UC Berkeley admits about 11% of applicants overall. That number is the one everybody quotes, and for most applicants it is the wrong one — you are not admitted by the university, you are admitted by a college or programme inside it, and those rates differ sharply.
| Major | Admit rate | GPA (mid 50%) | SAT (mid 50%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Business | 5% | 3.94–4.00 | 1500–1580 |
| Computer Science | 6% | 3.93–4.00 | 1480–1570 |
| Engineering | 7% | 3.91–4.00 | 1460–1560 |
| Political Science and Policy | 9% | 3.88–4.00 | 1420–1550 |
| Economics | 9% | 3.88–4.00 | 1430–1550 |
| Biology | 16% | 3.85–4.00 | 1390–1530 |
| Mathematics | 16% | 3.86–4.00 | 1420–1550 |
| Physics | 16% | 3.86–4.00 | 1420–1550 |
| Chemistry | 16% | 3.85–4.00 | 1400–1540 |
| Communications and Media | 25% | 3.80–4.00 | 1360–1520 |
| Music | 25% | 3.78–4.00 | 1350–1510 |
| Whole university | 11% | 3.75–4.00 | 1310–1530 |
Two things follow from the table above.
Switching major purely for the admit rate is usually a mistake — a "why this major" essay written about a subject chosen for its odds reads exactly like one, and internal transfer after enrolment is capped and competitive at most schools. But if you were genuinely choosing between two subjects, the difference above is real and worth knowing.
Calculate your own odds at UC Berkeley →Source: UC Berkeley Fall 2025 admit rates by discipline.
These are published institutional figures, not predictions. Admission decisions also rest on essays, recommendations and institutional priorities, which no calculator can see. Not affiliated with any university.