University of California-San Diego
Public four-year university in La Jolla, CA that costs an average of $14,794 a year after financial aid, admits 27% of applicants and graduates 86% of full-time students.
Net price / year
$14,794
Acceptance rate
27%
Graduation rate
86%
Earnings after 10 yrs
$96,197
PublicLarge city34,948 undergraduates
Cost of University of California-San Diego
| Total cost of attendance (per year) | $41,664 |
|---|---|
| Tuition and fees, in-state | $17,337 |
| Tuition and fees, out-of-state | $54,939 |
| Housing and food (on campus) | $19,632 |
| Books and supplies | $1,363 |
| Average net price after aid | $14,794 |
Net price by family income
| Family income | Average net price / year |
|---|---|
| $0–30,000 | $9,229 |
| $30,001–48,000 | $9,965 |
| $48,001–75,000 | $12,147 |
| $75,001–110,000 | $17,235 |
| $110,001+ | $32,338 |
Net price is what students actually pay after grants and scholarships (in-state students). Get your own estimate with University of California-San Diego's net price calculator ↗.
Admissions
| Acceptance rate | 27% |
|---|---|
| Test scores | Neither required nor recommended |
Graduation, earnings and debt
| Graduation rate | 86% |
|---|---|
| First-year retention | 94% |
| Median earnings 6 years after enrolling | $67,904 |
| Median earnings 10 years after enrolling | $96,197 |
| Rank in California (earnings) | 19th of 129 similar colleges |
| Median debt of graduates | $13,000 |
| Typical monthly loan payment | $148 (10-year plan) |
| Students with Pell grants | 38% |
| Students with federal loans | 24% |
Majors and programs at University of California-San Diego
Earnings one year after graduation and median debt, by program. Click a program for details and comparisons.
Bachelor's degree programs (72)
| Program | Graduates (2 yrs) | Earnings after 1 yr | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Computer Science | 933 | $109,047 | $14,000 |
| Computer Engineering | 381 | $104,513 | $13,000 |
| Biomathematics, Bioinformatics, and Computational Biology | 177 | $90,963 | $18,145 |
| Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering | 366 | $88,098 | $15,648 |
| Mathematics and Computer Science | 657 | $86,456 | $14,500 |
| Computer and Information Sciences | 446 | $82,223 | $14,667 |
| Mechanical Engineering | 327 | $77,655 | $14,000 |
| Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering | 175 | $76,064 | $15,000 |
| Chemical Engineering | 190 | $70,446 | $16,090 |
| Civil Engineering | 189 | $69,754 | $17,500 |
| Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods | 717 | $69,142 | $11,001 |
| Engineering, Other | 72 | $64,415 | $16,786 |
| Physics | 129 | $61,325 | $11,407 |
| Biomedical/Medical Engineering | 218 | $59,527 | $16,500 |
| Economics | 619 | $56,525 | $13,599 |
| Chemistry | 384 | $55,576 | $13,511 |
| Real Estate Development | 117 | $55,549 | $13,760 |
| Mathematics | 445 | $54,763 | $15,500 |
| Psychology, Other | 265 | $53,416 | $12,463 |
| International/Globalization Studies | 924 | $52,280 | $13,000 |
| Urban Studies/Affairs | 87 | $49,555 | $8,351 |
| Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology | 320 | $47,239 | $15,500 |
| Cognitive Science | 1,465 | $46,650 | $13,799 |
| Applied Mathematics | 268 | $43,458 | $13,540 |
| Cell/Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences | 1,581 | $42,575 | $12,000 |
| Public Health | 683 | $42,151 | $12,673 |
| Sociology | 303 | $41,217 | $12,000 |
| Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies | 65 | $40,942 | $17,103 |
| Microbiological Sciences and Immunology | 118 | $40,840 | $11,855 |
| Research and Experimental Psychology | 216 | $40,342 | $14,500 |
| Political Science and Government | 736 | $40,228 | $12,000 |
| Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology | 273 | $39,836 | $15,000 |
| Communication and Media Studies | 488 | $38,629 | $11,556 |
| Natural Resources Conservation and Research | 156 | $38,323 | $13,992 |
| Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology | 432 | $37,755 | $12,000 |
| English Language and Literature | 66 | $37,026 | $13,954 |
| Neurobiology and Neurosciences | 364 | $35,938 | $12,617 |
| Psychology | 730 | $34,384 | $11,512 |
| Biology | 669 | $34,326 | $13,852 |
| Visual and Performing Arts | 126 | $32,584 | $12,000 |
| Anthropology | 154 | $32,509 | $13,000 |
| History | 151 | $31,497 | $14,440 |
| Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services | 108 | $31,391 | $11,779 |
| Education | 108 | $31,163 | $11,700 |
| Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft | 131 | $30,971 | $14,644 |
| Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services | 13 | $29,640 | — |
| Philosophy | 64 | $27,655 | $10,960 |
| English Language and Literature/Letters, Other | 104 | $27,048 | $12,500 |
| Music | 37 | $25,949 | $17,000 |
