University of California, Irvine

University Facts

University Facts

UCI is consistently recognized as trailblazer in a broad range of fields, garnering national and international honors in every school. The campus’s diverse academic offerings paired with world-class leadership create an environment worthy of any passionate, dedicated scholar. Explore some of UCI’s points of pride below.

UCI Points of Pride

9th best public universities in the U.S. by U.S. News & World Report.

Top 10 coolest school by Sierra magazine for eight consecutive years.

3 Nobel Prizes. Two in chemistry, one in physics.

No. 1 university that does the most for the American dream in The New York Times College Access Index.

100+ UC Irvine healthcare physicians listed as "Best Doctors in America."

17 consecutive years: UC Irvine Medical Center among nation’s best hospitals by U.S. News & World Report.

UCI’s Chao Family Comprehensive Cancer Center is the only Orange County facility to earn a "comprehensive" designation by the National Cancer Institute.

29 graduate programs ranked in nation’s top 50 by U.S. News & World Report.

5th best public university by Money magazine.

1 of 62 elected institutions in the Association of American Universities.

Section 3

Section 4

Institutional Honors

  • UCI is one of 62 universities in the U.S. and Canada elected to membership in the prestigious Association of American Universities.
  • Times Higher Education ranked UCI No. 2 nationally and No. 9 internationally in its Golden Age University Rankings, a list that recognizes colleges founded in the aftermath of World War II (between 1945-1966) during a period of rapid academic growth and investment in research. THE also named UCI among the top 100 in its 2018 World University Rankings. 
  • UCI is ranked ninth among the nation's best public universities and 39th among all national public and private universities, according to the annual U.S. News & World Report "America's Best Colleges" ranking of undergraduate programs at leading universities.
  • The New York Times named UCI No. 1 among U.S. universities "doing the most for the American dream" in its 2017 and 2015 College Access Index lists. A measure of economic diversity, the index is based on several factors: the share of students receiving Pell Grants (which typically go to families making less than $70,000 a year); the graduation rate of those students; the net cost, after financial aid, that a college charges low- and middle-income students; and endowment per student.
  • Money magazine ranked UCI the 5th best public university in the nation in 2017.
  • UCI ranks among the top 10 U.S. universities – public and private – in the number of undergraduate applications. In fall 2016, the campus admitted one of the most academically competitive freshman classes in its history.
  • UCI ranked 30th in AffordableSchools.net's top 50 Most Entrepreneurial Schools in America, a list of universities that provide a supportive environment to spawn new businesses.
  • Forbes named UCI 22nd in its list of America's Top Public Colleges list, lauding universities for high alumni salaries, graduation rates and student satisfaction. 
  • The Center for World University Rankings places UCI 53nd in the U.S. and 88th in the world in its 2016 ranking of the top 100 degree-granting institutions of higher education.
  • The Academic Ranking of World Universities 2017, administered by Shanghai Jiao Tong University's Center for World-Class Universities, ranks UCI 34th in the U.S. and 64th in the world.
  • UCI has been identified as having one of the top graduate schools in the U.S. GradSchoolHub.com ranked UCI 19th on its 2016 “Best Graduate Schools in America” list based on class size, faculty prestige and specific program rankings.
  • Washington Monthly named UCI 20th in its annual College Guide and Rankings of National Universities. Rankings are based on the university's ability to promote social mobility, research and public service.
  • The New York Times named UCI the No. 4 university in propelling low-income students into the middle and upper-middle classes post-graduation, based on data from the Equality of Opportunity Project. 
  • An analysis by Times Higher Education, released in April 2015, ranked UCI No. 1 in the U.S. and seventh in the world among the 100 best universities less than 50 years old. The "100 Under 50" list aims to show institutions poised to become future world leaders.
  • UCI is ranked among "America's Best Employers" by Forbes. The publication named UCI No. 79 out of 500 places of work, and No. 1 among public Association of American University institutions. The distinction was based off of a survey of nearly 30,000 employees with at least 1,000 people. 

