University of California-Berkeley vs University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Side-by-side ROI comparison using U.S. Department of Education data. Which school delivers a better financial return?

University of California-Berkeley leads by 3 points on ROI

ROI Score Comparison

97
Exceptional Value
Earnings
98(1.06x)
Payback
99(3.4 yr)
Debt/Earn
97(0.23)
Completion
97(93%)
Repayment
86(85%)
94
Exceptional Value
Earnings
96(0.80x)
Payback
93(5 yr)
Debt/Earn
95(0.28)
Completion
97(91%)
Repayment
87(85%)

The Financial Comparison

University of California-Berkeley holds a 3-point ROI advantage over University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, scoring 97/100 versus 94/100. That gap reflects meaningful differences in how costs, earnings, and debt stack up for graduates of each institution.

On cost, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill comes in at $11,655 per year (net price after aid) versus $13,481 at University of California-Berkeley - a difference of $1,826 annually, or roughly $7,304 over four years.

Ten years after enrollment, University of California-Berkeley graduates earn a median of $92,446 compared to $72,200 at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. The payback period is 3.4 years at University of California-Berkeley versus 5 years at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Graduates leave University of California-Berkeley with a median $13,000 in debt versus $14,000 at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. The debt-to-earnings ratios are 0.23 and 0.28 respectively - financial advisors generally recommend staying below 1.0.

Head-to-Head Numbers

MetricUniversity of California-...University of North Carol...
Cost
In-State Tuition$16,347$8,994
Out-of-State Tuition$50,547$41,203
Net Price (avg)$13,481$11,655
Total 4-Year Cost$53,924$46,620
Outcomes
Median Earnings (6yr)$57,600$49,900
Median Earnings (10yr)$92,446$72,200
Graduation Rate92.8%91.2%
Payback Period3.4 yr5 yr
Debt
Median Debt$13,000$14,000
Monthly Payment$138$148
Debt-to-Earnings0.230.28
3yr Repayment Rate84.9%85.4%
5yr Repayment Rate80.2%85.3%
Admissions
Acceptance Rate11.0%15.3%
Enrollment33,06820,752

Net Price by Family Income

Average annual net price after grants and scholarships, by household income bracket.

Family IncomeUniversity of Califo...University of North ...
$0-$30,000$5,311$2,004
$30,001-$48,000$6,501$3,918
$48,001-$75,000$9,693$8,538
$75,001-$110,000$15,074$16,415
$110,001+$34,529$24,396

Earnings by Major - Head to Head

Median earnings for majors offered at both schools. Green highlights the higher figure.

MajorUniversity of Califo...University of North ...
Computer Science$204,379$137,047
Business Administration, Management, and Operations$144,599$135,874
Economics$135,050$103,846
Applied Mathematics$118,414$119,839
Biomedical Engineering$110,597$97,992
Physics$96,043$103,477
Mathematics$80,654$101,599
Chemistry$82,386$64,981
Peace Studies and Conflict Resolution$65,269$80,344
Biology$79,163$62,047
Natural Resources Conservation$78,624$65,337
Linguistic and Comparative Language Studies$76,724$54,181
Romance Languages$75,715$64,570
Communication and Media Studies$75,612$70,240
International Relations$75,128$72,001

ROI Sub-Score Breakdown

ComponentUniversity of Califo...University of North ...
Earnings Premium (30%)9896
Payback Period (25%)9993
Debt / Earnings (20%)9795
Completion Rate (15%)9797
Repayment Rate (10%)8687
Overall ROI Score9794
Exceptional Value

The Verdict

These two schools are closely matched on financial outcomes. University of California-Berkeley edges out University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill by 3 points (97 vs 94), but the difference is small enough that major choice and individual circumstances will matter more than the school-level ROI difference. Run the numbers for your specific situation using the calculator below.

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97

University of California-Berkeley

Exceptional Value - Full profile and breakdown

94

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Exceptional Value - Full profile and breakdown

Data from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, as of 2024-2025. Earnings are measured 6 and 10 years after enrollment. Net prices reflect average aid for first-time, full-time students.See full methodology.