University of California-Riverside
Tuition, net price, acceptance rate, graduation rate, and graduate salary · Riverside, California
Net price / year
$14,304
after grants & scholarships
higher than 57% of public 4-year colleges
Acceptance rate
76%
Graduation rate
76%
within 150% of normal time
higher than 92% of public 4-year colleges
Median earnings
$64,926
4 years after graduating
higher than 71% of public 4-year colleges
University of California-Riverside at a glance
- What is the tuition at University of California-Riverside?
- In-state undergraduate tuition and fees are $15,606 for the 2024-25 academic year, or $49,806 for out-of-state students.
- What is the cost of attendance at University of California-Riverside?
- The average cost of attendance is $38,942 a year before financial aid (2023-24), counting tuition, books, housing and other living expenses.
- What is the net price at University of California-Riverside?
- The average net price for in-state students is $14,304 a year after grants and scholarships (2023-24).
- What is the acceptance rate at University of California-Riverside?
- About 76% of applicants were admitted (fall 2024).
- Is University of California-Riverside test optional?
- Test policy reported to the federal government: Tests neither required nor recommended.
- What is the graduation rate at University of California-Riverside?
- 76% of first-time, full-time students finish within 150% of normal time, or 6 years (entering classes through fall 2018).
- How much do graduates of University of California-Riverside earn?
- The median graduate earns $64,926 four years after finishing, among graduates working and not enrolled (2024 dollars).
Key takeaways
- 76% of students graduate on time or within 150% of normal time, higher than 92% of public 4-year colleges.
- The earnings premium over a typical high-school graduate would cover the estimated net cost in about 2.0 years of work (not counting income forgone while studying).
- Graduates earn a median $64,926 four years after finishing, more than 71% of public 4-year colleges.
- Families earning under $30,000 pay about $8,852 a year on average, versus $30,393 for families earning over $110,000.
- The school admits 76% of applicants, so most who apply are accepted.
Tuition and cost of attendance at University of California-Riverside
Average net price (in-state)
$14,304 per year
Cost of attendance minus average grants and scholarships, for first-time full-time students receiving federal aid.
Estimate your own price with the University of California-Riverside net price calculator ↗
Estimated total net cost
$57,216
Net price × 4 years, at today's prices and assuming on-time completion. Your actual cost depends on your aid.
Net price by family income
Average yearly net price for students receiving federal aid.
- $0–30k $8,852
- $30–48k $9,840
- $48–75k $13,111
- $75–110k $16,571
- $110k+ $30,393
Where the sticker price goes· Cost of attendance $38,942
- Tuition & fees$15,606
- Books & supplies$1,576
- Room & board$20,691
- Other expenses$5,730
- Tuition & fees (in-state)
- $15,606
- Tuition & fees (out-of-state)
- $49,806
University of California-Riverside acceptance rate and admissions
Acceptance rate
Share of applicants admitted.
Test policy: Tests neither required nor recommended
Graduation rate and salary after graduating from University of California-Riverside
Graduation rate
76%
First-time, full-time students finishing within 150% of normal time.
Retention rate
88%
Full-time first-years who return the next fall.
Typical monthly payment
$186
On a standard 10-year federal plan.
Years of earnings premium to cover cost
2.0 years
Net cost ÷ (graduate earnings − high-school graduate earnings). Excludes income forgone while studying and assumes today's earnings. A rough guide, not a prediction.
Earnings vs debt
Of graduates working and not enrolled, in 2024 dollars.
- Debt-to-earnings
- 0.3×Median debt divided by median earnings 4 years after graduating.
- Share of pay going to loans
- 3.4%
- 3-year loan default rate
- 0%
Outcomes by student group
The Scorecard reports some outcomes separately for groups of students. A group is left out when it is too small to report. These are school-level figures and say nothing about any individual student.
Completion within 150% of normal time, by group
Share of students who entered in 2018 and completed within 150% of normal time (six years at a four-year college, three at a two-year college).
All students, same entering cohort: 76%
Group rates and the all-student rate come from the same 2018 entering cohort, so they can be compared directly. Groups at small colleges can rest on very few students. Data period: Entering cohort 2018 (IPEDS).
Earnings ten years after entry
All students who entered this college, whether or not they graduated, in 2022 dollars, ten years after entry.
Typical range: middle half of students
25th percentile $42,680 · median $67,699 · 75th percentile $95,385
Median by family income
Median by sex
This is not the same as the graduates' earnings shown above. It covers everyone who entered, including students who left without a degree, ten years after entry and in 2022 dollars. The graduates' figure covers only completers, four years after finishing, in 2024 dollars. Do not compare the two directly.
