In fall 2025, 14,902 freshmen applied to UC Riverside in Social Sciences and 13,379 were admitted, an admit rate of 90%, compared with 87% for the campus as a whole. The middle half of admitted students had a UC GPA between 3.53 and 4.09. Of those admitted, 1,499 enrolled (11%).
What stands out
It ranked 7 of 10 major areas at UC Riverside for selectivity (1 = hardest). The admit rate rose from 59% in 2021 to 90% in 2025, while applications went from 12,434 to 14,902. Among UC campuses, UC Berkeley was the hardest in Social Sciences (9%).
Five-year trend
| Fall | Applied | Admitted | Admit rate | Admitted GPA (middle 50%) | Enrolled | Enrolled GPA (middle 50%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 14,902 | 13,379 | 90% | 3.53–4.09 | 1,499 | 3.33–3.81 |
| 2024 | 13,615 | 10,681 | 78% | 3.58–4.07 | 1,192 | 3.48–3.90 |
| 2023 | 13,834 | 10,053 | 73% | 3.70–4.12 | 1,275 | 3.61–3.97 |
| 2022 | 12,907 | 8,999 | 70% | 3.75–4.16 | 1,150 | 3.66–4.03 |
| 2021 | 12,434 | 7,311 | 59% | 3.68–4.11 | 932 | 3.56–4.00 |
Social Sciences at every UC (fall 2025)
| Campus | Applied | Admitted | Admit rate | Admitted GPA (middle 50%) | Campus overall |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UC Berkeley | 20,627 | 1,758 | 9% | 4.15–4.29 | 11% |
| UCLA | 24,248 | 2,220 | 9% | 4.19–4.30 | 9% |
| UC San Diego | 24,878 | 6,501 | 26% | 4.08–4.28 | 28% |
| UC Irvine | 20,261 | 6,409 | 32% | 4.00–4.25 | 29% |
| UC Santa Barbara | 33,738 | 12,720 | 38% | 4.07–4.28 | 38% |
| UC Davis | 18,584 | 8,775 | 47% | 4.00–4.24 | 44% |
| UC Santa Cruz | 10,831 | 7,308 | 67% | 3.81–4.18 | 72% |
| UC Riverside | 14,902 | 13,379 | 90% | 3.53–4.09 | 87% |
| UC Merced | 8,622 | 8,049 | 93% | 3.47–4.08 | 94% |
Transfer admit rates: Social Sciences majors (fall 2025)
| Major | Applied | Admitted | Admit rate | 2024 rate | Admitted GPA (middle 50%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Psychology | 1,045 | 520 | 50% | 44% | 3.22–3.78 |
| Sociology | 818 | 714 | 87% | 82% | 3.09–3.72 |
| Economics | 504 | 437 | 87% | 80% | 3.27–3.85 |
| Political Science | 471 | 437 | 93% | 88% | 3.18–3.82 |
| Business Economics | 466 | 385 | 83% | 76% | 3.32–3.82 |
| Anthropology | 203 | 172 | 85% | 80% | 3.16–3.79 |
| Political Science / International Studies | 99 | 91 | 92% | 86% | 2.99–3.80 |
| Economics/Administrative Studies | 75 | 63 | 84% | 62% | 3.29–3.83 |
| Sociology/Administration Studies | 69 | 60 | 87% | 74% | 3.04–3.81 |
| Political Science/Administration Studies | 52 | 45 | 87% | — | 3.20–3.72 |
| Chicano Studies | 24 | 23 | 96% | — | 2.80–3.42 |
Transfer GPA is the UC-transferable GPA from community college. All UC Riverside transfer majors →
Other major areas at UC Riverside
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Source: University of California Office of the President, UC Information Center: Freshman admissions by discipline and Transfers by major. UC reports freshman results by broad discipline (the major area students applied to, such as Engineering), not by individual major; transfer results are by individual major. GPA ranges are the 25th–75th percentile of admitted students (freshman: weighted, capped UC GPA; transfer: UC-transferable GPA). Counts include all applicants (California, out-of-state and international). Small counts are suppressed by UC. This site is independent and not affiliated with the University of California. Admit rates describe past applicants, not any individual student’s chances.