UC Riverside: A Parent's Guide to Admissions, Cost & Outcomes
Officially University of California-Riverside · Riverside, California · Public · Open access · CDS 2025-2026
Admission at a glance
Common Data Set 2025-2026
- Test-blind
- 61,184
- Applicants
- 52,676
- Admitted86%
- 6,686
- Enrolled
- 13%
- Yield rate
Selectivity
Open access86% admittedRanked #80 (tie) in National Universities; Best Undergraduate Engineering Programs #87 (tie), Business Programs #83 (tie), Computer Science #57 (tie), Economics #72 (tie)U.S. News & World Report, Best Colleges 2027
Admission figures come from the 2025-2026 Common Data Set published by University of California-Riverside (see the source), read on 2026-09-12.
Is UC Riverside a reach, target or safety for your student?
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UC Riverside is a public university in Riverside, California that admits about 86% of applicants, making it a open access school. The average family pays about $14,304 a year after financial aid, which matters more than the published sticker price. It is best known for Business Administration, Management and Operations, Biology, General and Research and Experimental Psychology, its largest undergraduate programs by number of graduates. About 76% of students graduate within six years. Its most recent Clery Act report shows roughly 21.2 criminal offenses per 1,000 students.
UC Riverside is a public institution located in Riverside, California. For the most recent reporting cycle, UC Riverside admits the majority of qualified applicants, with an overall admission rate of 86%. The average net price after grants and scholarships is $14,304 per year, which is the figure most families actually pay rather than the published sticker price.
What parents should know about UC Riverside right now
UC Riverside became a UC campus in 1954 (its predecessor Citrus Experiment Station opened in 1907) and now enrolls about 22,903 undergraduates out of 26,809 total students. The standout 2025 story for parents is access and outcomes: U.S. News named UCR the No. 1 university in the nation for social mobility, a category UCR has topped in five of the seven years it has existed, with more than 45 percent of UCR undergraduates receiving Pell Grants. UCR also welcomed its largest-ever entering class in fall 2025, with 8,297 first-year and transfer students, almost entirely Californians, after admitting 70,557 students for fall 2025, roughly 19,000 more than the prior year. UCR was the first UC campus to offer undergraduate degrees in creative writing and public policy, is one of only three UCs offering an undergraduate business administration degree, and houses the world's largest science fiction, horror, and fantasy literature collection (the Eaton Collection). The campus has the highest share of African American students of any UC and the second-highest Latino enrollment after UC Merced, with around 43 percent of admitted students historically being first-generation. UCR placed No. 75 in the U.S. News overall ranking and 24th among public universities in the Wall Street Journal rankings, climbing 73 positions in 2024, signaling steady upward momentum families should know about.
What GPA does my child need for UC Riverside?
51% of enrolled students at UC Riverside had a high school GPA of 3.75 or above, and the average was 3.75, according to its 2025-2026 Common Data Set.
Compare UC Riverside with the other schools on your list
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What does UC Riverside weight in admissions?
UC Riverside reports these factor weights in its Common Data Set (2025-2026). What the weights mean
Very Important
2- Academic GPA
- Application essay
Important
1- Rigor of secondary school record
Considered
3- Talent/ability
- First generation status
- State residency
Not Considered
12- Class rank
- Standardized test scores
- Recommendations
- Interview
- Extracurricular activities
- Character/personal qualities
- Alumni/ae relation
- Geographical residence
- Religious affiliation/commitment
- Volunteer work
- Work experience
- Level of applicant's interest
SAT and ACT scores UC Riverside typically admits
Many applicants to schools in this tier submit test scores, though the policy varies by year, so check the latest test-optional status before deciding.
- • Test-blind: UC Riverside does not consider SAT or ACT scores in admission decisions, even if submitted.
- • UC system test-blind: SAT/ACT not used for admission or scholarships; may be used for eligibility or placement.
- • Checked for Fall 2027 applicants on UC Riverside's admissions site. Policies change; confirm before you apply.
How much does UC Riverside actually cost?
Published tuition is $15,606 for in-state students and $49,806 for out-of-state, before grants and scholarships. Room and board adds roughly $20,691 annually. After need-based and merit aid, the average family pays a net price of $14,304 per year, and that is the number that actually matters for budgeting. Roughly 47% of students receive Pell Grants.
| In-state tuition | — |
| Room and board | — |
| Average net price (after aid) | $14,304 |
| Share of financial need metaverage, for students with need | 87% |
| Average need-based grant | $28,704 |
| Average merit award, no financial need176 first-year students received one | $12,152 |
| Graduates who borrowed | 43% |
| Average debt at graduationamong those who borrowed | $18,621 |
| Financial aid forms | FAFSA only (no CSS Profile)College Board 2026-27 list |
| Application fee | $80 (waivers available) |
Application deadlines and early decision data for UC Riverside
| Regular deadline | 12/02 |
| Notification date | March 31 |
| Reply deadline | May 1 |
Will my child graduate from UC Riverside?