Data period: Students who entered in academic years 2009-10 and 2010-11 (pooled), earnings measured in 2020 and 2021, 2022 dollars (Treasury).
Median federal student debt, by group
Median federal loan debt of students who borrowed, when they left school, by group.
By Pell Grant status
By first-generation status
By family income
By gender
Data period: Loans in fiscal years 2020 and 2021 (pooled, NSLDS).
How borrowers are doing
One year after leaving school and entering repayment, here is where the 7,609 federal-loan borrowers from this college stood. It covers borrowers only, not students who did not take federal loans.
Repayment status one year after entering repayment
- Paid in full 16%
- Making progress 15%
- Not making progress 10%
- Delinquent 2%
- Default 0%
- Forbearance 42%
- Deferment 14%
- Discharged 0%
What the terms mean
- Paid in full:
- The borrower has paid off the loans completely.
- Making progress:
- Payments are reducing the loan balance, not just covering interest.
- Not making progress:
- The borrower is paying, but not enough to shrink the balance.
- Delinquent:
- Payments are late but the loan is not yet in default.
- Default:
- The borrower has missed payments for so long that the loan is officially in default.
- Forbearance:
- Payments are temporarily paused or reduced, and interest may keep adding up.
- Deferment:
- Payments are on hold for an approved reason, such as returning to school.
- Discharged:
- The loan was cancelled, for example because of a disability or a school closure.
7,609 borrowers · Data period: Borrowers who entered repayment in the AY2018-19 and AY2019-20 cohorts (pooled, NSLDS).
Programs and majors at University of California-Riverside ranked by earnings
| Program | Earnings, 4 yrs after | Earnings over time | Compared with the U.S. median for this field | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's · Graduates: 176 | $117,705 | 1 yr$81,0344 yrs$117,705 | U.S. median $107,009 U.S. middle half $74.8K–$152K · Above the U.S. median | $19,000 |
| Bachelor's · Graduates: 56 | $107,193 | 1 yr$65,0494 yrs$107,1935 yrs$117,682 | U.S. median $109,015 U.S. middle half $86.3K–$145.2K · Below the U.S. median | $25,083 |
| Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering Bachelor's · Graduates: 78 | $102,630 | 1 yr$66,4304 yrs$102,6305 yrs$102,568 | U.S. median $100,647 U.S. middle half $84.6K–$122.4K · Above the U.S. median | $19,250 |
| Bachelor's · Graduates: 137 | $93,721 | 1 yr$62,5544 yrs$93,7215 yrs$93,294 | U.S. median $92,135 U.S. middle half $77.7K–$109.1K · Above the U.S. median | $21,000 |
| Bachelor's · Graduates: 111 | $91,457 | 1 yr$68,2454 yrs$91,4575 yrs$90,784 | U.S. median $98,158 U.S. middle half $80.3K–$118K · Below the U.S. median | $17,182 |
| Biomedical/Medical Engineering Bachelor's · Graduates: 106 | $90,041 | 1 yr$61,3424 yrs$90,0415 yrs$92,140 | U.S. median $93,451 U.S. middle half $74.1K–$113.9K · Below the U.S. median | $19,954 |
| Environmental/Environmental Health Engineering Bachelor's · Graduates: 26 Small sample | $84,300 | 1 yr$59,3094 yrs$84,3005 yrs$81,979 | U.S. median $81,171 U.S. middle half $68.9K–$95.2K · Above the U.S. median | $18,068 |
| Bachelor's · Graduates: 43 | $78,492 | 1 yr$29,1384 yrs$78,492 | U.S. median $92,425 U.S. middle half $64.6K–$125.5K · Below the U.S. median | $21,488 |
| Bachelor's · Graduates: 21 Small sample | $74,410 | 1 yr$19,9774 yrs$74,410 | U.S. median $76,786 U.S. middle half $51.8K–$102.9K · Below the U.S. median | $19,000 |
| Microbiological Sciences and Immunology Bachelor's · Graduates: 24 Small sample | $72,295 | 1 yr$43,0864 yrs$72,295 | U.S. median $62,582 U.S. middle half $44K–$83.2K · Above the U.S. median | $13,939 |
Show all 44 programs
