free 1-page report: rent-vs-dorm math, the 3 best nearby ZIPs by yield, and the “kiddie condo” strategy parents use.

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🏆 Where University of California-Davis Ranks

Rankings based on Repit College Grade among schools offering each program.

🥉
Neurobiology and Anatomy
of 8 schools
🥉
Human Development and Family Studies, General
of 74 schools
#4
Animal Sciences, General
of 72 schools
#7
Communication, General
of 100 schools
#7
Design and Visual Communications, General
of 72 schools
#11
Research and Experimental Psychology, Other
of 88 schools
#18
Cognitive Science, General
of 24 schools
#22
Sociology, General
of 100 schools
#24
Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods, Other
of 100 schools
#28
Statistics, General
of 74 schools

Costs & Financial Aid

Tuition & Fees

Category In-State Out-of-State
Tuition $11,834 $42,611
Room $12,498
Board $6,804
Total Cost (On-Campus) $41,055 $71,832

Financial Aid

58%
Receive Any Aid
25%
Receive Pell Grants
23%
Take Out Loans
$17,315
Avg Net Price

Net Price by Family Income

Family Income Average Net Price
$0 - $30,000$8,594
$30,001 - $48,000$9,472
$48,001 - $75,000$12,304
$75,001 - $110,000$17,988
$110,001+$31,258

Student Demographics

39,707
Total Students
59%
Women
94%
Traditional Age (18-24)
5%
Off-Campus Renters

👥 Race & Ethnicity

White 23%
Hispanic 23%
Black 2%
Asian 29%
Two or More 6%
Non-Resident 15%

🏠 Living Arrangements

On Campus 92%
Off-Campus (Renters) 5%
With Family 4%
🏘️ Rental Demand: ~1,906 students need off-campus housing

💻 Learning Mode

In-Person 87%
Hybrid (Some Online) 12%
Fully Online 1%

📊 Age Distribution

18-24 (Traditional) 94%
25-64 (Adult) 4%

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the acceptance rate at University of California-Davis?
University of California-Davis has an acceptance rate of 42%. This makes it a moderately selective institution with competitive admission standards.
How much does it cost to attend University of California-Davis?
Tuition at University of California-Davis is $11,834 for in-state students and $42,611 for out-of-state students . However, the average net price after financial aid is $17,315.
What is the graduation rate at University of California-Davis?
The graduation rate at University of California-Davis is 85%. This is considered an excellent graduation rate, indicating strong student success and support systems.
Is University of California-Davis a good school?
University of California-Davis has a Repit College Score of 75/100 (Grade: B+). Our rating evaluates five key factors:
  • Outcomes (A+): Graduation and retention rates
  • Affordability (C+): Net cost and financial aid access
  • Resources (C+): Class sizes and selectivity
  • Experience (A+): Campus life and learning format
  • Prestige (B+): Reputation and recognition
How many students attend University of California-Davis?
University of California-Davis has a total enrollment of 39,707 students. Most students (94%) are traditional college-age (18-24).
Is there rental demand near University of California-Davis?
Yes! Approximately 5% of students at University of California-Davis live off-campus (not with family). That's roughly 1,906 students who need rental housing near campus.

Deciding between a dorm and buying near campus? Run the numbers for University of California-Davis — four years of dorm costs vs. owning, including what you’d recover at resale. Buy vs Dorm calculator →

🎓 Similar Colleges to University of California-Davis

Compare with other 4-Year public institutions of similar size.

B+
California State University-Long Beach
Long Beach, CA · 40,278 students
B+
California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo
San Luis Obispo, CA · 22,485 students
B+
San Diego State University
San Diego, CA · 39,241 students
A
University of California-Irvine
Irvine, CA · 36,582 students
A
University of California-San Diego
La Jolla, CA · 42,376 students
A
University of California-Santa Barbara
Santa Barbara, CA · 26,068 students

Data source: IPEDS 2023-24 | Last updated: October 2026 | Methodology