by our College Data Analytics TeamHere is what you can expect to pay at University of California-Berkeley, from sticker cost of attendance and projected degree cost to net price, debt at graduation, and aid breakdowns.
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Cost of attendance at University of California-Berkeley spanned $42,708.00 to $76,908.00 depending on whether you qualify for in-state rates.
The lower figure reflects the in-state rate and the higher figure the out-of-state rate: about $42,708.00 in-state against $76,908.00 for non-residents.
Here the cost is broken out three ways: no aid, average aid, and the aid a low-income student typically receives.
| Tuition and fees | $16,347.00 |
| + Room, board & other expenses | $26,361.00 |
| Total cost | $42,708.00 |
| That is 122% above the national average net price. |
| Total cost | $42,708.00 |
| − Grants and scholarships | −$32,138.00 |
| Net price | $10,570.00 |
| That is 45% below the national average net price. |
| Total cost | $42,708.00 |
| − Grants and scholarships | −$40,308.00 |
| Net price | $2,400.00 |
| That is 88% below the national average net price. |
| Tuition and fees | $50,547.00 |
| + Room, board & other expenses | $26,361.00 |
| Total cost | $76,908.00 |
| That is 300% above the national average net price. |
| Total cost | $76,908.00 |
| − Grants and scholarships | −$32,138.00 |
| Net price | $44,770.00 |
| That is 133% above the national average net price. |
| Total cost | $76,908.00 |
| − Grants and scholarships | −$40,308.00 |
| Net price | $36,600.00 |
| That is 90% above the national average net price. | |
| For the full breakdown, see tuition and fees plus living costs. |
Published costs have climbed year over year by around 4.7% per year, so the four-year total runs well above today’s cost. The detailed projections below compare a degree for a low-income aided student, an average-aid student, and a no-aid student. The loan rows amortise the projected total over a ten-year, 6.8% repayment.
| Projected 4-year net costs | Low Income w/ Aid | w/ Average Aid | No Aid |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual growth rate | 4.7% | 4.7% | 4.7% |
| Freshman year | $2,514.00 | $11,072.00 | $44,736.00 |
| Senior year | $2,889.00 | $12,726.00 | $51,417.00 |
| Total 4-year net price | $10,795.00 | $47,544.00 | $192,100.00 |
| 10-year loan interest @ 6.8% | $4,113.00 | $18,112.00 | $73,183.00 |
| Total monthly payment | $124.00 | $547.00 | $2,211.00 |
| Total amount paid | $14,908.00 | $65,656.00 | $265,284.00 |
| Projected 2-year net costs | Low Income w/ Aid | w/ Average Aid | No Aid |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual growth rate | 4.7% | 4.7% | 4.7% |
| Freshman year | $2,514.00 | $11,072.00 | $44,736.00 |
| Senior year | $2,633.00 | $11,598.00 | $46,861.00 |
| Total 2-year net price | $5,147.00 | $22,670.00 | $91,597.00 |
| 10-year loan interest @ 6.8% | $1,961.00 | $8,636.00 | $34,895.00 |
| Total monthly payment | $59.00 | $261.00 | $1,054.00 |
| Total amount paid | $7,108.00 | $31,306.00 | $126,492.00 |
| Projected 4-year net costs | Low Income w/ Aid | w/ Average Aid | No Aid |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual growth rate | 4.7% | 4.7% | 4.7% |
| Freshman year | $38,338.00 | $46,896.00 | $80,560.00 |
| Senior year | $44,064.00 | $53,900.00 | $92,592.00 |
| Total 4-year net price | $164,627.00 | $201,375.00 | $345,932.00 |
| 10-year loan interest @ 6.8% | $62,717.00 | $76,717.00 | $131,788.00 |
| Total monthly payment | $1,895.00 | $2,317.00 | $3,981.00 |
| Total amount paid | $227,344.00 | $278,092.00 | $477,720.00 |
| Projected 2-year net costs | Low Income w/ Aid | w/ Average Aid | No Aid |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual growth rate | 4.7% | 4.7% | 4.7% |
| Freshman year | $38,338.00 | $46,896.00 | $80,560.00 |
| Senior year | $40,159.00 | $49,123.00 | $84,386.00 |
| Total 2-year net price | $78,497.00 | $96,019.00 | $164,947.00 |
| 10-year loan interest @ 6.8% | $29,905.00 | $36,580.00 | $62,839.00 |
| Total monthly payment | $903.00 | $1,105.00 | $1,898.00 |
| Total amount paid | $108,402.00 | $132,599.00 | $227,785.00 |
Read more in the Net Price section.
The net price figure shows the cost after grants and scholarships are deducted. It is usually a better planning number than the sticker cost above.
| Average net price (on-campus) | $13,481.00 |
| Average net price (off-campus) | $15,379.00 |
Net price varies sharply by family income, dropping as need-based aid grows. Below, average net price is broken out by family income:
| Family income | Average net price |
|---|---|
| Under $30,000 | $5,895.00 |
| $30,000 to $48,000 | $7,751.00 |
| $48,001 to $75,000 | $11,424.00 |
| $75,001 to $110,000 | $18,713.00 |
| Over $110,000 | $35,154.00 |
Use University of California-Berkeley Net Price Calculator, or get in touch with the financial aid office.
Dig into how aid is awarded on the financial aid page.
The median amount borrowed by graduates of University of California-Berkeley stands at $12,000.00, which the Department of Education classifies as a Low ($10-20k) debt-load classification.
Here’s how debt at graduation distributes across borrowers:
| Percentile | Debt at graduation |
|---|---|
| 10th | $3,869.00 |
| 25th | $5,500.00 |
| Median (50th) | $12,000.00 |
| 75th | $20,218.00 |
| 90th | $27,000.00 |
How far apart the 10th and 90th percentiles sit tells you how uneven debt outcomes are.
For the full borrowing and repayment picture, see the student loan debt page.
Debt outcomes vary substantially with family income. The breakdown below segments borrowers by family income at entry:
| Family income | Median debt at graduation |
|---|---|
| Low income | $11,000.00 |
| Middle income | $11,000.00 |
| High income | $13,000.00 |
First-generation college students often carry different debt loads than their continuing-generation peers.
| Student group | Median debt at graduation |
|---|---|
| First-generation students | $11,250.00 |
| Continuing-generation students | $12,500.00 |
The Pell Grant is the largest federal grant for undergraduates from low-income families. The Pell vs non-Pell debt gap reveals how borrowing differs by need.
The median debt difference between Pell-eligible and non-Pell graduates of University of California-Berkeley is $-1,289.00.
The federal default-rate classification for University of California-Berkeley is Low (<5%).
| Window | Cohort default rate |
|---|---|
| 2-year | 2.8% |
For context on the loan portfolio, Stafford disbursements at University of California-Berkeley amount to $1,121,830,726.00 over 55,826 student borrowers.
Veterans and active-duty service members may qualify for substantial federal education benefits including the Post-9/11 GI Bill and Department of Defense Tuition Assistance.
| GI Bill recipients | 261 |
| Avg GI Bill amount | $33,674.00 |
Read more about military and veteran aid on the veterans benefits detail.
Use the figures above as a launch point, then think through University of California-Berkeley, keep these questions in mind:
Each page below covers one part of paying for college in more detail:
Data sources. Figures on this page draw from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS), and MediaFactual editorial review. Net-price calculator and financial-aid office links are taken from the institution’s own published data.