University Of California-San Diego

UC San Diego admits approximately 24.5% of applicants, meaning roughly 1 in 4 applicants receives an offer of admission. This places UC San Diego in the Highly Selective category, significantly more competitive than the peer median admission rate of 78.1%.

The university's selectivity reflects both its academic reputation and the high demand from California residents and out-of-state students seeking access to a top-tier public research institution. With such competitive admission, even well-qualified students face meaningful uncertainty in the admission process.

The gap between UC San Diego's 24.5% acceptance rate and the typical four-year institution demonstrates the heightened competition students encounter when applying to University of California campuses. This level of selectivity means that students should treat UC San Diego as a reach school regardless of their qualifications, building comprehensive college lists that include schools with higher acceptance rates but comparable academic quality and career outcomes.

The university's strong post-graduation outcomes justify the competitive admission landscape, but students need realistic backup options that can deliver similar long-term value.

UC San Diego's published cost of attendance is $36,325 per year for California residents, including $15,265 in-state tuition, $17,198 for room and board, and $1,307 for books and supplies. However, the average student pays just $11,750 after financial aid, representing savings of $24,575 compared to the sticker price.

This net price sits $3,840 below the peer median of $15,590, making UC San Diego a strong value proposition within its competitive tier. The university's financial aid system creates a progressive cost structure where families at different income levels face dramatically different net prices.

Out-of-state students pay $46,042 in tuition, significantly increasing their total costs, though financial aid can offset some of this difference. The substantial gap between published costs and actual net prices reflects UC San Diego's commitment to access, using institutional and federal aid to make attendance feasible for students from diverse economic backgrounds.

Understanding this pricing structure is essential for families evaluating affordability, as the sticker price may appear prohibitive while the actual net cost proves manageable.

UC San Diego graduates demonstrate steady earnings growth over time. Median earnings rise from $65,669 six years after enrollment to $77,893 at eight years and $84,943 at ten years, representing 29.4% growth from the six-year mark.

These outcomes are based on cohorts of 5,198 graduates at six years, 5,001 at eight years, and 6,130 at ten years, providing high confidence in the reported figures. Graduates earn $17,210 beyond expectations compared to similar students nationally, placing UC San Diego in the 92.6th percentile for earnings uplift.

Low-income graduates earn $72,900, demonstrating the university's ability to support economic advancement for students from challenging financial backgrounds. Earnings span from $57,071 at the 25th percentile to $127,245 at the 75th percentile, reflecting differences in program choice and career trajectory.

The 2.2:1 ratio between top and bottom quartile earnings indicates meaningful variation while maintaining strong outcomes across the distribution. Approximately 28.6% of graduates continue to graduate or professional study, indicating strong preparation for both advanced education and workforce entry.

UC San Diego offers 20 bachelor's degree programs with sufficient federal earnings data for ranking. Computer Science ranks #19 nationally and #7 in California, producing 435 graduates with median earnings of $131,731 and a value score of 90.2, making it one of the university's flagship programs.

International/Globalization Studies ranks #2 nationally and #1 in California, graduating 631 students with median earnings of $63,294 and an exceptional value score of 98.1. Applied Economics ranks #60 nationally and #11 in California, graduating 403 students with median earnings of $68,970.

American Government and Politics ranks #50 nationally and #7 in California, graduating 390 students with median earnings of $55,931. Biochemistry and Molecular Biology ranks #11 nationally and #4 in California, with 389 graduates earning $53,331.

Cognitive Science stands out as the university's largest program, graduating 632 students annually with median earnings of $67,751, reflecting strong student demand and solid career outcomes across this interdisciplinary field.