University of California-San Diego
La Jolla, California
- Public
- City
- 34,948 undergrads
- Admit rate
- 27%Source: College Scorecard
- Average net price
- $14,794per year, after grantsSource: College Scorecard
- Graduation rate
- 86%within 6 yearsSource: College Scorecard
- Median earnings
- $96,19710 years after startingSource: College Scorecard
What's special
Every undergraduate belongs to one of eight colleges, each with its own theme and general education requirements, so your required courses depend on your college as well as your major. Any major is open in any college.
Source: UC San Diego, the college system
Getting in
- Admit rate
- 27%About 3 in 10 applicants get in.Source: College Scorecard
- Test policy
- Test-blindScores are not considered, even if you send them.Source: College Scorecard
- SAT (middle 50%)
- Not reportedSource: College Scorecard
- ACT (middle 50%)
- Not reportedSource: College Scorecard
From University of California-San Diego's own report
These numbers come from the school's Common Data Set for 2025–26, a standard report colleges publish about their applicants and first-year students. Open the report.
85% had a 3.75 or higher. The average was 3.88. Schools count GPA differently (weighted or not), so compare ranges loosely.
- Admit rate in this report
- 29%39,054 admitted of 136,750 first-year applicants
- Top 10% of their class
- 100%100% were in the top quarter.
What the admissions office says it weighs
Very important
- How challenging your classes were
- GPA
- Essay
Important
- Activities
- A talent or ability
- Character and personal qualities
- Living in the state
- Volunteer work
Considered
- Class rank
- Being first in your family to go to college
- Where you live
- Work experience
Not considered
- Test scores
- Recommendations
- Interview
- Family who went there (legacy)
- Religious affiliation
- Showing interest in the school
Where you'd stand
Enter your numbers to see where they'd fall among University of California-San Diego's first-year students. This isn't a prediction: it shows how you compare with students who enrolled, using the sources linked below.
Leave out anything you don't have. Your numbers stay in this browser and fill in on other school pages. See my list
Sources: University of California-San Diego Common Data Set 2025–26. Test ranges describe enrolled students who sent scores.
What it really costs
Most families pay less than the sticker price. Net price is what's left after grants and scholarships.
- Average net price
- $14,794full-time first-years who got grant aidSource: College Scorecard
- Total cost of attendance
- $41,664sticker price incl. housing, per yearSource: College Scorecard
- Tuition, in-state
- $17,337Source: College Scorecard
- Tuition, out-of-state
- $54,939Source: College Scorecard
After you enroll
- Graduation rate
- 86%first-time, full-time students finishing within 6 yearsSource: College Scorecard
- Came back for year two
- 94%full-time first-year studentsSource: College Scorecard
- Median earnings
- $96,19710 years after starting, for students who got federal aidSource: College Scorecard
- Median debt at graduation
- $13,000federal loans, students who finishedSource: College Scorecard
Students
- Undergraduates
- 34,948Source: College Scorecard
- Receive Pell grants
- 38%a sign of economic diversitySource: College Scorecard
- First-generation students
- 40%parents didn't go beyond high schoolSource: College Scorecard
Similar schools
Similar, and easier to get into
- University of California-Davis Davis, CA — admits 42%
- California State University-Long Beach Long Beach, CA — admits 46%
- California State University-Fullerton Fullerton, CA — admits 91%
- University of California-Riverside Riverside, CA — admits 76%
Also worth a look
- University of California-Irvine Irvine, CA — admits 29%
- San Diego State University San Diego, CA — admits 36%
- University of California-Berkeley Berkeley, CA — admits 11%
- University of California-Davis Davis, CA — admits 42%
- University of California-Los Angeles Los Angeles, CA — admits 9%
- University of California-Santa Barbara Santa Barbara, CA — admits 33%
Where these numbers come from
Every number on this page comes from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard page for University of California-San Diego, which draws on what the school reports to the federal government and on federal student aid and tax records. We last pulled the data on November 4, 2026. Different measures cover different years; here's how each one works.
Spot something wrong? Report a data error.