Admit rate has ranged 57%–69% over the last 5 years — notably volatile. Source: IPEDS via Urban Institute.
Acceptance & SAT from Common Data Set / IPEDS; net price, earnings & graduation from the U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard. Figures lag ~1–2 years — verify with the school.
UC Riverside is the scrappy, high-value underdog of the UC system—a research powerhouse with shockingly high acceptance rates (for a UC) and a knack for turning out graduates who outperform their peers financially. With 150+ majors, a sun-baked campus buzzing with 450+ student orgs, and a student body that’s 80% on financial aid, UCR is where California’s middle class gets a top-tier STEM education without the cutthroat competition of its coastal siblings.
Admission requirements
Test-blind — scores not considered
Required
High school transcript
Grade point average
College-prep program
TOEFL (non-native English)
Source: IPEDS Admissions survey (2022) via Urban Institute. Covers formal factors only — it does not reflect essays, extracurriculars, or other holistic criteria.
More details
Undergrad enrollment
22,593
In-state tuition
$15,606
Out-of-state tuition
$49,806
Top Majors
Mechanical Engineering, Computer Science
Campus Vibe
Collaborative, diverse, suburban
Student Orgs
450+
Acceptance Rate
77%
Graduation Rate
79%
Median Earnings (6 yrs)
$48,593
Financial Aid Recipients
80%
Outcomes & value
Outcomes & value
Median earnings (10 yr)
$67,699
Value (earnings ÷ net price)
4.7×
Median debt at graduation
$17,500
Graduation rate
76%
First-year retention
88%
Reducing loan balance (3 yr)
67%
Pell (lower-income) share
79%
First-generation share
48%
Endowment / student
$12,264
Top-earning majors
Median earnings by field of study (highest credential), ~2 years after completion.
Computer Engineering$69,617
Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering$66,076
Mechanical Engineering$59,912
Chemical Engineering$49,464
Biomedical/Medical Engineering$49,214
Environmental/Environmental Health Engineering$42,682
Campus & location
Campus safety
On-campus violent crimes (2024)
12
Per 1,000 students
0.53
On-campus criminal offenses classed as violent (murder/non-negligent manslaughter, rape, robbery, aggravated assault) for the most recent reported year. Source: U.S. Dept. of Education Campus Safety and Security (Clery Act). Counts reflect what’s reported to the school, and urban campuses often report more partly due to non-student incidents nearby — read alongside campus size and setting, not as a standalone safety verdict.
Climate
Pleasant days / yr
154
Summer high
92°F
Winter low
43°F
Annual rain
16.2"
Annual snow
0.9"
Natural-hazard risk
Very High
Pleasant days counts days per year with a mean temperature of 55–75°F, a high at or below 90°F, a low at or above 45°F, and little precipitation — a transparent comfort measure, not a weighting we invented. Computed from Open-Meteo ERA5 daily history (2019–2023). Natural-hazard risk is the county’s composite rating from the FEMA National Risk Index.
Deep dive — research, future-scholar output & economic mobility▾
Research output
Institutional h-index
851
Scholarly works
104,027
Institutional research volume and impact from OpenAlex. The h-index reflects large research universities and will be low for teaching-focused liberal-arts colleges — not a measure of undergraduate quality.
Economic mobility
Mobility rate
6.0%
Bottom → top quintile
41%
From bottom quintile
15%
Mobility rate = the share of students who both start in the bottom household-income quintile and reach the top quintile; bottom → top is that chance conditional on starting at the bottom. Source: Opportunity Insights Mobility Report Cards (Chetty, Friedman, Saez, Turner & Yagan). Reflects 1980–82 birth cohorts, so it’s directional, not current.
Quick answers
What is the acceptance rate at University of California-Riverside?
University of California-Riverside's acceptance rate is approximately 76% (Riverside, CA), based on the most recent figures we compiled from public and primary sources.
How much does University of California-Riverside cost?
At University of California-Riverside, the average net price (after aid) is about $14,304 per year. Actual cost varies with financial aid and residency.
