Explore alternatives based on outcomes, location, cost, and admission difficulty
Given UC Berkeley's 11.7% acceptance rate, most applicants—even highly qualified ones—will need backup options. The schools below deliver comparable career outcomes with more accessible admission, different geographic options, or better value.
These schools offer higher acceptance rates while delivering comparable career outcomes.
For similar outcomes with better admission odds, consider California State University Maritime Academy (98.7% acceptance, $94,784 median earnings) just 14 miles from Berkeley. University Of San Francisco admits 50.8% of applicants while producing graduates earning $89,812, located 12 miles away. Dominican University Of California offers 95.6% acceptance with graduates earning $84,713, though at higher net cost. These alternatives provide strong Bay Area location with significantly more realistic admission prospects.
Higher acceptance rate (87.1 percentage points higher) and located 14 miles away; similar graduate earnings
Strong options in the same region with comparable academic profiles.
Students committed to California should consider University Of California-Davis (41.6% acceptance, $80,838 earnings) 54 miles away for similar UC system experience. California State University Maritime Academy provides nearly identical earnings ($94,784) just 14 miles from Berkeley with 98.7% acceptance. Menlo College, 29 miles south, offers 67.8% acceptance with graduates earning $76,419. These options maintain California location while providing more accessible admission pathways.
Elite universities with similar prestige and academic caliber
