UCLA, UC Berkeley and UC San Diego are the three campuses most California students put at the top of their list. Their overall fall 2025 freshman admit rates were 9.4%, 11% and 28%. But depending on your major, the order changes, and the gap between them can be huge. Here is how they compare in every major area UC reports.
Fall 2025 admit rate by major area
| Major area | UCLA | Berkeley | UC San Diego |
|---|---|---|---|
| Architecture | — | 7.7% 4.14–4.30 | 31% 4.00–4.25 |
| Arts & Humanities | 8.9% 4.04–4.28 | 25% 4.06–4.27 | 35% 4.06–4.26 |
| Business | 8.7% 4.19–4.30 | 4.5% 4.20–4.30 | 21% 4.13–4.29 |
| Computer Science | 7.3% 4.25–4.30 | 6.5% 4.20–4.29 | 20% 4.16–4.30 |
| Education | 7.9% 4.13–4.28 | — | 31% 4.08–4.25 |
| Engineering | 6.7% 4.25–4.32 | 7.1% 4.20–4.30 | 19% 4.17–4.30 |
| Life Sciences | 13% 4.21–4.30 | 16% 4.16–4.29 | 33% 4.15–4.29 |
| Other Health Science | 10% 4.20–4.30 | — | 28% 4.09–4.26 |
| Other/Interdisciplinary | 13% 4.21–4.30 | 13% 4.16–4.29 | 31% 4.09–4.28 |
| Physical Sciences/Math | 15% 4.22–4.30 | 16% 4.18–4.29 | 39% 4.13–4.29 |
| Public Admin | 14% 4.20–4.29 | 14% 4.08–4.26 | — |
| Public Health | — | 2.2% 4.16–4.29 | 17% 4.08–4.26 |
| Social Sciences | 9.2% 4.19–4.30 | 8.5% 4.15–4.29 | 26% 4.08–4.28 |
| All majors | 9.4% | 11% | 28% |
What stands out
Berkeley is harder than UCLA in business and computer science. Berkeley admitted 4.5% of business applicants to UCLA’s 8.7%, and 6.5% in computer science to UCLA’s 7.3%. Berkeley’s public health admit rate (UCLA has no freshman public health area) was just 2.2%.
UCLA is harder in the humanities and in undeclared. Berkeley admitted 25% of arts and humanities applicants, while UCLA admitted 8.9%. Undeclared applicants did better at Berkeley too (12% versus 6.9%).
UC San Diego admits at least twice the share in almost every area. The only exception is arts and humanities, where Berkeley is relatively open. San Diego’s toughest areas, public health (17%), engineering (19%) and computer science (20%), were still well above UCLA and Berkeley. Its physical sciences and math rate was 39%.
The GPA bar is almost the same at all three. For most areas, the middle half of admitted students had a UC GPA between about 4.05 and 4.30 at all three campuses, with San Diego’s ranges starting slightly lower. In engineering it was 4.25–4.32 at UCLA, 4.20–4.30 at Berkeley and 4.17–4.30 at San Diego. GPA gets you into the pool; essays, course rigor, activities and context decide who is admitted.
How to use this
- If you are applying in business, computer science or public health, treat Berkeley as the longest shot of the three, even if its overall admit rate looks better than UCLA’s.
- If you are applying in the humanities or undeclared, Berkeley has been noticeably more open than UCLA.
- Add UC San Diego as a realistic reach or target if your UC GPA is around 4.15 or higher, and pair it with campuses such as Irvine, Santa Barbara or Davis.
- Check your major’s page for all nine campuses on UC admit rates by major.
Transfer applicants: the comparison is different, and UC publishes it by individual major. See UCLA, Berkeley and UC San Diego transfer admit rates.
Source: University of California, UC Information Center, freshman admission by discipline, fall 2025. Counts include California, out-of-state and international applicants. GPA ranges are the middle 50% (25th–75th percentile) of admitted students. ScoreCalc is independent and not affiliated with the University of California.
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