University of California, Riverside: Top Diverse Research University Driving Innovation & Social Mobility

The University of California, Riverside (UCR) is a prominent public research university within the UC system, known for its academic excellence, innovative research, and commitment to diversity and social mobility.

Spanning nearly 1,200 acres in Riverside, California, its campus includes advanced facilities like agricultural research fields, botanical gardens, and the expanding Commons student center. With over 26,000 students representing a highly diverse population, UCR boasts strong retention rates and inclusive educational opportunities.

The university offers 81 undergraduate majors and robust graduate programs, supported by over 1,100 faculty, including Nobel laureates. Its research spans areas from nanomedicine to AI and environmental science, with notable innovations like the Luna UCR avocado and groundbreaking work in neuroscience.

UCR ranks among the top global universities and leads nationally in social mobility, financial aid, and diversity, consistently earning recognition for its educational impact and forward-looking mission.

University of California, Riverside: A Hub of Diversity, Research, and Social Mobility

The University of California, Riverside (UCR) stands as a dynamic public land-grant research university, a vital part of the esteemed University of California system. With a strong commitment to academic excellence, groundbreaking research, and fostering a diverse and inclusive environment, UCR continues to make significant strides in higher education and societal impact.

Campus and Facilities

Nestled in Riverside, California, UCR’s expansive campus spans nearly 1,200 acres. This includes approximately 1,112 acres of the main campus, which is notably bisected by the Interstate 215/State Route 60 freeway. Nearly half of the total area is dedicated to agricultural teaching and research fields, particularly west of the freeway.

Key features of the campus include:

East Campus: Comprising about 600.8 acres, this area houses the core academic buildings and services, alongside student housing and recreational facilities near the Box Spring Mountains.

West Campus: Of its 511 acres, approximately 295 acres are citrus groves and row crops, utilized by the College of Natural and Agricultural Sciences. This side also includes University Extension, the USDA Germplasm Repository, and International Village student housing.

Landmarks: The prominent Carillon Bell Tower dominates the center of the main campus. The campus also features wide grassy pedestrian malls.

Modernization: The Commons student center is undergoing a significant expansion, more than doubling its size from 65,000 to 142,000 square feet, with the first phase already completed.

Specialized Areas: The campus is home to the Botanic Gardens, a 40-acre natural space in the Box Springs foothills, showcasing diverse plant life. UCR also boasts the Givaudan Citrus Collection, established in 1910, with approximately 4,500 trees and over 1,000 varieties of citrus.

Innovation Park: UCR has begun construction on the “SoCal OASIS™ Park,” an innovation park set to bring together research, entrepreneurship, and education, with completion expected by Spring 2027.

Student Body and Demographics (2023 Data)

UCR is renowned for its diverse student body, attracting students from across California, the nation, and over 79 countries.

• Total Enrollment: 26,426 students (96.3% full-time).
  • Undergraduates: Approximately 22,056
  • Graduate Students: Approximately 3,410
• Gender Distribution: 51.6% female, 48.4% male (for awarded degrees). The full-time undergraduate population is 54% women and 46% men.
• Racial/Ethnic Diversity: UCR is a Minority-Serving Institution with a strong commitment to diversity. The enrolled student population in 2023 was:
  • Hispanic or Latino: 36.8% (9,726 students)
  • Asian: 32.7% (8,650 students)
  • White: 12% (3,162 students)
  • Two or More Races: 4.39%
  • Black or African American: 3.41%
  • Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders: 0.159%
  • American Indian or Alaska Native: 0.117%
  • Non-Resident Alien (International): 1.35%
• Retention Rate: The retention rate for full-time undergraduates was 88%, higher than the 84% at similar Doctoral Universities.
• Geographic Diversity: While 0.74% of students come from out of state and 1.47% from out of the country, UCR attracts the most California applicants of any UC campus.

Admissions (2023 Data)

Applicants: 62,807 undergraduate applications.

Accepted Students: 39,758, resulting in an acceptance rate of 63.3%. This was a decrease from 68.7% in 2022.

Enrollment Yield: 13.9% (the percentage of admitted students who enrolled).

UCR set a new record for fall 2023 with 40,054 freshmen admits.

Academic Programs and Faculty

UCR offers a comprehensive range of academic programs across its colleges and schools.

• Colleges and Schools: UCR is organized into three academic colleges, two professional schools, and two graduate schools, including:
  • College of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences
  • College of Natural and Agricultural Sciences
  • Marlan and Rosemary Bourns College of Engineering
  • Graduate School of Education
  • UCR School of Business
  • School of Medicine
  • School of Public Policy
• Programs:
  • 81 undergraduate majors and 52 minors
  • 48 master’s degree programs
  • 42 doctoral programs
• Unique Offerings: UCR is the only UC campus to offer undergraduate programs in public policy and creative writing, and one of three UC campuses to offer an undergraduate business administration program. Its doctoral program in dance theory (founded in 1992) was the first of its kind in the US, and its minor in lesbian, gay and bisexual studies (established in 1996) was the first in the UC system.
• Faculty: UCR boasts over 1,100 faculty members, including two Nobel Prize winners and 15 members of the National Academies of Science and Medicine. The student-to-faculty ratio is 19:1 (some sources indicate 24:1). 87% of faculty are full-time.

