UC Davis & UC Irvine — Research Notes
ucdavis_uci.md
UC Davis & UC Irvine — Research Notes
University of California, Davis
Overview
- Location: Davis, CA (Sacramento metro area)
- Type: Public research university, UC system
- Category: flagship_public
- Total enrollment: 41,239 (fall 2024, record)
- Undergraduates: ~32,273
Admissions (Fall 2024 / Class of 2028)
- Total applicants: 98,861 (4.5% increase YoY)
- Admits: 41,618
- Acceptance rate: 42.1%
- Enrolled freshmen: 6,767
- Yield rate: 16.4%
- Testing policy: Test-blind (UC system-wide since fall 2023)
- No ED/EA: UC system uses a single November application deadline
Academic Profile
- Weighted GPA middle 50: 4.00–4.26
- Unweighted GPA (est): ~3.82
- SAT middle 50: 1160–1400 (reported but not used in admissions)
- ACT middle 50: 25–32
Demographics (2024–25)
| Group | Pct |
|---|---|
| Asian | 29% |
| Hispanic/Latino | 25% |
| White | 22% |
| International | 15% |
| Multiracial | 6% |
| Black | 2% |
| Women | 57% |
UC Davis became HSI-eligible in fall 2024 (25.1% Hispanic FTE).
Financial Aid / Net Price by Income
| Family Income | Net Price |
|---|---|
| $0–$30,000 | $9,842 |
| $30,001–$48,000 | $10,769 |
| $48,001–$75,000 | $13,578 |
| $75,001–$110,000 | $17,622 |
| Over $110,000 | $29,734 |
Source: College Factual / College Scorecard data.
Athletics
- NCAA Division I, Big West Conference (most sports)
- 25 varsity sports
- 717 total athletes (272 men, 445 women)
- Athlete pct: ~1.7% of total enrollment
Sources
- UC Admissions freshman profile
- College Factual net price data
- College Kickstart UC fall 2024 trends
- UC Davis news: record enrollment fall 2024
University of California, Irvine
Overview
- Location: Irvine, CA (Orange County)
- Type: Public research university, UC system
- Category: flagship_public
- Total enrollment: 37,297 (fall 2024)
- Undergraduates: 30,204
Admissions (Fall 2024 / Class of 2028)
- Total applicants: 121,095 freshman + 21,995 transfer (146K+ total)
- Admits: 35,661 (freshman)
- Acceptance rate: 28.7%
- Enrolled freshmen: 6,796
- Yield rate: 19.1%
- Waitlist: 13,155 offered; 6,259 accepted; all 6,259 admitted (100% WL accept rate)
- Testing policy: Test-blind (UC system-wide)
- No ED/EA: UC system single deadline
Academic Profile
- Weighted GPA middle 50: 4.04–4.27
- Unweighted GPA (est): ~3.84
- SAT middle 50: 1230–1430 (reported but not used)
- ACT middle 50: 26–33
Demographics (2024–25)
| Group | Pct |
|---|---|
| Asian | 35% |
| Hispanic/Latino | 24% |
| White | 15% |
| International | 16% |
| Multiracial | 6% |
| Black | 2% |
| Women | 55% |
UCI has a predominantly Asian student body — the highest Asian percentage of any UC campus.
Financial Aid / Net Price by Income
| Family Income | Net Price |
|---|---|
| $0–$30,000 | $23,532 |
| $30,001–$48,000 | $21,767 |
| $48,001–$75,000 | $25,220 |
| $75,001–$110,000 | $28,615 |
| Over $110,000 | $33,909 |
Source: College Factual / College Scorecard data. Note: UCI net costs are notably higher than UC Davis across all income brackets.
Athletics
- NCAA Division I, Big West Conference
- 18 varsity sports
- 429 total athletes (186 men, 243 women)
- Athlete pct: ~1.4% of total enrollment
Sources
- UC Admissions freshman profile
- UCI Office of Undergraduate Admissions admitted student profile
- College Factual demographics and net price
- UC Irvine News: record CA admits 2024
Comparison Notes
| Metric | UC Davis | UC Irvine |
|---|---|---|
| Acceptance rate | 42.1% | 28.7% |
| Total applicants | 98,861 | 121,095 |
| Enrolled freshmen | 6,767 | 6,796 |
| Yield rate | 16% | 19% |
| SAT middle 50 | 1160–1400 | 1230–1430 |
| Weighted GPA | 4.00–4.26 | 4.04–4.27 |
| Asian % | 29% | 35% |
| Hispanic % | 25% | 24% |
| Net cost (lowest income) | $9,842 | $23,532 |
Key differences: - UCI is meaningfully more selective (28.7% vs 42.1%) - UCI has higher SAT scores (30-point higher floor and ceiling) - UC Davis is dramatically more affordable for low-income students ($9.8K vs $23.5K) - Both are test-blind with no early action/decision rounds - Similar freshman class sizes (~6,800 each)