Program Rankings

  • U.S. News & World Report ranks The Henry Samueli School of Engineering 44th among engineering schools whose highest degree is a doctorate.
  • UCI's undergraduate major in The Paul Merage School of Business was ranked 32nd by U.S. News & World Report.
  • Following are the most current U.S. News & World Report rankings for UCI graduate programs named among the nation's top 50: literary criticism & theory (1), criminology (5), organic chemistry (12), English (17), chemistry (24), education (25), sociology (23), biomedical engineering (26), civil engineering (26), aerospace engineering (28), law (28), computer science (29), physics (29),  environmental engineering (31), biological sciences (34), Earth system science (34), history (34), business – part-time (36),psychology (36), engineering (37), computer engineering (38), materials science engineering (39), mathematics (41), electrical engineering (41), mechanical engineering (43), business (44), political science (45), economics (47), and medicine (48).
  • The American Chemical Society's Committee on Professional Training ranked UCI seventh among U.S. universities with the highest numbers of chemistry degrees conferred at all three levels (bachelor's, master's and doctorate).
  • The 2014-15 Philosophical Gourmet Report ranked the graduate program in philosophy 24th in the U.S., with five specialty areas ranked in the top 10: philosophy of physics (2); philosophy of mathematics (4); general philosophy of science (6); decision, rational choice and game theory (7); and philosophy of social science (8).
  • U.S. News also ranked UCI's online program for a Master of Advanced Study in criminology, law & society the No. 3 online graduate criminal justice program in the country.
  • The 2007 Faculty Scholarly Productivity Index ranked five UCI research fields in the top five among large research universities. Computer & information science ranked first; information science/studies fourth; and geology/Earth science, mathematics, and urban & regional planning fifth. Produced by Academic Analytics, the index rates journal articles and books published by each program's faculty, as well as journal citations, awards, honors and grants.

Sustainability & Environment

  • Sierra magazine has named UCI a top 10 "Coolest School" for eight consecutive years for its innovative sustainable practices. The magazine is the official publication of the Sierra Club, one of the nation's largest and most influential environmental organizations.
  • Money magazine named UCI the No. 1 university for beach lovers.
  • UCI also is a member of The Princeton Review's Green College Honor Roll. The campus was recognized for its environmentally responsible policies, healthy and sustainable quality of life for students, and green educational opportunities.

Diversity

  • The U.S. Department of Education named UCI a Hispanic-serving institution for 2017-18, meaning that fully one-quarter of undergraduates identify as Latino and that half of all students receive financial aid. UCI also is designated as an Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-serving institution. 
  • Diverse Issues in Higher Education ranks UCI seventh in the nation for awarding bachelor's degrees to minority students in 2016. Rankings are based on data submitted by institutions of higher education to the U.S. Department of Education.
  • The Paul Merage School of Business is ranked No. 1 for employing the highest percentage of female faculty by Financial Times.

Value

  • Forbes named UCI the No. 8 Best Value College in 2017 based on the campus's tuition costs, school quality, graduation success rates and post-grad earnings.
  • Money magazine ranked UCI 7th among the nation’s four-year colleges and universities delivering the most value in 2017.
  • U.S. News & World Report ranks UCI 31st in best value.
  • Money magazine ranked UCI among the the "25 Best Public Colleges for Big Paychecks," citing colleges with the best 20-year return-on-investment based on income. 
  • Kiplinger Personal Finance ranked UCI 23rd among the "Best Values in Public Colleges," published December 2016, listing the top public universities in the country for affordability and quality of education.
  • UCI graduates rank 31st nationally in salary earnings among U.S. public universities, according to PayScale's 2016-17 College Salary Report.
  • SmartAsset named UCI No. 9 in California in its 2016 Best Value Colleges study for high performance in scholarships, tuition, living costs, retention rate and average starting salaries of graduates.
  • Educate to Career listed UCI as the No. 1 best value top college in its 2017 ETC College Rankings Index. UCI was given the top accolade for its ability to improve labor market outcomes for students.

Section 5

Campus Data

Enrollment (Fall 2016)

Undergraduates  27,331
Graduate (general campus)  4,817
Graduate (Health Sciences) 1,319
Total
33,467

Workforce (Fall 2016)

Ladder-rank faculty 1,232
Other teaching faculty 1,751
Nonteaching academics 2,746
Campus staff  5,461
Medical center staff  4,973
Subtotal 16,163
Student employees 7,442
Total 23,605

Degrees Awarded (2015-16)

Bachelor's      6,857
Master's 1,518
Ph.D./Ed.D. 393
M.D.   108
J.D. 113
Total   8,989

Retention and Graduation Rates

One-Year Retention Rate  93%
Four-Year Graduation Rate  70%
Six-Year Graduation Rate 88%

Applications (Fall 2016)

New Freshmen Applicants 77,810
New Freshmen Enrolled 6,552

Student Fees (2017-18)

California residents (undergraduates)  $15,516
Nonresidents (includes tuition, fees)  $43,530
Percent of students who receive financial aid 75%

Section 7

Faculty Awards & Honors

Notable Alumni