UC Davis vs UC Irvine – If you have to narrow down your choices between these two first-class institutions under the University of California system, you have come to the right place! With both schools renowned for their top-notch academic programs, research opportunities, housing facilities, and extracurricular activities, how does one choose?
A quick first look:
UC Davis and UC Irvine are both highly regarded public universities in California, but they offer distinct experiences based on their academic strengths, campus culture, and location. UC Davis is known for its strong programs in agriculture, environmental sciences, and veterinary medicine, reflecting its roots as a land-grant institution. It has a large, sprawling campus in a more rural, college-town setting, which provides a peaceful, community-oriented environment. Davis is also home to highly-ranked engineering and biology programs. The student culture tends to be more laid-back, with a strong emphasis on sustainability and outdoor activities, such as biking, which is a hallmark of campus life.
UC Irvine, on the other hand, is located in Southern California near the beach, offering a more urban experience. It has a reputation for being more tech-focused, with strong programs in computer science, engineering, and business. UCI is also known for its robust medical and health sciences departments. The campus has a diverse student body and an academically competitive atmosphere, but it balances this with an active social scene and proximity to major tech hubs like Los Angeles and Orange County. UCI’s location offers students access to more internships and job opportunities in industries like tech, healthcare, and business.
Both schools are academically strong, but your choice would depend on whether you prefer UC Davis’ quieter, more rural setting with strengths in agriculture and sustainability, or UC Irvine’s more urban, tech-oriented environment with proximity to job opportunities in Southern California.
Overview of UC Davis and UC Irvine
The northernmost campus of the UC system, Davis has an extensive campus spanning over 5,000 acres near Sacramento. World renowned for its programs in agriculture, medicine, veterinary sciences, and engineering, UCD is considered a Public Ivy, ranking 3rd among UC schools, after UC Berkeley and UCLA. Its expansive, rural campus supports extensive research opportunities across a wide range of disciplines.
UC Irvine is relatively smaller in terms of campus size, and is located closer to the picturesque coastline of Southern California. Known for its collaborative academic environment and commitment to research, especially in the fields of medicine, STEM, and social sciences, this institution provides an ideal set up for students to explore academics and extracurricular activities.
Brief History and Background
University of California – Davis
Also referred to as UCD, UC Davis, or just Davis, the University of California, Davis, is a public, land grant research university in Davis, California. It is a member of the University of California system that also includes UC Berkeley, UCLA, UC San Diego, UC Santa Cruz and five other institutions spread throughout the state. UC Davis is the northernmost of all the UC campuses.
Even though the school originally opened in 1908, it was primarily set up as the agricultural and science based instruction extension of UC Berkeley. Over the years, it grew to include the Division of Agricultural Engineering, Division of Chemistry, School of Veterinary Medicine, and a graduate school. By 1951, the College of Letters and Science was established, and, in less than a decade, in 1959, it became a general campus under the University of California System.
Still renowned for its programs in agriculture and veterinary medicine, Davis is also known for its medical research centre, engineering school, biological sciences, and geology program. UCD ranks 28th in the country (US News and World Report 2024) and 130 in the world (QS World University Ranking 2025).
University of California – Irvine
UCI or the University of California, Irvine is also another public, land-grant research university under the University of California system. Along with UC San Diego and UC Santa Cruz, UCI was one of the three UC Campuses set up in the 1960s to keep up with the post war population increase.
Interestingly, unlike the other UC schools, when established in 1965, UC Irvine was not named after the city it was located in. The city of Irivine was incorporated about six years after the establishment of the school. The name Irvine comes from James Irvine, a landowner who sold a significant portion of Irvine Ranch to the University of California for just a dollar!
In about 6 decades, the school has grown immensely, constituting multiple academic departments, offering over 200 undergraduate and graduate level programs with pioneering staff, faculty and students. The university also administers the UC Irvine Medical Centre, located in Orange, California. Deemed a Public Ivy, UC Irvine ranks 33rd in the country according to US News and World Report (2024), 92nd in the world according to Times Higher Education (2024), and 307th globally according to QS World University Rankings, 2025.
Key Statistics and Rankings
Here is a snapshot view of UC Irvine and UC Davis.
