What are the hardest majors at UC Berkeley?

The hardest majors at UC Berkeley are generally considered to be in Engineering (especially EECS), Computer Science, Pure Mathematics, Physics, and Chemistry, known for intense STEM rigor, competitive declaration, and demanding problem sets; also highly competitive are certain Letters & Sciences majors like Political Economy, Public Health, and Operations Research, requiring high GPAs and prerequisites for admission.

What is the hardest major to get into at UC Berkeley?

The hardest majors to get into at UC Berkeley are consistently Computer Science (CS) and other STEM fields like Engineering, often with single-digit acceptance rates, alongside highly impacted majors like Business (Haas), Public Health, and Political Economy, requiring exceptional academic performance and strategic application, especially for first-year applicants. 

What are the top 3 hardest majors?

While difficulty is subjective, Medicine, Engineering (especially Chemical/Aerospace), and Physics/Chemistry consistently rank as the top hardest majors due to intense coursework, demanding problem-solving, heavy memorization, and complex analytical skills, often leading to very low average GPAs and extensive study hours. Other contenders often cited include Architecture, Neuroscience, and Computer Science. 

What is the most competitive major at Berkeley?

We highlight the computer science and business majors in this graph because as you can see, across the table both major's admissions rates are lower than the campus' overall admission rate. They are a couple of the most competitive majors that first-year applicants apply to.

What are the top 3 majors at UC Berkeley?

The top 3 most popular majors at UC Berkeley consistently include Computer Science (often combined with Electrical Engineering - EECS), followed by strong showings in Economics and Molecular/Cellular Biology, with significant interest also in areas like Political Science, Engineering disciplines, and Psychology, reflecting high demand for tech, business, and life sciences. 

What They DON'T Tell You About UC Berkeley | What I Wish I Knew

What is the easiest major to get into at UC Berkeley?

The "easiest" UC Berkeley major often points to those in the large College of Letters & Science (L&S), especially those not listed as "High-Demand" like Math or Interdisciplinary Studies (for transfers), as most L&S admits are not major-specific initially, allowing easier declaration later, with Linguistics or Ancient Greek & Roman Studies sometimes showing higher transfer admit rates. For first-years, applying to L&S broadly and aiming for non-impacted majors, or even considering majors like Art Practice, Political Economy, or Social Welfare (which are lower-demand for L&S), provides better odds than highly competitive fields like Engineering or Computer Science.
 

What are high-demand majors at UC Berkeley?

High-Demand Majors at Berkeley:

• Art Practice.
• Operations Research & Management Science (Analytics)
• Political Economy.
• Public Health.
• Social Welfare.

Is Berkeley the hardest UC to get into?

UC Berkeley is among the most competitive UCs, often vying with UCLA for the top spot, with overall acceptance rates hovering around 10-15% (or even lower for specific majors), but it's generally considered just slightly less selective overall than UCLA, making it a toss-up for the hardest to get into, especially for popular majors like Engineering, Computer Science, and Business. 

Who is UC Berkeley's biggest rival?

UC Berkeley's biggest rival is Stanford University, a historic and intense rivalry spanning academics, research, and athletics, famously highlighted by their annual "Big Game" football match and constant competition for top public university rankings. While UCLA also presents a strong academic and regional rivalry, the Stanford rivalry is considered the most significant and enduring for Berkeley.
 

What is the #1 easiest major?

There's no single #1 easiest major, as it depends on your strengths, but Psychology, Education, English, and Criminal Justice frequently rank as the easiest due to higher average GPAs and less demanding technical skills compared to STEM fields, often focusing on human behavior, societal structures, and communication. Majors like Sociology, Social Work, and Communications are also commonly cited as easier liberal arts options. 

Which degree leads to burnout?

Architecture. Architecture is known as one of the degrees that leads to the highest mental burnout due to its intense studio culture, long working hours, and demanding design expectations. Students often spend nights completing models, drawings, and critiques, which can lead to stress and exhaustion.

What is the no. 1 toughest degree in the world?

Medical is usually regarded as the hardest major because of the vast scope of its curriculum, lengthy time frame, and significant stakes in life-or-death decisions. It requires a rigorous education in the classroom, as well as practical training as well as emotional resilience.

Which is harder, UCLA or UC Berkeley?

UC Berkeley is generally perceived as having tougher academics, especially in STEM, with a more cutthroat, theory-focused environment, while UCLA offers a strong academic challenge but balances it with a better social scene, though both are highly selective and academically rigorous, with specific majors (like EECS at Berkeley or CS at UCLA) defining the true difficulty level. 

What degree is UC Berkeley known for?

The most popular majors are electrical engineering and computer sciences, political science, molecular and cell biology, environmental science, and economics.

What is a 72% at Berkeley?

At UC Berkeley, a 72% falls into the C- range (70-72%), earning 1.7 grade points on a 4.0 scale and is considered a "Fair" grade, just above the barely passing D range, but it can vary slightly by department, with some scales placing it lower. 

Is UCLA as prestigious as Berkeley?

Both UCLA and UC Berkeley are incredibly prestigious, world-class universities, but their perceived prestige shifts depending on the ranking system or focus (e.g., research vs. undergrad experience). Berkeley often edges out UCLA in research-heavy global rankings and certain STEM fields, while UCLA frequently leads in national rankings for overall undergraduate experience and student outcomes, leading to a constant friendly rivalry for the top public university spot. 

Which UC is known as the party school?

UC Santa Barbara was ranked the No. 1 party school in the U.S. for 2026, holding onto its top spot from last year, per Niche's new report.

Is Berkeley or NYU harder to get into?

UC Berkeley is generally considered harder to get into than NYU, primarily due to its lower overall acceptance rate (around 10-12% vs. NYU's slightly higher but still very competitive rate), especially for popular programs like Engineering and Haas Business School, and for out-of-state/international applicants, though both are elite universities requiring top stats. Admission difficulty at both also heavily depends on your specific major and program, with some NYU schools (like Tisch) and Berkeley programs (like MET) being exceptionally tough. 

What is the hardest major to get into at Berkeley?

The hardest majors to get into at UC Berkeley are consistently Computer Science (CS) and other STEM fields like Engineering, often with single-digit acceptance rates, alongside highly impacted majors like Business (Haas), Public Health, and Political Economy, requiring exceptional academic performance and strategic application, especially for first-year applicants. 

What are the top 5 majors?

The top 5 most popular college majors consistently include Business, Health Professions (like Nursing), Psychology, Computer Science, and Engineering, often alongside fields like Education, Biological Sciences, and the Social Sciences, reflecting a blend of high-demand career paths, personal interest, and foundational knowledge areas. 

Why is UC Berkeley so prestigious?

UC Berkeley is prestigious due to its world-class academics, leading research, numerous Nobel laureates and influential alumni, strong reputation across diverse fields (science, tech, arts, humanities), and its unique blend of rigorous learning with a history of activism and innovation, all within a vibrant Bay Area setting near Silicon Valley.
 

What famous people went to UC Berkeley?

Here are just a few examples.

• Amber Jackson (conservationist and co-founder of Blue Latitudes, B.A. '11) ...
• Alex Morgan (athlete, B.A. '10) ...
• Rube Goldberg (engineer, cartoonist, sculptor, author, and inventor, B.S. ...
• Steve Wozniak (engineer, co-founder of Apple, B.S. ...
• Leroy Chiao, (astronaut, B.S.