| Business Administration, Management and Operations Bachelor's · Graduates: 739 | $72,027 | 1 yr$43,2134 yrs$72,0275 yrs$74,583 | U.S. median $68,257 U.S. middle half $47.6K–$93.6K · Above the U.S. median | $16,500 |
| Bachelor's · Graduates: 254 | $66,682 | 1 yr$37,1494 yrs$66,6825 yrs$66,935 | U.S. median $82,686 U.S. middle half $58.2K–$116.3K · Below the U.S. median | $17,666 |
| Cell/Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences Bachelor's · Graduates: 30 | $65,813 | 1 yr$31,1484 yrs$65,8135 yrs$73,399 | U.S. median $66,697 U.S. middle half $44.8K–$93.4K · Below the U.S. median | $18,000 |
| Natural Resources Conservation and Research Bachelor's · Graduates: 43 | $64,944 | 1 yr$30,5214 yrs$64,9445 yrs$61,938 | U.S. median $55,012 U.S. middle half $39.4K–$72.8K · Above the U.S. median | $16,250 |
| Bachelor's · Graduates: 149 | $64,147 | 1 yr$37,4964 yrs$64,1475 yrs$62,909 | U.S. median $77,981 U.S. middle half $55.1K–$106.7K · Below the U.S. median | $18,000 |
| Bachelor's · Graduates: 62 | $64,131 | 1 yr$39,6764 yrs$64,1315 yrs$56,178 | U.S. median $65,120 U.S. middle half $48.3K–$84K · Below the U.S. median | $21,500 |
| Bachelor's · Graduates: 160 | $63,596 | 1 yr$27,2274 yrs$63,5965 yrs$63,375 | U.S. median $69,562 U.S. middle half $49.1K–$97.4K · Below the U.S. median | $18,100 |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities Bachelor's · Graduates: 103 | $62,211 | 1 yr$23,2034 yrs$62,2115 yrs$61,690 | U.S. median $53,072 U.S. middle half $35.8K–$73.3K · Above the U.S. median | $15,625 |
| Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences Bachelor's · Graduates: 16 Small sample | $59,677 | 1 yr$22,9984 yrs$59,677 | U.S. median $60,190 U.S. middle half $44.3K–$77.6K · Below the U.S. median | — |
| Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology Bachelor's · Graduates: 78 | $59,549 | 1 yr$30,0774 yrs$59,5495 yrs$68,378 | U.S. median $65,466 U.S. middle half $44.9K–$88.4K · Below the U.S. median | $16,958 |
| Public Policy Analysis Bachelor's · Graduates: 75 | $58,504 | 1 yr$39,8674 yrs$58,5045 yrs$61,890 | U.S. median $73,721 U.S. middle half $53.3K–$104.1K · Below the U.S. median | $19,161 |
| Sustainability Studies Bachelor's · Graduates: 39 | $58,463 | 1 yr$30,6984 yrs$58,463 | U.S. median $57,887 U.S. middle half $37.2K–$77.1K · Above the U.S. median | $19,333 |
| Bachelor's · Graduates: 262 | $58,339 | 1 yr$26,8634 yrs$58,3395 yrs$61,749 | U.S. median $57,214 U.S. middle half $38.9K–$79.2K · Above the U.S. median | $19,000 |
| International/Globalization Studies Bachelor's · Graduates: 28 Small sample | $57,959 | 1 yr$21,4284 yrs$57,9595 yrs$48,595 | U.S. median $59,972 U.S. middle half $40.8K–$82.9K · Below the U.S. median | $20,500 |
| Social and Philosophical Foundations of Education Bachelor's · Graduates: 45 | $57,847 | 1 yr$23,4474 yrs$57,847 | U.S. median $60,360 U.S. middle half $29.2K–$75.8K · Below the U.S. median | $15,000 |
| Political Science and Government Bachelor's · Graduates: 256 | $56,740 | 1 yr$30,0604 yrs$56,7405 yrs$59,096 | U.S. median $63,293 U.S. middle half $44.8K–$85.4K · Below the U.S. median | $18,000 |
| Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies Bachelor's · Graduates: 54 | $56,555 | 1 yr$31,4434 yrs$56,5555 yrs$53,291 | U.S. median $51,710 U.S. middle half $34.9K–$68.1K · Above the U.S. median | $22,305 |
| International Relations and National Security Studies Bachelor's · Graduates: 74 | $56,108 | 1 yr$27,0214 yrs$56,1085 yrs$56,758 | U.S. median $66,596 U.S. middle half $46K–$87.8K · Below the U.S. median | $18,829 |
| Bachelor's · Graduates: 352 | $55,682 | 1 yr$29,3674 yrs$55,6825 yrs$53,798 | U.S. median $52,657 U.S. middle half $37.7K–$69.5K · Above the U.S. median | $16,300 |