UC Davis | UC Irvine | |
Ownership | Public | Public |
Campus | Davis, CA | Irvine, CA |
Nickname | Aggies | Anteaters |
Mascot | Gunrock, the Mustang | Peter, the Anteater |
U.S. News National Rank 2024 | 28 | 33 |
QS World University Rank 2025 | 130 | 307 |
Undergraduate Student Body | 31,797 | 29,503 |
Graduate Student Body | ~ 6,800 | ~ 7,800 |
% of International Enrollment | ~ 15% | ~ 18% |
Average Acceptance Rate | ~ 40% | ~ 25% |
Student to Faculty Ratio | 21:1 | 18:1 |
Number of Undergraduate Programs | 107 majors | 86 |
Number of Graduate Programs | 101 | 85 masters and 57 doctorates |
Research Expenditure | $1 billion + | About $650 million |
Number of Athletic Teams | 25 NCAA Division I teams | 18 NCAA Division I teams |
Number of Clubs and Student Organisations | 800+ | 600+ |
Colours | Aggie Blue and Gold | UCI Blue and Gold |
UC Davis vs UC Irvine: Academic Comparison
Overall and Subject Ranking
University of California – Davis | University of California – Irvine |
Overall Rank US News 2024: 28 | Overall Rank US News 2024: 33 |
Times Higher Education WUR: 59 | Times Higher Education WUR: 92 |
QS WUR 2025: 130 | QS WUR 2025: 307 |
Subject and Other Ranking (Source: QS Global Subject Rankings 2024/ US News) | |
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While rankings denote the general standing of a school, as a prospective student, it is important to tread carefully when it comes to these metrics. What is more important than reputation is their curriculum, the kind of student experiences they offer, their emphasis on practical learning and experiences, and the general campus vibe. The best way to choose UC Irvine vs UC Davis is better is to actually visit the campuses during Open Days, interact with members of the faculty, students, and alumni, and develop an informed first hand opinion.
Constituent Schools
The schools and colleges that constitute UC Davis are –
- College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences
- College of Biological Sciences
- College of Engineering
- College of Letters and Science
- School of Graduate Studies
- Betty Irene Moore School of Nursing
- Graduate School of Management
- School of Education
- School of Law
- School of Medicine
- School of Veterinary Medicine
The various programs at UCI are offered by –
- Division of Undergraduate Education
- Graduate Division
- Claire Trevor School of the Arts
- Charlie Dunlop School of Biological Sciences
- The Paul Merage School of Business
- School of Education
- The Henry Samueli School of Engineering
- School of Humanities
- Donald Bren School of Information and Computer Sciences
- Interdisciplinary Studies
- School of Law
- School of Medicine
- Sue and Bill Gross School of Nursing
- School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences
- School of Physical Sciences
- Joe C. Wen School of Population and Public Health
- School of Social Ecology
- School of Social Sciences
Research Opportunities
Both schools promote a culture of research from the undergraduate level, and provide cutting-edge facilities and resources for the faculty and graduate students to push the boundaries of their disciplines. UCD is an R1 research university with a research budget of around $1 billion. The university has very high research activity, conducted through its numerous research centres and institutes. UC Davis allocates resources for the study of a wide range of topics including cancer and marine, nuclear, food, and environmental sciences. Just in 2019-20 alone, UC Davis has achieved over 140 records of inventions!
Similarly, UC Irvine is also considered one of the nation’s top research universities that enables collective, convergent, and interdisciplinary research through its numerous Organized research Units (ORUs) and Specialized Research Programs (SRPs). With a research expenditure of about $650 million, the university has made a name for itself, especially in the fields of cancer and neuroscience research through the UC Irvine Medical Research Centre. Irvine scholars are also making a mark in the fields of tissue engineering, environmental health and wildfires, diabetes, Alzheimer’s, linguistics, and environmental and social justice.
Like academic programs, when it comes to research opportunities, it is important to narrow down individual preferences and areas of interest, and research up on which department or professor offers the greatest scope for their students.
Key Dates for Application
In this section, we will be looking at the key dates for application and admission into undergraduate programs (Fall semester) to get a sense of the timeline. Graduate schools have a different timeline. It is also recommended that you verify with the specific department / school that you are applying to, just to ensure they do not follow a different cycle.