Research and Innovation

UCR is a research powerhouse with 51 research centers and labs, offering diverse opportunities for students and faculty. Recent notable research and initiatives (2023-2025) include:

Biomaterials and Nanomedicine Lab: Research into novel biomaterials for tissue regeneration, controlled drug delivery, and medical implant applications, with a focus on stimulating stem cells for nerve, bone, or cartilage regeneration.

Aging Processes: Investigating aging at the tissue-scale to understand how microenvironment changes impact organ function, aiming for novel therapeutics to ameliorate age-related degeneration.

Environmental Microorganisms and Contaminants: Research on the interaction between microbes and emerging contaminants like organofluorines, and how exposure to certain contaminants impacts microbial features.

Geospatial Data Exploration and Visualization: Building real data science applications to process geospatial data, including crime, traffic, agricultural, and social media analysis in California.

Topological Materials: Solving Landau-Lifshitz equations to understand electricity and magnetism in topological materials, enabling electrical manipulation of magnetic materials.

Robotics and AI: Research in Human-Robot Interaction, Multi-Robot Systems, Autonomous Driving, Large Language Models, Vision Language Models, Machine Learning, Computer Vision, Reinforcement Learning, and Trustworthy AI/ML.

5G Architecture: Developing new 5G base station architectures optimized for energy-efficient, cost-effective, and scalable Internet of Things (IoT) devices, including Open Radio Access Network (O-RAN) and distributed component placement.

Biomolecules and Nanomaterials: Using biomolecules to synthesize new multi-component nanoscale materials and devices for solar power generation, photocatalysis, and biosensing.

Habitat Suitability Models: Analyzing long-term landbird monitoring data to produce habitat suitability models for priority landbird species of the Channel Islands, addressing climate change impacts (2024-2025).

Stream Condition Monitoring: Analyzing stream condition data in Channel Islands National Park and Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area to assess water quality and riparian integrity (2024-2025).

Parasite Identification in Lake Mead: Locating Heterobilharzia americana, a trematode parasite, in Lake Mead National Recreation Area, which poses health risks for dogs and can cause “swimmer’s itch” in humans (2024-2025).

Luna UCR Avocado: This new avocado variety, a result of decades of UCR agricultural science, was named one of TIME’s “2023 Best Inventions.”

Javits Neuroscience Investigator Award: Professor Vijayalakshmi Santhakumar received a five-year, $3.5 million National Institutes of Health grant for her work in molecular, cell, and systems biology, a first for UCR.

Institute for Research on Innovation and Science (IRIS): UCR became the first minority-serving institution to join IRIS, a consortium focusing on the public value of higher education.

Rankings and Recognition (2023-2026)

UCR consistently earns recognition for its academic quality, research output, and commitment to social mobility.

• Overall Rankings:
  • Center for World University Rankings (2025): Top 1.3% of universities worldwide (ranked No. 268 out of 21,462 globally, No. 82 nationally). This marks the seventh consecutive year in the top 1.3% or better.
  • QS World University Rankings (2026): #440 globally (a change from #497 in 2025, #404 in 2024 and #453 in 2023).
  • Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings (2025): 251-300 bracket globally (consistent from 2023 and 2024).
  • U.S. News & World Report – National Universities (2024): #76 (up from #89 in 2023).
  • U.S. News & World Report – Best Global Universities (2024): #223 (down from #186 in 2023).
  • Princeton Review: Named one of the “Best Colleges for 2024” and among the “Best Value” and “Best West” colleges.
• Social Mobility and Value:
  • #1 in the U.S. for social mobility (U.S. News & World Report).
  • #1 for retention of Pell Grant first-year students (The Chronicle of Higher Education).
  • #2 in the country for financial aid (Business Insider).
  • #9 on the list of Top 20 Best Public Schools for Financial Aid (Princeton Review).
• Diversity and Impact:
  • #6 public university for making a public impact (Princeton Review).
  • #3 in Hispanic STEM graduates in the nation (National Science Foundation).
  • #7 most diverse medical graduate school nationally (U.S. News & World Report).
  • #8 in Asian STEM graduates in the nation (U.S. News & World Report).
• Research Excellence:
  • Top 4% in plant and animal science (U.S. News Best Global Universities Subject Rankings).
  • #22 most innovative schools (U.S. News & World Report).
  • Invited to join the Association of American Universities (AAU), a highly selective association of leading research universities.
• Subject Rankings (selected):
  • QS World University Rankings by Subject:
    • Biological Sciences: 251-300 (2023, 2024), 301 (2025)
    • Engineering and Technology: 401-450 (2023, 2024), 401 (2025)
    • Global MBA: 201-250 (2023, 2024), 201 (2025)
    • Physics and Astronomy: 301-350 (2023, 2024), 301 (2025)
  • U.S. News & World Report by Subject:
    • MS Computer Engineering: #50 (2023)
    • MS Chemical Engineering: #48 (2023)
    • MS Electrical Engineering: #63 (2023)
    • MS Mechanical Engineering: #75 (2023)
    • UG Business: #86 (2023)
  • Times Higher Education by Subject:
    • MS Computer Science: 126-150 (2023, 2024), 126 (2025)
    • Life Sciences: 101-125 (2023, 2024), 176 (2025)
    • Engineering: 126-150 (2023, 2024), 151 (2025)

The University of California, Riverside continues its trajectory as a leading institution, driving innovation, fostering a vibrant academic community, and preparing a diverse generation of leaders for the future.