| Social Sciences, Other Bachelor's · Graduates: 25 Small sample | $55,087 | 1 yr$39,9344 yrs$55,0875 yrs$61,806 | U.S. median $56,812 U.S. middle half $39.7K–$77.7K · Below the U.S. median | $16,583 |
| Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other Bachelor's · Graduates: 31 | $54,090 | — | U.S. median $55,693 U.S. middle half $40.3K–$72.2K · Below the U.S. median | — |
| Film/Video and Photographic Arts Bachelor's · Graduates: 202 | $52,699 | 1 yr$24,8404 yrs$52,6995 yrs$47,385 | U.S. median $43,765 U.S. middle half $26K–$63.4K · Above the U.S. median | $20,472 |
| Bachelor's · Graduates: 97 | $51,913 | 1 yr$29,8244 yrs$51,9135 yrs$52,531 | U.S. median $50,680 U.S. middle half $36.3K–$66.7K · Above the U.S. median | $19,317 |
| Neurobiology and Neurosciences Bachelor's · Graduates: 69 | $51,865 | 1 yr$19,2864 yrs$51,8655 yrs$65,261 | U.S. median $62,451 U.S. middle half $40.7K–$88.6K · Below the U.S. median | $19,000 |
| Bachelor's · Graduates: 47 | $51,402 | 1 yr$25,1714 yrs$51,4025 yrs$61,942 | U.S. median $54,455 U.S. middle half $34.9K–$78K · Below the U.S. median | $19,022 |
| English Language and Literature, General Bachelor's · Graduates: 147 | $50,712 | 1 yr$23,1394 yrs$50,7125 yrs$57,551 | U.S. median $48,590 U.S. middle half $33.7K–$63.8K · Above the U.S. median | $18,052 |
| Research and Experimental Psychology Bachelor's · Graduates: 364 | $49,947 | 1 yr$25,6544 yrs$49,947 | U.S. median $55,695 U.S. middle half $38.1K–$76.5K · Below the U.S. median | $17,746 |
| Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services Bachelor's · Graduates: 43 | $46,306 | 1 yr$20,2124 yrs$46,3065 yrs$40,306 | U.S. median $49,984 U.S. middle half $32.9K–$69.9K · Below the U.S. median | $17,500 |
| Bachelor's · Graduates: 153 | $45,821 | 1 yr$26,1784 yrs$45,8215 yrs$44,195 | U.S. median $46,676 U.S. middle half $32.1K–$63.9K · Below the U.S. median | $21,250 |
| Bachelor's · Graduates: 17 Small sample | $45,804 | — | U.S. median $39,980 U.S. middle half $24.9K–$57.3K · Above the U.S. median | — |
| Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics Bachelor's · Graduates: 55 | $42,692 | 1 yr$24,4534 yrs$42,6925 yrs$54,555 | U.S. median $55,000 U.S. middle half $38.4K–$73.3K · Below the U.S. median | $17,691 |
| Bachelor's · Graduates: 56 | $40,774 | 1 yr$21,7924 yrs$40,7745 yrs$41,498 | U.S. median $41,367 U.S. middle half $26.2K–$56.7K · Below the U.S. median | $16,681 |
| Bachelor's · Graduates: 18 Small sample | $39,039 | 4 yrs$39,0395 yrs$44,474 | U.S. median $56,625 U.S. middle half $37.2K–$78.5K · Below the U.S. median | — |
| Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies Bachelor's · Graduates: 77 | $35,583 | 1 yr$21,7654 yrs$35,5835 yrs$38,017 | U.S. median $48,471 U.S. middle half $32.2K–$67.3K · Below the U.S. median | $20,783 |
Earnings are for graduates working and not enrolled, 4 years after completing, in 2024 dollars.
The U.S. median and middle half (25th to 75th percentile) are for graduates of the same field and credential level at all colleges, 4 years after completing.
The 1-year, 4-year and 5-year figures come from different graduating cohorts and dollar years (1-year: AY2018-19 and AY2019-20 graduates, 2022 dollars; 4-year: AY2017-18 and AY2018-19 graduates, 2024 dollars; 5-year: AY2014-15 and AY2015-16 graduates, 2022 dollars), so read them as three separate measures, not a single career path.
Small samples are noisy: the Scorecard adds privacy noise to program figures and some rows are based on only a handful of graduates, so rows marked “small sample” can move a lot from year to year.
What students study
The largest fields among the degrees and certificates this college awarded, grouped by two-digit CIP code (the federal Classification of Instructional Programs). Fields under 1% are left out.
