Which University of California campuses send most grads to law, MBA or PhD programmes? Here’s what data shows
The University of California has released comprehensive data on graduate degree outcomes for its alumni who completed bachelor’s degrees between 2001 and 2018. This dataset, compiled by matching UC undergraduate records with those from the National Student Clearinghouse, offers detailed insights into which UC campuses send the most graduates to advanced study in law, business, medicine, and doctoral programmes. The data reveals notable differences between campuses in the types of graduate degrees pursued.Overall, 36% of University of California undergraduates obtain a graduate degree, significantly higher than the 14% average for US adults aged 25 to 45, according to US Census data. However, the proportion of alumni pursuing specific graduate degrees varies across UC campuses, with some excelling in medical, business, law, or doctoral fields.Graduate degree outcomes differ significantly by campusUCLA leads the UC system with the highest overall share of alumni obtaining graduate degrees at 42%. UC Berkeley follows closely at 39%, and UC San Diego at 38%. Meanwhile, campuses such as UC Santa Cruz and UC Merced have lower proportions, at around 30%.When it comes to medical degrees, UCLA also tops the list with 8% of its alumni pursuing postgraduate medical qualifications. UC San Diego and UC Irvine each have 7%, while UC Santa Cruz trails at 2%. These figures indicate stronger medical school enrolment from campuses with larger or more established pre-med programmes.Business graduate degrees show a different pattern. UC Riverside sends the highest share of alumni to MBA programmes, with 5%, followed by UC Irvine, Berkeley, San Diego, and UCLA, all around 4%. The remaining campuses generally fall between 2% and 3%. This suggests UC Riverside has particular strength in feeding students into business graduate schools.Doctorate degrees are most common among Berkeley alumni, with 6% completing PhDs. UC San Diego and UCLA both have 4%, and the other campuses range between 2% and 3%. This reflects UC Berkeley’s reputation as a research-intensive institution with strong doctoral programmes.Law degrees show a more even distribution. UCLA and Berkeley each have 5% of alumni going into law school, followed by UC Santa Barbara and UC San Diego at 3%. The other campuses range from 1% to 3%, indicating fairly consistent law school progression across the system.Master’s degrees represent the largest group of graduate outcomesAside from professional and doctoral degrees, the largest share of graduate degrees obtained are master’s in other disciplines. UC Riverside leads with 22%, followed by UC San Diego, UCLA, UC Santa Cruz, and UC Irvine, all around 21%. Berkeley, UC Davis, and UC Santa Barbara report slightly lower percentages, at 19% to 20%. This category likely includes a broad range of disciplines, reflecting diverse postgraduate interests.The SF Chronicle reported that the University of California’s data highlights the strengths of individual campuses in different graduate pathways. A spokesperson was quoted saying, “These outcomes help us understand where our alumni continue their education and how our campuses prepare students for advanced degrees” (as quoted by the SF Chronicle).Summary of graduate degree shares by UC campus
Source: University of CaliforniaThis data demonstrates the diversity of graduate paths UC alumni take, with UCLA leading in overall graduate school attendance, Berkeley excelling in doctoral degrees, and Riverside in business studies. Medical degrees are most common among UCLA graduates, while law school progression is fairly balanced between UCLA and Berkeley.As reported by the SF Chronicle, the University of California’s graduate outcomes data offers an important resource for prospective students considering different campuses and career paths.
