UC Berkeley Center for Long-Term Cybersecurity
- Acceptance Rate
- 65.0%
- SAT Range
- 1050–1250
- ACT Range
- N/A
- Avg GPA
- 3.25
- Size
- N/A
- Type
- N/A
- Student:Faculty
- N/A
- Setting
- N/A
- Graduation Rate
- N/A
- Retention Rate
- N/A
- Tuition (In-State)
- N/A
- Tuition (Int'l)
- N/A
Student Life & Environment
Graduate students affiliated with CLTC experience Berkeley's distinctive academic culture, characterized by intellectual intensity, political engagement, and diverse perspectives. The university's history of activism shapes campus discourse, with security issues sometimes intersecting with broader debates about privacy, surveillance, and civil liberties. Students find themselves challenged to consider the social implications of technical work alongside purely technical considerations. The School of Information, where CLTC is administratively housed, enrolls approximately 200 master's students and 40 doctoral students annually across various specializations. The community is smaller and more cohesive than Berkeley's massive undergraduate population, with regular social events, informal gatherings, and collaborative projects building relationships among students. CLTC specifically hosts events bringing together students interested in security from across the campus. Housing in Berkeley and the surrounding East Bay presents familiar Bay Area challenges, with high rents and competitive rental markets. Graduate students typically share apartments or commute from more affordable areas accessible by BART transit. UC Berkeley's graduate housing waitlist is lengthy, so early planning is essential for those seeking university-managed options. The Bay Area location provides unparalleled access to the technology industry for internships, networking, and eventual employment. San Francisco's concentration of security companies, venture capital firms, and technology giants creates opportunities unavailable in most academic settings. However, the area's high cost of living requires careful financial management on graduate student stipends.
Location & Surroundings
UC Berkeley occupies a hillside campus overlooking San Francisco Bay, with stunning views of the Golden Gate Bridge and San Francisco skyline on clear days. The city of Berkeley combines college town character with urban density, offering diverse restaurants, cultural venues, and political activism alongside typical university amenities. Telegraph Avenue's bookstores and cafes have served generations of students. San Francisco lies 30 minutes away by BART rapid transit, providing easy access to the city's technology ecosystem, cultural institutions, and nightlife. The broader Bay Area, including Silicon Valley to the south and Oakland to the west, forms an interconnected metropolitan region accessible by public transit and car. Students without vehicles can manage using BART, buses, and bikeshare systems, though having a car expands options for housing and recreation. The Mediterranean climate features mild, wet winters and dry summers with cool coastal breezes. Extreme temperatures are rare, and the region sees abundant sunshine outside the winter rainy season. The natural setting offers remarkable outdoor recreation, from hiking in the East Bay hills to beaches along the coast to skiing in the nearby Sierra Nevada mountains. The Bay Area's cost of living ranks among the nation's highest, driven by housing costs that reflect intense demand from the technology industry. Graduate students must budget carefully, with many paying $1,500 to $2,000 monthly for a room in a shared apartment. Food, transportation, and entertainment costs also exceed national averages, though student discounts and affordable options exist throughout the area.
Costs & Career Outcomes
Funding for graduate students varies significantly by program and department. Doctoral students typically receive full funding including tuition waivers, stipends (approximately $40,000 to $45,000 annually), and health insurance for the duration of their studies. Master's students in professional programs generally self-fund, though limited scholarships and assistantships are available. CLTC research positions provide additional funding opportunities for students working on Center projects. The Bay Area's high cost of living consumes a substantial portion of graduate stipends, with housing alone often exceeding $20,000 annually. Students must budget carefully and may need to seek housing far from campus to manage costs. However, the region's concentration of technology employers creates lucrative internship and part-time opportunities that can supplement academic funding. Career outcomes for students engaged in cybersecurity research at Berkeley reflect the field's strong job market and the university's industry connections. Major employers include technology companies like Google, Meta, and Apple, cybersecurity firms such as Palo Alto Networks and CrowdStrike, consulting firms, and government agencies. Starting salaries for security professionals in the Bay Area typically range from $120,000 to $180,000, significantly exceeding national averages. CLTC's policy focus positions graduates for careers beyond purely technical roles, including positions in government agencies, think tanks, and international organizations addressing cyber policy. The Center's network of fellows and alumni provides connections across sectors, and events frequently bring potential employers to campus. The combination of technical training and policy exposure creates versatile professionals valued across the cybersecurity ecosystem.
Campus Location
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