Share of degrees and certificates awarded, by field
A large share means many awards, not necessarily many students or higher earnings. Data period: Awards in academic year 2024-25 (IPEDS).
Who attends
A snapshot of the undergraduate student body as this college reported it to the federal government. Shares are shown as published; they can differ slightly from 100% because of rounding.
Race and ethnicity
- White 10.3%
- Black or African American 3.5%
- Hispanic or Latino 39.9%
- Asian 35.9%
- American Indian or Alaska Native 0.1%
- Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.2%
- Two or more races 4.9%
- U.S. nonresident 3.7%
- Race and ethnicity unknown 1.5%
Federal reporting categories. Students who are not U.S. citizens or permanent residents are counted as nonresident, and students who did not report are counted as unknown. Data period: Fall 2024 (IPEDS).
Gender
- Men 47.4%
- Women 52.6%
Federal reporting uses two categories. Data period: Fall 2024 (IPEDS).
Students aged 25 or older
5%
of undergraduates
Many adult students work or have families while enrolled. Data period: Fall 2023 (IPEDS).
Students and campus
- Undergraduate enrollment
- 22,593
- Part-time students
- 2%
- Receive Pell Grants
- 47%
- Receive federal loans
- 31%
- Students per faculty member
- 22 : 1
- Setting
- City
Similar colleges
Schools of a similar type, price, size and outcomes.
-
San Francisco State University
San Francisco, CA
Net price $12,278Earnings $67,804
-
San Diego State University
San Diego, CA
Net price $15,364Earnings $68,268
-
California State University-Chico
Chico, CA
Net price $14,480Earnings $65,228
-
University of California-Santa Barbara
Santa Barbara, CA
Net price $16,109Earnings $70,323
-
Utah State University
Logan, UT
Net price $14,936Earnings $63,484
-
University of Mississippi
University, MS
Net price $13,314Earnings $66,243
Guides worth reading
Plain-language explainers that help you read the numbers on this page.
More in California
In California
Frequently asked questions
How much is tuition at University of California-Riverside?
For the 2024-25 academic year, University of California-Riverside reported undergraduate tuition and fees of $15,606 for in-state students and $49,806 for out-of-state students. These are published prices before grants and scholarships; what you pay depends on your aid.
What is the cost of attendance and net price at University of California-Riverside?
The average cost of attendance at University of California-Riverside is $38,942 a year (2023-24), counting tuition, books, housing and other living expenses. After grants and scholarships, the average net price is $14,304 a year. That is around the middle of public 4-year colleges.
How much financial aid do students at University of California-Riverside get?
47% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants. 31% receive federal loans. The average net price runs from $8,852 a year for families earning under $30,000 to $30,393 for families earning over $110,000 (2023-24).
What is the acceptance rate at University of California-Riverside?
University of California-Riverside admitted about 76% of applicants in fall 2024. That means most applicants are admitted.
What are the graduation rate and retention rate at University of California-Riverside?
76% of first-time, full-time students at University of California-Riverside finish within 150% of normal time. 88% of full-time first-years return the next fall.
How much do University of California-Riverside graduates earn after graduation?
The median graduate earns $64,926 four years after finishing, among graduates working and not enrolled in further study (2024 dollars). One year after finishing, the median is $33,932.
Is University of California-Riverside worth it?
There is no single answer: it depends on your major, your aid and whether you finish. For University of California-Riverside, the data shows this. The earnings premium over a typical high-school graduate would cover the estimated net cost in about 2.0 years of work. Graduates who borrowed have a median debt of $17,500, about 0.3 times their median earnings four years after finishing. 76% of first-time, full-time students finish within 150% of normal time. These are averages, not predictions, and they do not count income forgone while studying.
How much debt do University of California-Riverside graduates have?
Graduates who borrowed have a median federal-loan debt of $17,500, or about $186 a month on a 10-year plan.
Sources and data periods
All figures come from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard (June 2026 release). Periods differ by measure:
- Average net price: AcadYr 2023-24, reported in IPEDS DCY2024-25
- Acceptance rate: Fall 2024, reported in IPEDS DCY2024-25
- Graduation rate: Fall 2018 or AcadYr 2018-19 cohort (differs by institutional calendar), reported in IPEDS DCY2024-25 pooled with previous years (# of total pooled years found in POOLYRS)
- Median earnings: Treasury AY2017-18, AY2018-19 pooled cohort measured in CY2022, CY2023, inflation adjusted to 2024 dollars
- Median graduate debt: NSLDS FY2020, FY2021 pooled cohorts
Some figures are blank because the school did not report them or the group was too small to publish. How we calculate things