B
Good
Score: 69/100
Overall (traditional)
B+
Outcome Rating
74/100 · earnings-weighted

University of California-Riverside

4-Year Public
📍 Riverside, California 92521
University of California-Riverside campus, Riverside, CA
University of California-Riverside campus, Riverside, CA. Photo: Original uploader was Amerique at en.wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons.
Outcomes
A
85/100
Affordability
C+
64/100
Resources
C
51/100
Experience
A
84/100
Prestige
C+
59/100

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

26,426
Total Enrollment
77%
Graduation Rate
88%
Retention Rate
23.0:1
Student-Faculty Ratio
63%
Acceptance Rate
$13,533
Avg Net Price
🏠 Housing Market Near University of California-Riverside ▼

18% 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.

The campus ZIP (92521) has no residential market, so these figures average 1 nearby ZIP codes within 3 miles of campus (92507).

Avg Home Value
$609,387
Avg Monthly Rent
$2,344
1-Year Change
+0.5%

Earnings, Debt & Completion

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

$67,699
Median earnings 10 yrs after entry
$48,593
Median earnings 6 yrs after entry
$17,500
Median debt at graduation
76%
Completion rate (within 150% of normal time)
47%
Students receiving Pell grants

Typical debt at graduation equals about 26% of one year’s median earnings ten years after entry.

Earnings rank: 70th 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-Riverside

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 Science$81,034$117,705+10%#85 of 349#130$19,000
Computer Engineering$65,049$107,193-2%#88 of 189#143$25,083
Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering$66,430$102,630+2%#81 of 258#210$19,250
Mechanical Engineering$62,554$93,721+2%#114 of 318#268$21,000
Chemical Engineering$68,245$91,457-7%#122 of 158#149$17,182
Biomedical/Medical Engineering$61,342$90,041-4%#77 of 118#102$19,954
Environmental/Environmental Health Engineering$59,309$84,300+4%#12 of 46#29$18,068
Statistics$29,138$78,492-15%#35 of 50#40$21,488
Information Science/Studies$76,090————$24,417
Physics$19,977$74,410-3%#70 of 107#83$19,000
Microbiological Sciences and Immunology$43,086$72,295+16%#12 of 49#27$13,939
Business Administration, Management and Operations$43,213$72,027+6%#315 of 1176#606$16,500
Economics$37,149$66,682-19%#309 of 368#336$17,666
Cell/Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences$31,148$65,813-1%#22 of 35#27$18,000
Natural Resources Conservation and Research$30,521$64,944+18%#37 of 265#68$16,250
Business/Managerial Economics$37,496$64,147-18%#75 of 84#82$18,000
Chemistry$39,676$64,131-2%#129 of 209#179$21,500
Mathematics$27,227$63,596-9%#223 of 309#266$18,100
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities$23,203$62,211+17%#64 of 476#155$15,625
Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences$22,998$59,677-1%#78 of 138#107—
Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology$30,077$59,549-9%#85 of 110#97$16,958
Public Policy Analysis$39,867$58,504-21%#32 of 34#33$19,161
Sustainability Studies$30,698$58,463+1%#12 of 17#12$19,333
Biology$26,863$58,339+2%#405 of 841#613$19,000
International/Globalization Studies$21,428$57,959-3%#40 of 87#60$20,500
Social and Philosophical Foundations of Education$23,447$57,847-4%——$15,000
Political Science and Government$30,060$56,740-10%#402 of 565#495$18,000
Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies$31,443$56,555+9%#28 of 103#43$22,305
International Relations and National Security Studies$27,021$56,108-16%#95 of 118#104$18,829
Sociology$29,367$55,682+6%#150 of 462#263$16,300
Social Sciences$39,934$55,087-3%#17 of 35#24$16,583
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies—$54,090-3%#113 of 207#162—
Film/Video and Photographic Arts$24,840$52,699+20%#19 of 144#37$20,472
History$29,824$51,913+2%#209 of 459#328$19,317
Neurobiology and Neurosciences$19,286$51,865-17%#62 of 67#67$19,000
Philosophy$25,171$51,402-6%#59 of 86#69$19,022
English Language and Literature$23,139$50,712+4%#222 of 576#380$18,052
Research and Experimental Psychology$25,654$49,947-10%#61 of 82#73$17,746
Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services$20,212$46,306-7%#58 of 90#76$17,500
Anthropology$26,178$45,821-2%#98 of 188#148$21,250
Dance—$45,804+15%#18 of 58#26—
Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics$24,453$42,692-22%#209 of 225#217$17,691
Fine and Studio Arts$21,792$40,774-1%#234 of 423#323$16,681
Area Studies—$39,039-31%#68 of 70#69—
Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies$21,765$35,583-27%#129 of 137#135$20,783
Music$20,408————$26,500

