Public · University

University of California-San Diego

La Jolla, California · Large city

26.7%
Admit rate
$12,470
Avg net price
86%
Graduation rate
$84,943
Median earnings

University of California-San Diego is a public bachelor's-granting institution in La Jolla, California (large city setting), enrolling 34,948 undergraduates. It is a Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI).

PublicLarge · 34,948 undergradsLarge cityVery selective · 27% admitNCAA Division I without footballNear the coast

About La Jolla, California

La Jolla is a neighborhood in San Diego, California, occupying 7 miles (11 km) of coastline along the Pacific Ocean. The topographic feature that gave rise to the name "holes" is uncertain; it probably refers to sea-level caves located on the north-facing bluffs, which are visible from La Jolla Shores. (Wikipedia)

Setting
Large city
Highest degree offered
Graduate
To the ocean
1 mile
Nearest airport
10 miles to San Diego (SAN) · major hub

How University of California-San Diego compares

View 137 more ranking appearances
#25 · Large Universities with the Highest Graduation Rates #28 · Large Universities with the Highest Retention Rates #47 · Large Universities with the Lowest Net Price #32 · Large Universities with the Lowest Student Debt #12 · Large Universities with the Lowest Debt Relative to Earnings #7 · Colleges with Average Net Price at or Below $15,000 with the Highest Former-Student Earnings #14 · Colleges with Average Net Price at or Below $15,000 with the Highest Graduation Rates #19 · Colleges with Average Net Price at or Below $15,000 with the Highest Retention Rates #71 · Colleges with Average Net Price at or Below $15,000 with the Lowest Student Debt #20 · Colleges with Average Net Price at or Below $15,000 with the Lowest Debt Relative to Earnings #4 · Hispanic-Serving Colleges with the Highest Former-Student Earnings #4 · Hispanic-Serving Colleges with the Highest Graduation Rates #5 · Hispanic-Serving Colleges with the Highest Retention Rates #79 · Hispanic-Serving Colleges with the Lowest Net Price #57 · Hispanic-Serving Colleges with the Lowest Student Debt #15 · Hispanic-Serving Colleges with the Lowest Debt Relative to Earnings #23 · Public Universities with the Highest Graduation Rates #26 · Public Universities with the Highest Retention Rates #63 · Public Universities with the Lowest Student Debt #18 · Public Universities with the Lowest Debt Relative to Earnings #49 · Residential Colleges (Dorm Capacity for at Least 50% of Undergraduates) with the Highest Former-Student Earnings #68 · Residential Colleges (Dorm Capacity for at Least 50% of Undergraduates) with the Highest Graduation Rates #52 · Residential Colleges (Dorm Capacity for at Least 50% of Undergraduates) with the Highest Retention Rates #24 · Residential Colleges (Dorm Capacity for at Least 50% of Undergraduates) with the Lowest Net Price #31 · Residential Colleges (Dorm Capacity for at Least 50% of Undergraduates) with the Lowest Student Debt #31 · Residential Colleges (Dorm Capacity for at Least 50% of Undergraduates) with the Lowest Debt Relative to Earnings #6 · Test-Blind Colleges with the Highest Former-Student Earnings #7 · Test-Blind Colleges with the Highest Graduation Rates #6 · Test-Blind Colleges with the Highest Retention Rates #44 · Test-Blind Colleges with the Lowest Net Price #45 · Test-Blind Colleges with the Lowest Student Debt #9 · Test-Blind Colleges with the Lowest Debt Relative to Earnings #82 · Colleges with the Highest First-Year Retention Rates #49 · Colleges with the Lowest Debt Relative to Earnings #95 · Colleges with the Highest Six-Year Former-Student Earnings #43 · Colleges with the Highest Pell Recipient Completion Rates #52 · Colleges with the Highest First-Generation Completion Rates #66 · Colleges with the Most International Freshmen #28 · Largest Campus-Based Universities #39 · College Campuses with the Least Annual Precipitation #15 · College Campuses with the Least Snowfall #32 · Public Universities with the Highest Earnings Relative to Net Price #17 · Colleges with the Highest Former-Student Earnings in California #17 · Colleges with the Lowest Net Price in California #12 · Colleges with the Highest Graduation Rates in California #24 · Colleges with the Lowest Student Debt in California #14 · Colleges with the Highest Retention Rates in California #12 · Best Colleges in the West #31 · Colleges with the Lowest Net Price in the West #14 · Colleges with the Highest Graduation Rates in the West #12 · Colleges with the Highest Retention Rates in the West #36 · Colleges with the Lowest Student Debt in the West #14 · Colleges with the Highest Earnings Relative to Net Price in the West #4 · Best Public Universities in the West #11 · Best Colleges on the West Coast #20 · Colleges with the Lowest Net Price on the West Coast #11 · Colleges with the Highest Graduation Rates on the West Coast #11 · Colleges with the Highest Retention Rates on the West Coast #27 · Colleges with the Lowest Student Debt on the West Coast #13 · Colleges with the Highest Earnings Relative to Net Price on the West Coast #3 · Best Public Universities on the West Coast #11 · Best Colleges in the Pacific Region #23 · Colleges with the Lowest Net Price in the Pacific Region #11 · Colleges with the Highest Graduation Rates in the Pacific Region #11 · Colleges with the Highest Retention Rates in the Pacific Region #29 · Colleges with the Lowest Student Debt in the Pacific Region #13 · Colleges with the Highest Earnings Relative to Net Price in the Pacific Region #3 · Best Public Universities in the Pacific Region #2 · Colleges with the Highest Former-Student Earnings Near San Diego, CA #62 · Bachelor's Psychology, General Programs with the Lowest Student Debt #48 · Bachelor's Psychology, General Programs with the Lowest Debt Relative to Earnings #91 · Bachelor's Biology, General Programs with the Lowest