UCLA vs. UC Berkeley: Which California institution is the best in the country?
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Who’s really the No. 1 public university in the country?
UCLA and UC Berkeley have staked their claims on social media after U.S. News and World Report’s global rankings placed Berkeley as the top U.S. public university.
Technically, it ranked No. 6, behind five private campuses, including Harvard, MIT and Stanford. But being the top public university on the global list was enough for Berkeley.
It wasn’t long before an influx of celebratory boasts spread on social media saluting the oldest UC campus.
UCLA said not so fast.
“Still #1” went up on UCLA’s TikTok account, citing another U.S. News national ranking of public universities that came out nine months ago, putting the Bruins in the top spot among public campuses in the nation.
Fans and alumni of both schools have been sparring ever since, including proud Berkeley alum and Essential California writer Jim Rainey, who was too biased to write about this himself.
Is there really a No. 1?
It depends on which list you’re referring to.
As my colleague Jaweed Kaleem wrote, the U.S. News and World Report rankings differ in methodology and scope. The global list — which looks at 2,250 institutions both private and public — focused on academic research, including citations and regional reputation.
On that list, UCLA ranked as the third-best public university in the country, behind the University of Washington in Seattle.
Yet on the national list of public colleges and universities, UCLA takes first place, with Berkeley trailing behind it at No. 2.
The national list homed in on the undergraduate experience at 1,500 campuses, weighing graduation rates, first-year retention, how well students from lower-income families perform, and the results of “peer assessment surveys” sent to college presidents, provosts and deans of admissions.
Although the rankings are popular as many campuses around the country covet the lists, they are controversial.
Over the years, several prominent professional schools have pulled out of providing data to the U.S. News law school rankings.
In 2022, UCLA’s and UC Irvine’s law school deans said they’d boycott the rankings because of the group’s methodology, which they said disincentivized schools from supporting public service careers for their grads.
Berkeley still beats UCLA
In the competing world of list-makers, Berkeley beats Westwood overall.
- On the Wall Street Journal list, Berkeley is No. 8 while UCLA is No. 68. The Journal weighs heavily the estimates of how much attending a certain school will affect a graduate’s salary.
- Forbes puts the Bears at No. 5 and the Bruins at No. 13. Forbes’ list stresses whether a school’s alumni appear on a “Forbes American Leaders” list.
- Times Higher Education ranks Berkeley at No. 8, 10 notches above Westwood.
- On the QS tally, Cal is No. 17 while UCLA is No. 46. The Times Higher Education and QS rankings, which have an international angle, look closely at academic research.
Sorry, UCLA. I promise Jim had nothing to do with this.
Both campuses are great places to study. The schools share a lot more in common than not.
After all, a bruin is a bear.
Today’s top stories
A worker who fell from a greenhouse roof during an ICE raid has died
- The death of Jaime Alanís Garcia, 57, comes amid weeks of militaristic raids, street protests and violent melees involving federal agents.
- Alanís’ family said he was fleeing immigration agents at the Glass House Farms cannabis operation in Camarillo on Thursday when he climbed atop a greenhouse and fell 30 feet.
- The Department of Homeland Security said that Alanís was not among those being pursued and that federal agents called in a medevac for him.
- The messy aftermath of an immigration sweep last month in Pacoima, in which a woman had a heart attack, further encapsulates the chaotic methods employed to detain people over the last month.
Why are A-list Hollywood stars trying to lure film productions to Texas?
- Texas Gov. Greg Abbott allowed the passage of an unprecedented bill boosting tax incentives for film production in the state to $300 million every two years — guaranteeing funding for 10 years.
- The new bill puts Texas in a position to become a major player among the growing list of global and regional filming hubs in an industry that has become increasingly disconnected from its historic Hollywood hometown.
Everything you need to know about the 2025 Emmy nominations
- Nominations for TV’s biggest awards show will be announced Tuesday.
- This year’s field of small-screen offerings includes such returning favorites as HBO’s “The White Lotus” and Apple TV+’s “The Studio” among breakout hits.
- Awards columnist Glenn Whipp predicts the 2025 Emmy nominees in 15 major categories.
What else is going on
- California, the epicenter of the nation’s housing crisis, is finally getting a housing agency.
- A California reparations bill focusing on lineage rather than race could skirt the federal affirmative action ban.
- “Superman” rescued DC Studios at the box office with a $122-million launch.
- A man was killed by pit bulls, who then blocked paramedics from getting to him, authorities said.
- The vice president’s rumored vacation visit to a Disney resort sparked an impromptu protest.
- Trash pileups spread as Southern California workers stand with sanitation workers on the East Coast who are on strike.
Commentary and opinions
- Do you believe that deported farmworkers will be replaced by Medicaid recipients? Columnist Robin Abcarian argues it’s a fantasy to believe that Americans will do the jobs currently filled by migrant farmworkers.
- The NFL has committed players to the L.A. Olympics. Columnist Bill Shaikin asks: So why hasn’t MLB?
- Alligator Alcatraz, the concentration camp in Florida, is a national disgrace, argues guest columnist Raul A. Reyes.
This morning’s must reads
Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputies beat Joseph Perez so badly that he needed more than 30 stitches and staples to his face and head. But despite a subpoena and an ongoing legal battle, obtaining a complete account of what happened has proved impossible — at least so far.
Other must reads
- Is walking 10,000 steps a legit fitness goal or a marketing myth? Research now shows health gains can start with far fewer steps — as few as 2,500 per day.
- Cyborg jellyfish could help uncover the depths and mysteries of the Pacific Ocean.
- How to make a huge life change when it feels too daunting to make the first move.
For your downtime
Going out
- Luxury lodging: Less than $350 for a night of luxury? Here’s where to save big in Palm Springs — if you can handle the heat.
- Dining: With restaurants across Los Angeles struggling, restaurant gift certificates are a great way to support your favorite places and offer an experiential present.
Staying in
- Books: Will there ever be another editor as powerful as Anna Wintour? A new book, “Empire of the Elite,” chronicles a fading empire.
- Recipes: Here’s a recipe for Japanese barbecue salmon salad.
- Get our free daily crossword puzzle, sudoku, word search and arcade games.
A question for you: What’s your favorite California beach?
Sergio Carabarin writes: “Pfeiffer Beach in Big Sur.”
Wayne Bernhardson writes: “Sculptured Beach, Point Reyes National Seashore.”
Email us at essentialcalifornia@latimes.com, and your response might appear in the newsletter this week.
And finally ... your photo of the day
Today’s great photo is from Times photographer Myung J. Chun at AGWC Rockin’ Rescue animal adoption center in Woodland Hills, which has taken in pets left behind after ICE raids.
Have a great day, from the Essential California team
Jim Rainey, staff writer
Diamy Wang, homepage intern
Izzy Nunes, audience intern
Kevinisha Walker, multiplatform editor
Andrew Campa, Sunday writer
Karim Doumar, head of newsletters
How can we make this newsletter more useful? Send comments to essentialcalifornia@latimes.com. Check our top stories, topics and the latest articles on latimes.com.
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