How many undergraduates attend University of California-Riverside?
University of California-Riverside enrolls approximately 22,593 undergraduate students.
Where is University of California-Riverside located?
University of California-Riverside is located in Riverside, CA.
Admissions
UC Riverside is the most accessible UC campus by a wide margin, with a 77% acceptance rate for freshmen (per US News) and 68% for transfers (UC Admissions). SAT midranges are modest (560-670 EBRW, 570-730 Math), and ACT composites land between 21-29. The school leans heavily on GPA: 61% of admits have a 3.75+ GPA, but the 25th-75th percentile range includes students down to 3.5 (College Board). Notably, in-state applicants have a slight edge (87% admit rate vs. 85.5% out-of-state). Deadlines are standard UC: December 2 for freshmen.
UCR punches above its weight in STEM, with Mechanical Engineering (354 undergrads) and Computer Science (217) as its most popular majors (Wikipedia). The school offers , including standout programs in Material Science, Chemical Engineering, and Physiology (Quora). Faculty are research-active but accessible—Reddit threads highlight a collaborative culture where students share notes and resources freely. The academic vibe is pragmatic: 7% of degrees go to Computer Science majors, while humanities like English hover at 3% (US News).
Earnings = median of students working ~10 years after entry; debt = median of graduates. Value divides 10-yr earnings by one year’s net price — read it as earnings per dollar of annual cost, not a full lifetime ROI; it favors lower-cost schools. Source: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard. Figures lag ~2 years and reflect all students, not your intended major.
Business Administration, Management and Operations$39,087
Economics$38,937
Source: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard (field-of-study earnings). Figures cover graduates who received federal aid and lag ~2 years; not all programs report data.
Life at UCR revolves around its 450+ student orgs, from cultural clubs to professional networks (Student Life Office). The Inland Empire’s heat keeps the campus buzzing with indoor events, but students praise the "friendly and chill" vibe (Reddit). Instagram feeds show a steady stream of workshops and socials hosted by the Office of Student Life. Niche notes the diversity as a defining trait—this isn’t a commuter school, with many students living on or near campus. Nearby restaurants and the sheer size of the campus ("tons of stuff to do," per Reddit) prevent claustrophobia.
UCR’s 79% graduation rate (College Scorecard) trounces the national average for public universities. Within six years, alumni earn a median $48,593 (US News), but the real story is long-term: By their 30s, UCR grads in California out-earn the state’s median household income (UC system data). One-year post-grad earnings average $36,427 (Niche), though STEM majors likely pull that higher. The school’s secret sauce? A 65% four-year graduation rate (US News)—unusually efficient for a public uni—suggesting students leave with less debt and faster earning potential.
UCR is a financial aid powerhouse: 80% of undergrads receive aid, and 99% of those get need-based grants/scholarships (Financial Aid Office). The Net priceWhat a family actually pays after grants and scholarships are subtracted from the sticker price — usually far less than the published cost. averages $14,304/year (College Scorecard)—far below the $20K national midpoint. Even sticker shock is muted: After aid, the average student pays $14,487 (College Board). The UC system’s aid calculator is transparent, factoring in dependents and non-tuition costs. For California families earning under $80K, the Blue and Gold Opportunity Plan covers full tuition—a major draw for in-state students.
UCR is the UC system’s best-kept secret: a highly research-active campus (per its engineering and physiology strengths) that doesn’t gatekeep access. Its 77% acceptance rate and $14K net price make it a rare combo of elite public education and realistic admission. The campus culture—collaborative, diverse, and slightly suburban—appeals to students who want UC prestige without Berkeley’s stress. And those graduates? They out-earn their peers long-term, proving UCR’s focus on practical degrees and timely graduation pays off literally.
University of California-Riverside logo · sourceUC Riverside / University of California, Riverside · sourceUniversity of California, Riverside - Undergraduate Admission · sourceUniversity of California, Riverside - Wikipedia · source
