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University of California-Riverside

Riverside, California · Public · 4-year · City

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At a glance

Average net price
$14,304What students typically pay per year after grants and scholarships.
Acceptance rate
76%
Graduation rate
76%Share of students who finish within 150% of the normal time.
Undergraduates
22,593
In-state tuition
$15,606Published price before aid.
Out-of-state tuition
$49,806
SAT midpoint
Not reported
Median earnings, 10 yrs
$67,699Median earnings of former students ten years after they first enrolled.

Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Data year: 2022-23 academic year. Updated September 2026. Figures are averages across all students and will differ from what any individual pays.

How it compares to similar colleges

Each rating covers one measure against public 4-year colleges nationally. Five stars means the top fifth on that measure. There is no overall score, because which of these matters is your call.

Affordability

$14,304

Better than 52% of public 4-year colleges (565 compared).

Completion

76%

Better than 90% of public 4-year colleges (566 compared).

Earnings

$67,699

Better than 84% of public 4-year colleges (590 compared).

Debt at graduation

$17,500

Better than 81% of public 4-year colleges (588 compared).

What these ratings are based on
Affordability
Based on average net price: what students receiving federal aid actually paid, after grants and scholarships. Your own cost depends on your family's finances.
Completion
Based on the share of first-time, full-time students who graduate within 150% of normal time. It excludes transfer and part-time students, which understates colleges serving many of them.
Earnings
Based on median earnings ten years after students first enrolled. It reflects the subjects a college teaches and the region it sits in as much as its teaching.
Debt at graduation
Based on median federal loan debt among students who completed. Private and parent loans are not included, so real totals are often higher.
Why there is no rating for selectivity
A lower acceptance rate is selectivity, not quality. Awarding stars for it would be us inventing a value judgement and hiding it behind a number.

What it actually costs

Published cost

$38,942

The sticker price: tuition, fees, housing, food and books for one academic year, before any aid.

Average net price

$14,304

What students receiving federal aid actually paid on average, after grants and scholarships. This is the more useful number, though your own figure depends on your family’s finances.

What would this cost me?
Use this college’s official net price calculator

Outcomes

Graduation, retention, debt and earnings for University of California-Riverside
Graduation rateWithin 150% of normal time76%
Retention rateFirst-year students who return88%
Median debt at graduationFederal loans only, students who completed$17,500
Median earnings, 10 years after entryFormer students, working and not enrolled$67,699

What graduates of each major earn

Median earnings one year after finishing, for people who took that subject here. This is the figure a college-wide median hides: the spread between subjects at one college is usually far wider than the spread between colleges.

Bachelor’s programs at University of California-Riverside by graduate earnings
MajorEarnings, 1 yrDegrees awarded
Computer Science$81,034310
Information Science/Studies$76,09064
Chemical Engineering$68,24550
Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering$66,43058
Computer Engineering$65,04945
Mechanical Engineering$62,554120
Biomedical/Medical Engineering$61,34284
Environmental/Environmental Health Engineering$59,30927
Business Administration, Management and Operations$43,213836
Microbiological Sciences and Immunology$43,08635
Social Sciences, Other$39,93426
Public Policy Analysis$39,86787
Chemistry$39,67662
Business/Managerial Economics$37,496Not reported
Economics$37,149299
Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies$31,44344
Cell/Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences$31,14876
Sustainability Studies$30,69828
Natural Resources Conservation and Research$30,52139
Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology$30,077163
Political Science and Government$30,060265
History$29,824103
Sociology$29,367325
Statistics$29,13825
Mathematics$27,227172
International Relations and National Security Studies$27,02164
Biology, General$26,863705
Anthropology$26,17890
Research and Experimental Psychology$25,654597
Philosophy$25,17144
Film/Video and Photographic Arts$24,840190
Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics$24,45357
Social and Philosophical Foundations of Education$23,447203
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities$23,20380
English Language and Literature, General$23,139111
Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences$22,99811
Fine and Studio Arts$21,79244
Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies$21,76566
International/Globalization Studies$21,42822
Music$20,40821
Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services$20,21247
Physics$19,97733
Neurobiology and Neurosciences$19,286136
Materials EngineeringNot reported19
East Asian Languages, Literatures, and LinguisticsNot reported13
Area StudiesNot reported12
Public AdministrationNot reported12
DanceNot reported10
Botany/Plant BiologyNot reported10
Zoology/Animal BiologyNot reported8
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, OtherNot reported2
Religion/Religious StudiesNot reported2
Physical Sciences, GeneralNot reportedNot reported
Psychology, GeneralNot reportedNot reported
Slavic, Baltic and Albanian Languages, Literatures, and LinguisticsNot reportedNot reported
Engineering, GeneralNot reportedNot reported
Foreign Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics, OtherNot reportedNot reported
Classics and Classical Languages, Literatures, and LinguisticsNot reportedNot reported
Drama/Theatre Arts and StagecraftNot reportedNot reported
Psychology, OtherNot reportedNot reported

All 60 bachelor’s programs this college reported.

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