Quad

University of California-San Diego

La Jolla, CAQuad's selectivityHighly selectivefrom CaliforniaVery selectivefrom other states
Known forBig campusVery diverseHigh earnersHigh graduation rate
WebsiteAdmissionsApplyVisitFinancial aid

Admissions · Fall 2024

1 in 4 applicants admitted

U. California-San Diego admits about 1 in 4 applicants (27%). That puts it in the "Highly selective in-state, Very selective out of state" tier, more selective than 94% of the 1,547 colleges that report admissions.

27%

27%

acceptance rateQuad's selectivityHighly selectivefrom CaliforniaVery selectivefrom other states

Applied

134,450

Admitted

35,917

Yield

20%

of admits enroll

Avg. GPA

3.88

Applications +83% since fall 2014 · admit rate 33% → 27%Over time

Getting in, in detail: funnel, what they look at, your scores

Students

Who's on campus

A very large campus of 34,948 undergrads, where 34% receive Pell Grants, a typical share compared to other colleges.

34.9K

undergrads · larger than 99% of colleges

Diversity index

0.76

Pell Grant

34%

about the median

First generation

40%

above the median

Large cityNCAA D-I · Big West ConferenceStudy abroadUndergrad research
Steady · index 0.75 → 0.76 since fall 2014Over time

Students and campus life in detail

Academics

Majors and faculty

The most popular major is Cognitive Science, General (9% of graduates). 19 students for every faculty member, more than at 87% of colleges. 88% of faculty are full-time. Spends $26,067 a year on instruction per student.

19 to 1

students per faculty member · more than at 87% of colleges

Most popular major

Cognitive Science, General

9% of 2024–25 graduates

Top-earning major

Computer Science

$159.5K four years after completion

Full-time faculty

88%

of faculty

Instruction spending

$26.1K

per student a year

All majors with search, earnings by major, and faculty

Cost & aid · 2023–24

What it costs

In 2023–24, the average first-year paid an estimated $29,689 in total (tuition, housing, food, books and other costs, after grants), $5.4K more than the national median. The 59% who received grants paid $14,047 on average; the other 41% paid the full sticker price of $38,505 in-state / $69,282 out-of-state.

34%

$29.7K

average total cost per year, all first-years, after grants (est.) · $5.4K above the national median

$0$110K$400K+
Full price, in-state
$38,505 a year
tuition, housing, food, books, and other costs
Need-based aid
Little need-based aid above $110K
aid thins out for families above that income
Merit aid
5.3% · avg $13K
of first-years without need got merit aid
Aid generosity

Moderate

grants cover 34% of full price

Federal loans

21%

of undergrads · national median 45%

Your price

Net price calculator

the college's own

Financial aid

Financial aid office Veterans' benefits
Cost falling · −14% after inflation since 2013–14Over time

Prices, who gets aid, and borrowing in detail

Outcomes

What it pays

Former students earn a median $84,943 ten years after enrolling, more than at 94% of colleges; 90% graduate within six years. Four years of net price is about 1.4 years of that salary.

90%

90%

graduate within six years · national median 59%

Median earnings

$84.9K

10 years after entry

Median debt

$15.5K

≈ $164/month for 10 years

Retention

95%

come back for year two

Graduation rate 86% → 86% since the class that entered fall 2008Over time

Earnings, finishing, 8-year outcomes, by group

Over time · since 2013–14

How it's changed

Since 2013–14, the full price fell 4% after inflation, while what the average first-year paid fell 14%, because grants grew faster. Applications rose 83% since fall 2014, and the acceptance rate went from 33% to 27%.

  • Cost

    Falling

    −14% after inflation

  • Applications

    Growing

    +83%

  • Selectivity

    More selective

    admit rate 33% → 27%

  • Diversity

    Steady

    index 0.75 → 0.76

Every series, year by year

Keep exploring

Schools like this one

University of California-Irvine

29% admit · 30.2K undergrads

Similar selectivitySimilar sizeAlso West
Compare side-by-side

University of California-Davis

42% admit · 32.3K undergrads

Similar selectivitySimilar sizeAlso West
Compare side-by-side

San Diego State University

37% admit · 35.4K undergrads

Similar selectivitySimilar sizeAlso West
Compare side-by-side

The University of Arizona Global Campus

20.2K undergrads

Similar sizeAlso public
Compare side-by-side
Sources for this overviewEvery dataset and year behind the numbers on this profile; tap any ⓘ for one number's source

Sources for this profile

  1. 1
    IPEDS directory (Institutional Characteristics: HD)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2025–26 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  2. 2
    College Scorecard

    U.S. Department of Education · most recent release; Fall 2024; 2023–24; Fall 2023 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  3. 3
    IPEDS Admissions survey

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  4. 4
    University of California-San Diego Common Data Set 2025–26

    University of California-San Diego · Fall 2025; Fall 2027 applicants; Entered fall 2024; 2024–25; Fall 2026 entrants; 2025–26; Fall 2026 cycle; 2026–27; Class of 2025 · retrieved 2026-10-04

  5. 5
    IPEDS Institutional Characteristics survey

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2023–24 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  6. 6
    IPEDS Institutional Characteristics survey (athletics, programs, services, religious affiliation)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2025–26 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  7. 7
    IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (part D)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  8. 8
    IPEDS Completions survey (degrees awarded by field)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2024–25 graduates · retrieved 2026-10-12

  9. 9
    College Scorecard Field of Study data

    U.S. Department of Education · most recent release · retrieved 2026-10-12

  10. 10
    IPEDS Finance survey, derived per-student figures

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2023–24 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  11. 11
    IPEDS Student Financial Aid survey

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2023–24 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  12. 12
    Common Data Set

    Each college (voluntary, standardized template) · most recent release · retrieved 2026-10-12

  13. 13
    IPEDS Graduation Rates survey (Pell Grant and subsidized loan recipients)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Entered fall 2018 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  14. 14
    IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (part C, residence of first-time students)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  15. 15
    IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (part A, enrollment by level)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  16. 16
    IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (distance education)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  17. 17
    IPEDS Salaries survey (SAL, instructional staff, all ranks)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  18. 18
    IPEDS Outcome Measures survey

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Students entering fall 2016 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  19. 19
    University of California-San Diego (2026)

    University of California-San Diego · 2026 · retrieved 2026-10-04

IPEDS unit ID 110680 · Data retrieved 2026-10-12. Tap any ⓘ to see where that number came from and what year it describes. National ranks and medians include every 4-year college that reports the measure. How we source and calculate everything