Student Debt #58 · Bachelor's Biology, General Programs with the Lowest Debt Relative to Earnings #81 · Bachelor's Communication and Media Studies Programs with the Highest Five-Year Earnings #24 · Bachelor's Communication and Media Studies Programs with the Lowest Student Debt #14 · Bachelor's Communication and Media Studies Programs with the Lowest Debt Relative to Earnings #22 · Bachelor's Computer Science Programs with the Highest First-Year Earnings #25 · Bachelor's Computer Science Programs with the Highest Five-Year Earnings #47 · Bachelor's Computer Science Programs with the Lowest Student Debt #24 · Bachelor's Computer Science Programs with the Lowest Debt Relative to Earnings #44 · Bachelor's Political Science and Government Programs with the Lowest Student Debt #45 · Bachelor's Political Science and Government Programs with the Lowest Debt Relative to Earnings #37 · Bachelor's Economics Programs with the Lowest Student Debt #50 · Bachelor's Economics Programs with the Lowest Debt Relative to Earnings #91 · Bachelor's Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services Programs with the Highest First-Year Earnings #3 · Bachelor's Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services Programs with the Highest Five-Year Earnings #26 · Bachelor's Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services Programs with the Lowest Student Debt #9 · Bachelor's Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services Programs with the Lowest Debt Relative to Earnings #47 · Bachelor's Mechanical Engineering Programs with the Highest Five-Year Earnings #68 · Bachelor's Mechanical Engineering Programs with the Lowest Student Debt #51 · Bachelor's Mechanical Engineering Programs with the Lowest Debt Relative to Earnings #16 · Bachelor's Design and Applied Arts Programs with the Lowest Student Debt #25 · Bachelor's Fine and Studio Arts Programs with the Lowest Student Debt #24 · Bachelor's Fine and Studio Arts Programs with the Lowest Debt Relative to Earnings #79 · Bachelor's Sociology Programs with the Highest Five-Year Earnings #27 · Bachelor's Sociology Programs with the Lowest Student Debt #23 · Bachelor's Sociology Programs with the Lowest Debt Relative to Earnings #30 · Bachelor's English Language and Literature, General Programs with the Lowest Student Debt #61 · Bachelor's History Programs with the Highest Five-Year Earnings #52 · Bachelor's History Programs with the Lowest Student Debt #40 · Bachelor's History Programs with the Lowest Debt Relative to Earnings #92 · Bachelor's Mathematics Programs with the Highest First-Year Earnings #36 · Bachelor's Mathematics Programs with the Lowest Student Debt #42 · Bachelor's Mathematics Programs with the Lowest Debt Relative to Earnings #82 · Bachelor's Public Health Programs with the Highest First-Year Earnings #28 · Bachelor's Public Health Programs with the Highest Five-Year Earnings #22 · Bachelor's Public Health Programs with the Lowest Student Debt #10 · Bachelor's Public Health Programs with the Lowest Debt Relative to Earnings #77 · Bachelor's Natural Resources Conservation and Research Programs with the Highest First-Year Earnings #15 · Bachelor's Natural Resources Conservation and Research Programs with the Highest Five-Year Earnings #36 · Bachelor's Natural Resources Conservation and Research Programs with the Lowest Student Debt #15 · Bachelor's Natural Resources Conservation and Research Programs with the Lowest Debt Relative to Earnings #87 · Bachelor's Research and Experimental Psychology Programs with the Highest First-Year Earnings #6 · Bachelor's Research and Experimental Psychology Programs with the Highest Five-Year Earnings #12 · Bachelor's Research and Experimental Psychology Programs with the Lowest Student Debt #5 · Bachelor's Research and Experimental Psychology Programs with the Lowest Debt Relative to Earnings #88 · Bachelor's Music Programs with the Highest Five-Year Earnings #29 · Bachelor's Music Programs with the Lowest Student Debt #18 · Bachelor's Music Programs with the Lowest Debt Relative to Earnings #75 · Bachelor's Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering Programs with the Highest First-Year Earnings #15 · Bachelor's Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering Programs with the Highest Five-Year Earnings #50 · Bachelor's Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering Programs with the Lowest Student Debt #27 · Bachelor's Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering Programs with the Lowest Debt Relative to Earnings #49 · Bachelor's Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft Programs with the Highest Five-Year Earnings #7 · Bachelor's Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft Programs with the Lowest Student Debt #6 · Bachelor's Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft Programs with the Lowest Debt Relative to Earnings #45 · Bachelor's Civil Engineering Programs with the Highest Five-Year Earnings #17 · Bachelor's Civil Engineering Programs with the Lowest Student Debt #18 · Bachelor's Civil Engineering Programs with the Lowest Debt Relative to Earnings #58 · Bachelor's Chemistry Programs with the Highest First-Year Earnings #13 · Bachelor's Chemistry Programs with the Highest Five-Year Earnings #32 · Bachelor's Chemistry Programs with the Lowest Student Debt #11 · Bachelor's Chemistry Programs with the Lowest Debt Relative to Earnings #64 · Bachelor's Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods Programs with the Highest First-Year Earnings #38 · Bachelor's Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods Programs with the Highest Five-Year Earnings #10 · Bachelor's Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods Programs with the Lowest Student Debt #16 · Bachelor's Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods Programs with the Lowest Debt Relative to Earnings
Selectivity26.7%

