UC Davis: the complete school report for parents

What does UC Davis actually weigh in admissions?

UC Davis rates 2 of the 18 factors "Very Important": course rigor, GPA. It does not consider 7 of them at all. Every college reports these weights in section C7 of its Common Data Set; below is UC Davis's 2025-2026 answer, read from the grid in its own file.

What GPA do admitted students actually have?

66% of enrolled students had a 4.0 GPA or above. The average was 4.03 on a 4 scale, reported for 100% of the entering class. This is the school’s own distribution, not an estimate from its admit rate.

What is the UC Davis waitlist really like?

UC Davis offered a place on its waiting list to 17,582 applicants and 9,747 accepted one. 3,758 were ultimately admitted. That is 38.6% of those who waited.

Is transferring in easier than applying as a freshman?

UC Davis admitted 56.3% of 17,211 transfer applicants, against 44.4% of first-year applicants. The two routes are similarly competitive here. The minimum college GPA considered is 2.4.

When do we apply, and does timing change the odds?

UC Davis offers neither Early Decision nor Early Action, so there is no early round to strategize about and every applicant is read in one pool.

What does my child need to take in high school?

UC Davis requires 15 academic units and recommends 18. A college-preparatory program is required. A GED is accepted.

What will UC Davis actually cost us?

Families pay an average of $14,741 a year at UC Davis after grants and scholarships, against a published in-state tuition of $14,202. The published price is not what most families pay. The university reports meeting 81.7% of demonstrated need on average. It also gave 319 merit awards averaging $7,912 to first-years with no demonstrated need.

What families at each income level actually paid:

31% of UC Davis graduates borrow, leaving with an average of $17,466 in debt, which the federal data puts at about $138 a month in repayment. UC Davis’s net price calculator gives your own figure.

Does a degree from UC Davis pay off?

Graduates earn a median $80,838 ten years after entering, and $58,461 at six years. 86% out-earn a typical high school graduate within six years. 83% are actively paying down their loans three years in.

Four-year net cost against that earnings premium:

A scale, not a forecast: it assumes aid and earnings hold steady.

$146,640 to $40,840, depending on the major. Median earnings five years out at UC Davis:

College Scorecard, by field of study; highest and lowest shown.

Will my child actually graduate?

93% of first-years return for a second year. 70% graduate within four years and 86% within six (Fall 2019 cohort). The rate holds up across income: 82.6% of Pell-grant recipients graduate within six years against 87.7% of everyone else, a gap of 5.1 points.

How big are the classes?

29% of class sections have fewer than 20 students, while 17% have 100 or more. The student-faculty ratio is 22:1, and 88% of faculty are full-time. Both are true at once: 17% of sections seat 100 or more, and those are the introductory lectures. Accredited by Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University Commission.

What is life at UC Davis like?

31,695 undergraduates, 7.1% of first-years from out of state. 90.3% of freshmen live in university housing, falling to 34.5% across all undergraduates. 41% of students are the first in their family to attend college, and the median family income is $76,621.

Incoming first-year and transfer students entering in fall quarter are guaranteed on-campus housing if they meet the eligibility requirements and deadlines.

Source: Student Housing Guarantee, UC Davis Student Housing and Dining Services

How is UC Davis ranked, and how strong is the alumni network?

UC Davis is ranked #9 for public universities in the U.S. News Best Colleges 2026. Its full set of published positions, including the ones that are less flattering:

Shown in full, including the less flattering ones.

Source: University of California: UC is the best public university in the 2026 U.S. News rankings

What this means for your student

• Course rigor is rated Very Important here, so the senior-year schedule should hold its AP, IB or honors depth rather than lighten. UC Davis recommends 18 academic units.
• 66% of enrolled students are at a 4.0 GPA or above, averaging 4.03. Below that line the rest of the application has to carry real weight.
• Do not spend money on test preparation for UC Davis: scores are not read even if you send them.
• Skip demonstrated-interest tactics here. Visits and emails are not tracked, so save that effort for schools where they count.
• The waitlist is live but thin: 3,758 of 9,747 who waited were admitted, about 39%.
• Its highest-earning major returns $146,640 five years out against $40,840 at the other end, a gap wider than the one between most schools.
• See where your student actually stands: calculate their GPA and compare it against the distribution above.

Common questions about UC Davis