La Jolla, California · Public ·City

University of California-San Diego

A+

Exceptional Investment ROI grade · Top 9% value

26.7% Acceptance $12,470 Avg net price 86.1% Graduate $84,943 Median earnings 34,948 Students

Visit official site → See cost & ROI

At a glance

Basics

Type: Public
Setting: City
Enrollment: 34,948 students
Women / Men: 54.8% / 45.2%

Admissions

Acceptance rate: 26.7%

Cost

Avg net price: $12,470
Sticker price: $38,701
Tuition (in-state): $16,758
Tuition (out-of-state): $50,958

Outcomes

Graduation rate: 86.1%
Retention rate: 94%
Median earnings (10y): $84,943
Median debt: $15,500 (~$168/mo)

Financial aid

On Pell grants: 34.2%
Take federal loans: 21.4%

All majors at University of California-San Diego

92 programs listed in federal data. Every row opens a school-specific page; listings without a positive program signal stay available for users but out of Google's index.

Major	Program signal
Computer Science	6.8%
Cell/Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences	6.3%
Cognitive Science	6.3%
International/Globalization Studies	4.4%
Biology, General	4.3%
Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods	3.9%
Economics	3.8%
Chemistry	3.7%
Public Health	3.3%
Political Science and Government	3.1%
Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering	2.8%
Psychology, General	2.6%
Communication and Media Studies	2.4%
Mathematics	2.3%
Mathematics and Computer Science	2.2%
Applied Mathematics	2.2%
Biomedical/Medical Engineering	2.0%
Mechanical Engineering	2.0%
Computer Engineering	1.8%
Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology	1.7%
Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology	1.7%
Neurobiology and Neurosciences	1.7%
Computer and Information Sciences, General	1.6%
Civil Engineering	1.5%
Chemical Engineering	1.4%
Sociology	1.1%
Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology	1.1%
Research and Experimental Psychology	1.1%
International Relations and National Security Studies	1.0%
Education, General	1.0%
Psychology, Other	1.0%
Engineering, Other	0.9%
Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering	0.9%
Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services	0.8%
Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration	0.8%
Biomathematics, Bioinformatics, and Computational Biology	0.8%
History	0.8%
Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences	0.7%
Visual and Performing Arts, General	0.7%
Natural Resources Conservation and Research	0.7%
Medicine	0.7%
English Language and Literature/Letters, Other	0.6%
Physics	0.6%
Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services	0.6%
Anthropology	0.6%
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft	0.5%
Social Sciences, Other	0.5%
Statistics	0.5%
Materials Engineering	0.4%
Real Estate Development	0.4%
Microbiological Sciences and Immunology	0.4%
Public Policy Analysis	0.4%
Fine and Studio Arts	0.4%
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other	0.4%
Music	0.4%
Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management	0.4%
Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies	0.3%
Area Studies	0.3%
Philosophy	0.3%
Urban Studies/Affairs	0.3%
English Language and Literature, General	0.3%
Medical Clinical Sciences/Graduate Medical Studies	0.2%
Communication Disorders Sciences and Services	0.2%
Biological/Biosystems Engineering	0.2%
Engineering Physics	0.1%
Systems Engineering	0.1%
Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorology	0.1%
Design and Applied Arts	0.1%
Engineering Science	0.1%
Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics	0.1%
Physical Sciences, Other	0.1%
Zoology/Animal Biology	0.1%
Dance	0.1%
Health and Medical Administrative Services	0.1%
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities	0.1%
Computational Science	0.1%
Religion/Religious Studies	0.1%
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas	0.0%
Education, Other	0.0%
Environmental/Environmental Health Engineering	0.0%
Classics and Classical Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics	0.0%
Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Other	0.0%
Literature	0.0%
Data Science	0.0%
Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions	0.0%
Slavic, Baltic and Albanian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics	Listed
Legal Research and Advanced Professional Studies	Listed
Physiology, Pathology and Related Sciences	Listed
Materials Sciences	Listed
Visual and Performing Arts, Other	Listed
Business Administration, Management and Operations	Listed
Finance and Financial Management Services	Listed

Cost & ROI

Is University of California-San Diego worth it?

Pay $12,470/yr after aid. Graduates earn a median of $84,943 ten years out — about 6.8× the annual cost. Value grade: A+.

Avg net price: $12,470/yr
Median earnings: $84,943/yr (10y out)
Median debt: $15,500~$168/mo
4-year est. cost: $49,880net of aid

Full cost & ROI breakdown →

Frequently asked questions

What is University of California-San Diego's acceptance rate?

University of California-San Diego admits 26.7% of applicants — selective on admissions, compared to the national average of 72.3%.

How much does University of California-San Diego cost per year?

The average annual net price — what students actually pay after grants and scholarships — is $12,470. The sticker price before any aid is $38,701, so most students receive substantial discounts. Over four years that net cost adds up to roughly $49,880.

How much debt do University of California-San Diego graduates have?

Graduates leave University of California-San Diego with a median federal student loan balance of $15,500, which works out to about $168 per month on a standard 10-year repayment plan. About 21.4% of students take federal loans.

Is University of California-San Diego worth the cost?

Ten years after enrolling, University of California-San Diego graduates earn a median of $84,943 per year (national median: $50,834). That's about 6.8× the annual net price. EduGradify assigns University of California-San Diego a value grade of A+.

What is the graduation rate at University of California-San Diego?

86.1% of full-time undergraduates graduate from University of California-San Diego within six years of enrolling — national average is 49.9%. First-year retention is 94%.

What are the most popular majors at University of California-San Diego?

92 programs are listed in federal data; 85 have positive share data. The largest reported major at University of California-San Diego is Computer Science (6.8%), followed by Cell/Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences (6.3%).

What percent of University of California-San Diego students receive financial aid?

34.2% of University of California-San Diego students receive a federal Pell Grant — the main need-based federal aid program. 21.4% take federal student loans.

You might also consider