| Fine and Studio Arts | 122 | $23,658 | $14,741 |
| Area Studies | 44 | $22,043 | — |
| Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorology | 35 | — | — |
| Biological/Biosystems Engineering | 44 | — | — |
| Classics and Classical Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | 6 | — | — |
| Dance | 21 | — | — |
| Design and Applied Arts | 54 | — | — |
| Engineering Physics | 5 | — | — |
| Engineering Science | — | — | — |
| Environmental/Environmental Health Engineering | 8 | — | — |
| Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences | 37 | — | — |
| International Relations and National Security Studies | 11 | — | — |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities | 9 | — | — |
| Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other | 135 | — | — |
| Physical Sciences, Other | 23 | — | — |
| Religion/Religious Studies | 6 | — | — |
| Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | 7 | — | — |
| Slavic, Baltic and Albanian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | — | — | — |
| Social Sciences, Other | 92 | — | — |
| Statistics | 111 | — | — |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas | 15 | — | — |
| Visual and Performing Arts, Other | — | — | $15,505 |
| Zoology/Animal Biology | 1 | — | — |
Master's degree programs (61)
| Program | Graduates (2 yrs) | Earnings after 1 yr | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Computer Science | 892 | $160,898 | $42,970 |
| Computer Engineering | 168 | $157,175 | — |
| Engineering, Other | 70 | $154,120 | — |
| Computer and Information Sciences | 46 | $126,427 | — |
| Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering | 429 | $125,176 | $33,236 |
| Mechanical Engineering | 206 | $112,592 | — |
| Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration | 71 | $109,724 | — |
| Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods | 611 | $97,051 | $62,155 |
| Biomedical/Medical Engineering | 317 | $91,168 | $34,167 |
| Chemical Engineering | 44 | $88,165 | — |
| Civil Engineering | 125 | $86,550 | $31,167 |
| Public Policy Analysis | 129 | $74,578 | $49,847 |
| Chemistry | 115 | $69,663 | — |
| Education | 118 | $64,454 | $22,790 |
| International Relations and National Security Studies | 216 | $62,483 | $51,183 |
| Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences | 103 | $62,077 | $44,759 |
| Public Health | 118 | $59,542 | $42,217 |
| Biology | 199 | $54,603 | $20,500 |
| Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology | 108 | $49,215 | $49,310 |
| Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft | 37 | $40,283 | — |
| Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering | 37 | — | — |
| Anthropology | 12 | — | — |
| Applied Mathematics | 320 | — | — |
| Area Studies | 13 | — | — |
| Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology | 20 | — | — |
| Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Other | 8 | — | — |
| Biomathematics, Bioinformatics, and Computational Biology | 22 | — | — |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | — | — | — |
| Cognitive Science | 10 | — | — |
| Communication and Media Studies | 6 | — | — |
| Computational Science | 25 | — | — |
| Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management | 50 | — | — |
| Data Science | 74 | — | — |
| Economics | 31 | — | — |
| Engineering Physics | 13 | — | — |
| Engineering Science | 10 | — | — |
| English Language and Literature | — | — | — |
| English Language and Literature/Letters, Other | 31 | — | — |
| Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies | 18 | — | — |
| Finance and Financial Management Services | — | — | — |
| Fine and Studio Arts | — | — | — |
| Health and Medical Administrative Services | 16 | — | — |
| History | 11 | — | — |
| Legal Research and Advanced Professional Studies | — | — | — |
| Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services | 2 | — | — |
| Materials Engineering | 76 | — | — |
| Materials Sciences | — | — | — |
| Mathematics | 29 | — | — |
| Medical Clinical Sciences/Graduate Medical Studies | 46 | — | — |
| Music | 9 | — | — |
| Neurobiology and Neurosciences | 18 | — | — |
| Philosophy | 3 | — | — |
| Physics | 29 | — | — |
| Physiology, Pathology and Related Sciences | — | — | — |
| Political Science and Government | 18 | — | — |
| Psychology | — | — | — |
| Research and Experimental Psychology | 18 | — | — |
| Sociology | 13 | — | — |
| Statistics | 27 | — | — |
| Systems Engineering | 41 | — | — |
| Visual and Performing Arts | 16 | — | — |
Doctoral degree programs (59)
| Program | Graduates (2 yrs) | Earnings after 1 yr | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education | 47 | $123,657 | $46,625 |
| Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration | — | $101,766 | $131,789 |
| Chemistry | 81 | $88,202 | — |
| Biology | 111 | $83,461 | — |