FAQs about University of California, Riverside

What is the University of California, Riverside (UCR) known for?
UCR is known for its academic excellence, diverse student body, cutting-edge research, and strong commitment to social mobility and inclusion.

Where is UCR located?
UCR is located in Riverside, California, part of Southern California’s Inland Empire.

Is UCR part of the University of California system?
Yes, UCR is one of the 10 campuses in the prestigious University of California system.

How large is the UCR campus?
The UCR campus spans approximately 1,200 acres, with about 1,112 acres for the main campus and 295 acres for agricultural research.

What is the total student enrollment at UCR?
As of 2023, UCR has a total enrollment of 26,426 students, including 22,056 undergraduates and 3,410 graduate students.

What is the acceptance rate at UCR?
UCR had an acceptance rate of 63.3% for the 2023 admissions cycle.

What is UCR’s student retention rate?
The retention rate for full-time undergraduates is 88%, which is higher than the national average for similar institutions.

How diverse is the student population at UCR?
UCR is a Minority-Serving Institution with 36.8% Hispanic/Latino, 32.7% Asian, 12% White, and 3.4% Black students, among others.

What is the gender breakdown of UCR’s students?
Among full-time undergraduates, approximately 54% are women and 46% are men.

Does UCR offer financial aid?
Yes, UCR is ranked #2 nationally for financial aid and is known for strong support for Pell Grant recipients.

What academic programs are available at UCR?
UCR offers 81 undergraduate majors, 52 minors, 48 master’s programs, and 42 doctoral programs.

Which colleges and schools make up UCR?
UCR includes the College of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences; College of Natural and Agricultural Sciences; Bourns College of Engineering; School of Business; Graduate School of Education; School of Medicine; and School of Public Policy.

What is the student-to-faculty ratio at UCR?
The student-to-faculty ratio is approximately 19:1.

How many faculty members does UCR have?
UCR has over 1,100 faculty members, including Nobel laureates and members of national academies.

What are UCR’s notable research areas?
Research highlights include nanomedicine, robotics and AI, environmental microbiology, geospatial data analysis, aging processes, and agricultural innovations.

What are some signature research achievements from UCR?
Notable achievements include the development of the Luna UCR avocado, research on 5G architectures, and grants like the NIH’s Javits Neuroscience Award.

Does UCR have any special campus facilities?
Yes, UCR has the Botanic Gardens, Givaudan Citrus Collection, Innovation Park (SoCal OASIS™), and state-of-the-art labs and centers.

What makes UCR unique among UC campuses?
UCR is the only UC campus to offer undergraduate programs in public policy and creative writing, and the first to have a dance theory Ph.D. and LGBTQ+ studies minor.

What rankings has UCR received recently?
UCR ranks in the top 1.3% of global universities (CWUR), #76 in national universities (U.S. News), and #1 in the U.S. for social mobility.

Is UCR a good choice for first-generation or underrepresented students?
Yes, UCR is nationally recognized for supporting first-generation and underrepresented students, ranking #1 in Pell Grant retention and top 10 for financial aid.

Does UCR conduct environmental or sustainability research?
Yes, UCR leads in research on climate impacts, stream condition monitoring, habitat modeling, and sustainable agriculture.

What is the SoCal OASIS™ Park at UCR?
It is a new innovation park under construction that will promote collaboration in research, education, and entrepreneurship, expected to open by Spring 2027.

Does UCR support international students?
Yes, UCR welcomes students from over 79 countries and provides housing, advising, and integration programs.

What is the enrollment yield for UCR?
As of Fall 2023, UCR’s enrollment yield—the percentage of admitted students who enrolled—was 13.9%.

How does UCR support undergraduate research?
UCR offers numerous undergraduate research opportunities across its 51 research centers and labs, encouraging hands-on learning in diverse fields.

What is UCR’s reputation in science and engineering?
UCR is ranked in the top 4% globally in plant and animal sciences and has strong programs in engineering, computer science, and biological sciences.

Are there housing options on campus at UCR?
Yes, UCR provides a variety of on-campus housing options, including traditional dorms, apartment-style living, and International Village.

What is the Carillon Bell Tower at UCR?
It is a major campus landmark located at the center of the university and a symbol of UCR’s community and tradition.

How has UCR contributed to public service and policy?
Through its School of Public Policy and various research initiatives, UCR actively addresses regional and global challenges in public health, education, and governance.

Has UCR been recognized for its social impact?
Yes, Princeton Review ranks UCR among the top public universities for public impact, and it’s a national leader in Hispanic and Asian STEM graduate output.