Important Dates | UC Davis | UC Irvine |
Early Action (EA) Deadline | N.A. | N.A. |
Early Decision (ED) Deadline | N.A. | N.A. |
Regular Decision (RD) Deadline | November 30 | December 2 |
Financial Aid Application Deadline | March 2 | March 2 |
Decision Posted in | End of March | March 31 |
Deadline to accept offer of admission | May 15 | May 15 |
Average Acceptance Rate | About 40% | About 25% |
Important points to keep in mind when applying to UC Davis or UC Irvine
- None of the UC schools have Early Action or Early Decision admission pathways. All applicants only go through the regular channels.
- Application to UCD or UCI must go through the UC Apply portal. They do not accept Common App or Coalition Application. The advantage is that you can apply for multiple UC Campuses with just one application.
- Each of the campuses will receive your application and evaluate them separately and simultaneously. An offer letter from one campus does not imply or guarantee an admission into another UC campus.
- The UC application fee for local California students is $80 while it is $95 for non-state and international students. At the graduate level, it is $135 for California applicants and $155 for others.
Academic Calendar
Both schools follow a quarter system, where the academic year is divided into 4 quarters, with each term extending about 2 – 3 months with breaks in between. One of the biggest advantages of a quarter system is that it gives students more flexibility to choose courses and interact with more faculty members. However, the courses can get intensive, since the material is covered in a shorter duration.
UC Davis vs UC Irvine: Campus Life and Environment
Besides academics, another aspect to look into when it comes to UCI vs UCD is campus life and environment. Despite both being schools under the UC system, they offer varied campus experiences to their students, due to their sizes, student population, and campus locations. So, let us look at some of the other factors that can make a prospective student choose UC Irvine or UC Davis.
Location
UC Davis is just a few miles from the capital city of Sacramento while the closest major city near UC Irvine is Newport Beach, which is just about 4 miles away. Located in Orange County, UC Irvine is about 45 miles from Los Angeles.
Davis is a quintessential college town, renowned for being green, sustainable, friendly and laid back. The Davis downtown is very student-friendly, with college goers biking or walking across the town. With the beaches of Newport, Laguna, and Huntington being easily accessible from the UCI campus, its location is known for stunning views and immense opportunities for socialization. Disneyland is located just about 17 miles (20 minute drive) from the UCI campus.
While the main UCD campus is located in Davis, the university also has specialised centres in other places. The UC Davis Medical Centre is in Sacramento, an Environmental Research Centre on the shores of Lake Tahoe, a marine lab on the buffs of Bodega Head, a veterinary medical centre in San Diego, and centres in Sacramento and San Francisco that offer part-time MBA programs.
The key question when deciding between UC Irvine vs UCD is whether you are looking for the more laidback SoCal vibes or the more natural and tech-heavy ethos of Northern California. Even in terms of weather, Irvine has pleasant weather all year round, but summers in Davis can become quite harsh.
Campus Size and Facilities
The UCI campus spans about 1,475 acres, nestled in the rolling coastal foothills of Orange County, just about 5 miles from the Pacific Ocean. Compared to Davis’ quieter, quainter college town vibe, UCI is renowned both for its idyllic location at the edge of Aldrich Park and its proximity to the ocean.
The main UC Davis campus is immense in size, expanding about 5,300 acres with over 1,100 buildings. To traverse the large campus, students primarily use bikes, e-scooters, and the university bus services. UC Davis is one of the biggest bike schools in the country. The large campus is bustling with student life, with about 39,000 graduate and undergraduate students who call it their home.
Besides state of the art classrooms, research centres, labs, and libraries, the campus provides numerous facilities for its students. The Activities and Recreation Centre (ARC) houses numerous fitness centres, a strength room, exercise studios, a rock wall, multiple courts for various sports, locker rooms, study areas, coffee shop, and a market.
While the Davis plains make it an extremely bike friendly campus, Irvine is better suited for walking despite its size, or cars, due to its rising and falling slopes. The Irvine campus is also denser, with closely packed buildings when compared to Davis, especially because of large numbers of campus housing facilities. The campus is known for its cutting edge, and relatively newer facilities, multiple libraries, a laser institute, an arts and media centre, indoor activities and recreation centre, a swimming pool, and extensive fields and courts for various sports.
Student Activities and Organisations
Both schools have an extensive culture of athletics and extracurricular activities to help students explore other interests. UCD has 25 varsity teams that compete in NCAA Division I, while UCI has 18. Both schools also participate in the Big West Conference. In addition, the universities have club sports and other athletic facilities for recreation and fitness. When it comes to student clubs and organizations, UCD has over 800 while UCSB has over 600. UCI’s student activities also include beach and outdoor sports, bonfire parties, international potlucks and various other festivals.