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-Riverside Town Property Report

  • Top nearby ZIP by cap rate: 92557 (3.5% cap, Moreno Valley)

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-Riverside Ranks

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

#5
Social and Philosophical Foundations of Education
of 8 schools
#16
Cinematography and Film/Video Production
of 85 schools
#20
Creative Writing
of 70 schools
#29
Education, General
of 100 schools

Costs & Financial Aid

Tuition & Fees

Category In-State Out-of-State
Tuition $11,834 $42,611
Total Cost (On-Campus) $40,285 $71,062

Financial Aid

75%
Receive Any Aid
43%
Receive Pell Grants
34%
Take Out Loans
$13,533
Avg Net Price

Net Price by Family Income

Family Income Average Net Price
$0 - $30,000$8,240
$30,001 - $48,000$9,615
$48,001 - $75,000$12,449
$75,001 - $110,000$17,297
$110,001+$29,624

Student Demographics

26,426
Total Students
50%
Women
91%
Traditional Age (18-24)
18%
Off-Campus Renters

👥 Race & Ethnicity

White 12%
Hispanic 37%
Black 3%
Asian 33%
Two or More 4%
Non-Resident 9%

🏠 Living Arrangements

On Campus 63%
Off-Campus (Renters) 18%
With Family 19%
🏘️ Rental Demand: ~4,862 students need off-campus housing

💻 Learning Mode

In-Person 67%
Hybrid (Some Online) 32%
Fully Online 1%

📊 Age Distribution

18-24 (Traditional) 91%
25-64 (Adult) 5%

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the acceptance rate at University of California-Riverside?
University of California-Riverside has an acceptance rate of 63%. This indicates a less selective admissions process with good chances for qualified applicants.
How much does it cost to attend University of California-Riverside?
Tuition at University of California-Riverside is $11,834 for in-state students and $42,611 for out-of-state students . However, the average net price after financial aid is $13,533.
What is the graduation rate at University of California-Riverside?
The graduation rate at University of California-Riverside is 77%. This is a solid graduation rate, showing that most students who enroll successfully complete their degrees.
Is University of California-Riverside a good school?
University of California-Riverside has a Repit College Score of 69/100 (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 (C+): Reputation and recognition
How many students attend University of California-Riverside?
University of California-Riverside has a total enrollment of 26,426 students. Most students (91%) are traditional college-age (18-24).
Is there rental demand near University of California-Riverside?
Yes! Approximately 18% of students at University of California-Riverside live off-campus (not with family). That's roughly 4,862 students who need rental housing near campus.

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

🎓 Similar Colleges to University of California-Riverside

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

B
University of California-Santa Cruz
Santa Cruz, CA · 19,764 students
B+
San Diego State University
San Diego, CA · 39,241 students
B
California State University-Fullerton
Fullerton, CA · 41,962 students
B+
University of California-Merced
Merced, CA · 9,147 students
B+
California State University-Long Beach
Long Beach, CA · 40,278 students
B
San Jose State University
San Jose, CA · 36,062 students

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