These predict outcomes at UC Riverside better than its acceptance rate does. How to read retention and graduation rates
Most popular majors at UC Riverside
The most popular undergraduate programs at UC Riverside, measured by the number of students who actually graduate each year, are Business Administration, Management and Operations, Biology, General and Research and Experimental Psychology. Across all programs, UC Riverside confers roughly 3,392 bachelor's degrees a year. Graduates of its Business Administration, Management and Operations program report a median income of about $74,583 five years after entering college. What these figures mean
| Major | Graduates / year | Median earnings (5 yrs out) |
|---|---|---|
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | 795 | $74,583 |
| Biology, General | 639 | $61,749 |
| Research and Experimental Psychology | 578 | n/a |
| Sociology | 340 | $53,798 |
| Economics | 331 | $66,935 |
| Political Science and Government | 291 | $59,096 |
| Computer Science | 212 | n/a |
| Film/Video and Photographic Arts | 206 | $47,385 |
Is UC Riverside safe? Campus crime & safety
In its most recent Clery Act report (2024), UC Riverside disclosed 478 total criminal offenses across its campus and surrounding public property, about 21.2 per 1,000 students. That figure includes 8 violent offenses and 9 reported sexual assaults or VAWA offenses. Why per-1,000 rates, not counts
What is campus life like at UC Riverside?
About 38% of undergraduates at UC Riverside live in campus housing, so a meaningful share of students commute or live off campus. In Greek life, 3% of men join a fraternity and 4% of women join a sorority. Residential rate and Greek participation shape day-to-day social life and are worth weighing alongside academics and cost.
Other colleges in California parents ask about
- University of California-Merced91% acceptance
- California Institute of Technology3% acceptance
- San Diego State University36% acceptance
- San Jose State University85% acceptance
- San Francisco State University96% acceptance
- California State University-Long Beach46% acceptance
- California State University-Fullerton91% acceptance
- California State University-Northridge93% acceptance
Next steps for UC Riverside
Common questions parents ask about UC Riverside
What GPA do I need for UC Riverside?
51% of enrolled students at UC Riverside had a high school GPA of 3.75 or above, and the average was 3.75, according to its 2025-2026 Common Data Set.
What SAT or ACT score does UC Riverside typically admit?
UC Riverside is test-blind: SAT and ACT scores are not considered in admission decisions, even if you submit them. There is no score range because scores are not read.
How much does UC Riverside actually cost after financial aid?
The average net price at UC Riverside after grants and scholarships is $14,304 per year, against a published in-state tuition of $15,606 and $49,806 out of state. Budget against the net figure.
Is UC Riverside realistic for my child?
UC Riverside admits 86% of applicants, so the transcript and course rigour carry the decision, with no published score band to place against. Then check the $14,304 average net price against what your family can carry.
What is the acceptance rate at UC Riverside?
UC Riverside accepts about 86% of applicants out of roughly 61,184 who apply each year. It admits the majority of qualified applicants.
Is UC Riverside test-optional?
UC Riverside is test-blind for Fall 2027 applicants: it does not consider SAT or ACT scores in admission decisions, even if you submit them.
What is the graduation rate at UC Riverside?
About 76% of students at UC Riverside graduate within six years. 88% of freshmen return for sophomore year. Graduation rate predicts real outcomes better than acceptance rate.
What does UC Riverside look for in applicants?
UC Riverside rates GPA and the application essay as "very important" in its Common Data Set. These are the factors the admissions committee weighs most heavily when reviewing an application.
Is UC Riverside a public or private school, and where is it located?
UC Riverside is a public institution located in Riverside, California.
What are the most popular majors at UC Riverside?
The largest undergraduate majors at UC Riverside by annual graduates are Business Administration, Management and Operations, Biology, General and Research and Experimental Psychology. The school awards about 3,392 bachelor's degrees a year in total. These figures come from federal IPEDS completion data.
Is UC Riverside safe? What is its campus crime rate?
UC Riverside reported 478 total criminal offenses in its most recent Clery Act disclosure (2024), roughly 21.2 per 1,000 students. Compare the per-1,000 rate rather than the raw total, since larger schools report more incidents.
What is campus life like at UC Riverside?
At UC Riverside, 38% of undergraduates live on campus, 3% of men are in fraternities, 4% of women are in sororities, according to its most recent Common Data Set.
Sources: the 2025-2026 Common Data Set submitted by University of California-Riverside, the College Scorecard and IPEDS, and Clery Act disclosures. What each source covers