| Medicine | — | $77,325 | $117,905 |
| Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering | 9 | — | — |
| Anthropology | 4 | — | — |
| Applied Mathematics | 4 | — | — |
| Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology | 12 | — | — |
| Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Other | 1 | — | — |
| Biomathematics, Bioinformatics, and Computational Biology | 43 | — | — |
| Biomedical/Medical Engineering | 91 | — | — |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | — | — | — |
| Chemical Engineering | 10 | — | — |
| Civil Engineering | 19 | — | — |
| Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology | — | — | — |
| Cognitive Science | 26 | — | — |
| Communication and Media Studies | 7 | — | — |
| Communication Disorders Sciences and Services | 18 | — | — |
| Computer Engineering | 9 | — | — |
| Computer Science | 84 | — | — |
| Data Science | 1 | — | — |
| Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft | 2 | — | — |
| Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology | 25 | — | — |
| Economics | 42 | — | — |
| Education, Other | 3 | — | — |
| Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering | 50 | — | — |
| Engineering Physics | 5 | — | — |
| Engineering Science | 16 | — | — |
| Engineering, Other | 30 | — | — |
| English Language and Literature/Letters, Other | 14 | — | — |
| Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies | 12 | — | — |
| Fine and Studio Arts | 5 | — | — |
| Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences | 59 | — | — |
| History | 18 | — | — |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities | — | — | — |
| Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services | 1 | — | — |
| Literature | 4 | — | — |
| Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods | 7 | — | — |
| Materials Engineering | 60 | — | — |
| Materials Sciences | — | — | — |
| Mathematics | 45 | — | — |
| Mechanical Engineering | 31 | — | — |
| Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions | 7 | — | — |
| Music | 17 | — | — |
| Neurobiology and Neurosciences | 26 | — | — |
| Philosophy | 12 | — | — |
| Physical Sciences, Other | 7 | — | — |
| Physics | 54 | — | — |
| Physiology, Pathology and Related Sciences | — | — | — |
| Political Science and Government | 22 | — | — |
| Psychology | — | — | — |
| Psychology, Other | 6 | — | — |
| Public Health | 15 | — | — |
| Research and Experimental Psychology | 38 | — | — |
| Sociology | 10 | — | — |
| Systems Engineering | 22 | — | — |
| Visual and Performing Arts | 1 | — | — |
| Visual and Performing Arts, Other | — | — | — |
Professional degree programs (2)
| Program | Graduates (2 yrs) | Earnings after 1 yr | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Medicine | 241 | — | — |
| Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration | 123 | — | — |
Similar colleges in California
| College | City | Net price / yr | Acceptance | Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Diego State University | San Diego | $13,243 | 36% | $73,494 |
| California State University-Long Beach | Long Beach | $9,426 | 46% | $69,554 |
| University of California-Los Angeles | Los Angeles | $14,659 | 9.0% | $88,581 |
| University of California-Berkeley | Berkeley | $14,538 | 11% | $100,212 |
| California State University-Northridge | Northridge | $6,346 | 93% | $63,721 |
| University of California-Davis | Davis | $14,318 | 42% | $86,999 |
| California State University-Fullerton | Fullerton | $5,115 | 91% | $69,015 |
| University of California-Irvine | Irvine | $13,866 | 29% | $83,432 |
About University of California-San Diego
| Type | Public four-year university |
|---|---|
| Location | La Jolla, CA |
| Setting | Large city |
| Undergraduates | 34,948 |
| Student-to-faculty ratio | 19 to 1 |
| Accreditor | Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University Commission |
| Website | ucsd.edu ↗ |
Frequently asked questions
What is University of California-San Diego's acceptance rate?
University of California-San Diego admits 27% of applicants, making it selective.
How much does University of California-San Diego cost per year?
The full cost of attendance is $41,664 a year (tuition and fees: $17,337 in-state, $54,939 out-of-state). After grants and scholarships the average student pays $14,794 a year, and students from families earning under $30,000 pay about $9,229.
How much do University of California-San Diego graduates earn?
Former students earn a median of $96,197 a year, 10 years after first enrolling — 19th of 129 similar colleges in California. The best-paid bachelor's program is computer science ($109,047 a year after graduation).
What is University of California-San Diego's graduation rate?
86% of full-time students graduate within six years, and 94% of first-year students return for a second year.