Housing and Accommodation
Unlike many universities that make on-campus housing mandatory for freshmen students, UC Davis and UC Irvine do not require students of any year to live on campus. That said, at Davis, about 90% of first year students choose to live in one of their residence halls or university apartments. Considering the four years of undergraduate study, about 35% of students live on Davis campus, while the number is around 50% at Irvine.
In-campus housing in both schools are typically in the form of dorms or residence halls, undergraduate, and graduate apartments. They also include various recreation centres, student markets, residential academic centres, dining halls, and shared interest communities.
UCD is also working to proportionally increase student accommodation along with its enrollment. Considering that Davis is a college town, there are numerous options for off campus stay as well. The Anteater Housing Network (AHN) provides off-campus housing, sublets, and roommate listings for UCI students.
UC Irvine vs UC Davis: Financial Aspects
When deciding between the two public universities in the state of California – UCD vs UCI, another important consideration after academics is the finance involved. The cost of tuition, additional expenses, housing, and the nature of scholarships offered are significant considerations to be factored in, before making a choice.
The following table can help you compare these two prestigious institutions in the matters of fees and scholarships.
Annual Rates | University of California- Davis | University of California-Irvine |
Tuition (Bachelor’s, based on the year 2023 – 24) | CA Resident – $14,436 Non Resident – $48,436 |
CA Resident – $13,146 Non Resident – $47,346 |
Tuition (Master’s, not including professional programs) | CA Resident – $15,141 Non Resident – $30,243 |
CA Resident – $12,762 Non Resident – $27,864 |
MBA Tuition | CA Resident – $49,502 Non Resident – $61,747 |
CA Resident – $42,996 Non Resident – $55,211 |
Housing (On-Campus) and Meal plan | $20,000 – $22,000 | $16,300 – $22,179 |
Off-Campus Housing | $10,000 – $15,000 (rent) | $19,310 (housing and food) |
Types of Financial Aid | 1. Grants 2. Scholarships 3. Loans 4. Tuition Assistance 5. Work Study 6. Learning Aligned Employment Program |
1. Scholarships 2. Grants 3. Loans 4. Federal Work Study |
International student scholarships |
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Estimated average grant for an aid student | Around $20,000 | Around $22,000 |
Demonstrated Need Cover | Scholarships and awards for family incomes up to $217,000 | Offers Blue and Gold Opportunity Plan for California residents whose total family income is less than $80,000 a year |
Here are a few important points to be kept in mind.
- As public universities, UC schools offer subsidised tuition to in-state students. Even without the subsidy, public universities are generally more affordable for out-of-state or international students when compared to privately owned schools.
- The tuition fees are average figures, calculated for a typical academic year of 9 months. The fee will be higher should you choose to take extra courses in the summer months.
- The tuition fee amounts in the table are indicative of only the cost of attendance. It does not include books, student health insurance and other expenses. Student insurance alone can cost between $3,000 – $8,000 a year.
- UC schools’ aid plans are designed for American citizens or permanent residents and are primarily need based. International students typically look for external sources of funding. However, UCI allows international students to apply for the few merit scholarship options including Regent’s Scholarships and the Chancellor’s Excellence Scholarships.
- International students cannot apply for federal or state sponsored aid.
UC Davis vs UC Irvine: Career Prospects and Alumni Network
Let us compare the post graduation outcomes and opportunities in this section.
Employment Ratio
The freshman graduation rate of UCD is about 86%, meaning 86% of students who enter UC Davis graduate with a degree within a 6-year period. While the employability rate varies with each department, the Davis Graduate School of Management has a success rate of over 90%. If you look at the UCI, the average graduate employability rate ranges between 86 and 92%, depending on the area of study. The median annual earnings of a UC Irvine graduate 2 years after a bachelor’s degree is $49,296 and $72,908 after 5 years. By the same metrics, the median annual earnings of a UC Davis graduate is $51,815 after 2 years, and $77,855 after 5 years.
Notable Alumni
Both universities have vibrant alumni associations that extend worldwide. UCD’s alumni network, called the Aggie Network, supports over 312,700 alums while the Irvine Anteater network has over 170,000 living alums across the globe.
