University of California, Berkeley
Academics

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How strong are the academics at University of California, Berkeley?

Let's cover class sizes, graduation rates, and outcomes.

33
Average class size
81%
4-year grad rate

Class Sizes

Class sizes likely stayed the same for you through high school. You'll find that college is much different. Some of the largest universities have classes that can seat hundreds of students in giant lecture halls. Conversely, as they progress and their focus narrows, higher-level courses can sometimes have just a handful of students.

Class Sizes
2-9
648
10-19
901
20-29
415
30-39
266
40-49
196
50-99
281
100+
338

Honors Programs

University of California, Berkeley has an honors program and/or honors college. Specifics of these programs vary, but benefits of being in an Honors Program might include priority registration, being part of a tight-knit community, and accessing unique learning opportunities.

Learn more about honors options on Berkeley's website.

Outcomes

It’s critical to understand a school’s outcomes to understand if your four (or more) years at the school will be worth it. Here are some key statistics about the outcomes of students who enroll at University of California, Berkeley:

97%
First-year retention rate
81%
4-year grad rate
93%
6-year grad rate

Majors

Many students choose a school largely based on the what they want to study. The are University of California, Berkeley's most popular majors, ranked by how many people graduated with the concentration in the most recent year:

Computer Science
Econometrics and Quantitative Economics
Cell/Cellular and Molecular Biology
Computer and Information Sciences, Other
Electrical and Electronics Engineering
374
472.4
570.8
669.2
767.6
866

The Full List

Major Graduates
Architecture And Related Services
  • Architecture 106
  • Environmental Design/Architecture 24
  • Landscape Architecture 13
Area
  • American/United States Studies/Civilization 48
  • Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies 34
  • Ethnic Studies 34
  • Women's Studies 17
  • Hispanic-American, Puerto Rican, and Mexican-American/Chicano Studies 12
  • African-American/Black Studies 11
  • Asian Studies/Civilization 1
  • American Indian/Native American Studies 1
  • Latin American Studies 0
  • Near and Middle Eastern Studies 0
  • Asian-American Studies 0
Biological And Biomedical Sciences
  • Cell/Cellular and Molecular Biology 692
  • Biology/Biological Sciences, General 152
  • Microbiology, General 58
  • Botany/Plant Biology 18
  • Exercise Physiology and Kinesiology 0
  • Toxicology 0
Business
  • Business Administration and Management, General 428
Communication
  • Mass Communication/Media Studies 226
Computer And Information Sciences And Support Services
  • Computer Science 866
  • Computer and Information Sciences, Other 528
Engineering
  • Electrical and Electronics Engineering 456
  • Mechanical Engineering 186
  • Chemical Engineering 149
  • Bioengineering and Biomedical Engineering 112
  • Civil Engineering, General 103
  • Operations Research 58
  • Engineering Science 17
  • Nuclear Engineering 14
  • Engineering, Other 12
  • Engineering Physics/Applied Physics 11
  • Environmental/Environmental Health Engineering 10
  • Agricultural Engineering 0
  • Manufacturing Engineering 0
English Language And Literature/Letters
  • English Language and Literature, General 221
  • Rhetoric and Composition 35
Foreign Languages
  • Linguistics 49
  • Comparative Literature 22
  • Hispanic and Latin American Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics, General 22
  • French Language and Literature 9
  • Japanese Language and Literature 6
  • Middle/Near Eastern and Semitic Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics, Other 6
  • East Asian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics 5
  • East Asian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics, General 5
  • Classics and Classical Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics 3
  • Classics and Classical Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics, General 3
  • Chinese Language and Literature 2
  • German Language and Literature 2
  • Celtic Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics 2
  • Foreign Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics, Other 2
  • Slavic, Baltic and Albanian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics 1
  • Slavic Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics, General 1
  • Scandinavian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics 1
  • Italian Language and Literature 1
  • Dutch/Flemish Language and Literature 0
  • Spanish Language and Literature 0
  • Ancient/Classical Greek Language and Literature 0
  • Latin Language and Literature 0
Health Professions And Related Programs
  • Public Health, General 185
History
  • History, General 90
Legal Professions And Studies
  • LEGAL PROFESSIONS AND STUDIES 180
  • Non-Professional Legal Studies 180
  • Legal Studies 180
Liberal Arts And Sciences
  • Humanities/Humanistic Studies 0
Mathematics And Statistics
  • Applied Mathematics, General 204
  • Mathematics, General 77
  • Statistics, General 68
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies
  • Cognitive Science, General 219
  • Nutrition Sciences 102
  • International/Globalization Studies 66
  • Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other 66
  • Classical, Ancient Mediterranean, and Near Eastern Studies and Archaeology 9
  • Peace Studies and Conflict Resolution 0
Natural Resources And Conservation
  • Environmental Studies 215
  • Natural Resources/Conservation, General 114
  • Environmental Science 82
  • Natural Resources Conservation and Research, Other 35
  • Forest Sciences and Biology 6
  • Forest Management/Forest Resources Management 1
  • Environmental/Natural Resources Management and Policy, General 0
  • Natural Resources and Conservation, Other 0
Philosophy And Religious Studies
  • Philosophy 87
  • Religion/Religious Studies 1
Physical Sciences
  • Chemistry, General 129
  • Physics, General 91
  • Astrophysics 29
  • Materials Science 28
  • Geology/Earth Science, General 14
  • Oceanography, Chemical and Physical 9
  • Geophysics and Seismology 4
  • Planetary Astronomy and Science 1
  • Physical Sciences, General 0
  • Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorology, General 0
Psychology
  • Research and Experimental Psychology, Other 322
  • Psychology, General 0
Public Administration And Social Service Professions
  • Social Work 73
Social Sciences
  • Econometrics and Quantitative Economics 753
  • Political Science and Government, General 395
  • Sociology, General 261
  • Social Sciences, Other 175
  • Anthropology, General 67
  • Urban Studies/Affairs 35
  • Economics, General 0
  • Geography 0
Visual And Performing Arts
  • Film/Cinema/Media Studies 96
  • Fine/Studio Arts, General 82
  • Art History, Criticism and Conservation 30
  • Music, General 30
  • Drama and Dramatics/Theatre Arts, General 27
  • Dance, General 6

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