Notable Alumni from UCD
- Charles Rice, Virologist and Nobel Prize Laureate
- Hasan Minhaj, Comedian and TV host
- London Breed, Politician
- Ryan Roslansky, CEO of LinkedIn
- Tracy Dyson, Chemist and Astronaut
Notable Alums of UC Irvine
Nobel Laureates among UC Irvine Faculty –
- Frederick Reines, Physics, 1995
- Irwin A. Rose, Chemistry, 2004
- F. Sherwood Rowland, Chemistry, 1995
Other Notable Alums –
- Joe Adams, CEO, Discovery Science Foundation
- Roy Fielding, HTTP co-author
- Patrick Hanratty, CAD/CAM inventor
- David Benioff, Co-creator of Game of Thrones
- Michael Chabon, Pulitzer Prize-winning author
Career Services
Both universities have exclusive centres that help their students and alumni meet their career goals. They aid their students to gain practical experience, build networks and communicate their aptitudes and skill sets to prospective employers. They also play an instrumental role in building leadership skills and specialised skills that are essential to a workplace.
These services typically connect students to internship opportunities and prospective employers through seminars, job fairs, and numerous other on-campus events. They also provide access to Handshake, where students can directly connect with prospective employers. UC Davis also has options to join professional associations or try out job shadowing that allows students to build networks with members of the industry.
Conclusion
At the end of the day, choosing between two UC schools involves considering various factors such as academic strengths, campus life, financial implications, and career prospects. Both universities offer unparalleled opportunities, but your decision should align with your personal and professional goals.
They are bound to have some similarities, considering they both function under the UC system, but here is a summary of the key distinctions.
- Just within the USA, UC Davis ranks marginally higher at 28th place, while UCI ranks 33rd.
- Despite the rank, UC Irvine has a lower acceptance rate (around 25%) when compared to UC Davis (around 40%).
- UCD is a larger school when looking at campus size, however UCI and Davis are relatively evenly matched when it comes to population and student diversity.
- However, when looking at the number of faculty, Irvine has the lower student to faculty ratio (18:1) in contrast to Davis’ 21:1.
- They are also evenly matched when it comes to the number of options for undergraduate or graduate study. However, UC Davis is a world leader when it comes to veterinary sciences, agriculture, and forestry related courses. The Irvine Medical Center is one of the most reputed institutes of UCI.
- Davis has a larger budget for research when compared to UCI.
- Davis has an impeccable reputation for biomedical sciences, agriculture and forestry programs and engineering, among others. Irvine is more renowned for its programs in medicine, business, sociology, and computer sciences.
- During the 4-year-period of undergraduate study, more students choose to live on campus at UC Irvine when compared to UC Davis.
- Davis is a quaint college town in NorCal that is relatively quiet, but also provides easy access to Sacramento. Irvine, located in Orange County, Southern California is located near the coast and therefore enjoys pleasant weather all year round.
While these can be factored into your decision, the ultimate call rests on whether the course curriculum and the learning outcomes meet your career plans. The most significant part of your research is to compare courses, syllabi, electives, faculty and research facilities of your preferred degree program, speak to current students, and then decide depending on which school better suits your needs.
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FAQs
Which school is better, UC Irvine or UC Davis?
If you are comparing overall ranking, UC Davis stands a few places ahead of Irvine. In terms of location and weather, Irvine is generally more sought after when compared to Davis. Irvine also has a lower acceptance rate when compared to UC Davis.
Is UC Davis the best UC?
It is generally accepted that UC Berkeley is at the top of the UC list, unless you are looking for programs in veterinary medicine or agriculture. UCLA takes the second spot with UC Davis in third place.
What are the cons of UC Irvine?
Each university comes with its own set of advantages and disadvantages. That said, the UC Irvine campus is not very bike friendly. Registration especially for the more popular courses can also be extremely competitive.
How prestigious is UC Irvine?
UCI finds a spot among the top ten American public universities according to the 2024 list published by US News and World Report. It is also deemed a “Public Ivy”.
Which one is better – UC Davis or UCLA?
UCLA consistently ranks higher than UCD across almost all disciplines except agriculture and veterinary sciences.
Is UC Davis a top ten school?
UCD ranks 6th among the top 10 public universities in the US, according to US News. When comparing both public and private universities, USD ranks 28th.
Is UC Irvine a pretty campus?
The university is known for its beautiful campus that sprawls over 1,400 acres.
What are the top 3 majors at UC Irvine?
The top majors, based on student preferences are biology, computer science, and economics.
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