More selective than 94% · #14 most selective of 107 in California

Graduation rate86%

Higher than 93% · #19 of 122 in California

First-year retention94%

Higher than 92%

Earnings, 10 years after entry$84,943

Higher than 93% · #23 of 130 in California

Average net price$12,470

Cheaper than 83% · #21 cheapest of 118 in California

Median debt at graduation$15,500

Lower than 89%

Student–faculty ratio19 : 1

Lower than 14%

Undergraduate enrollment34,948

Larger than 98%

Percentiles compare University of California-San Diego with the nation's 2,196 four-year colleges, among schools reporting each statistic. State ranks count four-year colleges in California.

University of California-San Diego campus

Student body

Undergraduate vs. graduate

44,249students
  • Undergraduate34,94879%
  • Graduate9,30121%

Undergraduates by gender

34,948undergrads
  • Women18,16952%
  • Men16,77948%

Undergraduates by race / ethnicity

  • White17%
  • Black1.6%
  • Hispanic27%
  • Asian35%
  • Other or multiracial20%

Graduate gender splits aren't published in this data, so the gender chart covers undergraduates only.

By the numbers

Undergraduate enrollment
34,948
Graduate enrollment
9,301
Student–faculty ratio
19 : 1
Pell Grant recipients
34%
First-generation students
40%
Students over 25
4%
Median family income
$35,914
Avg faculty salary (academic year)
$172,053
Endowment
$1,557,815,000

Colleges don't publish true class-size data; student–faculty ratio (IPEDS) is the closest public measure of it.

Where students come from

Home state of the 7,005 first-year students who entered in fall 2023.

  • From California79%
  • Other U.S. states9.5%
  • International11%

Most first-years stay in state — University of California-San Diego draws overwhelmingly from California.

11% came from outside the U.S. Out-of-state students usually pay a higher tuition rate at public schools — check the cost card above for your bracket. Source: IPEDS residence & migration, fall 2023 entering class.

Admissions

Admission rate
26.7%
Test scores
Not considered
SAT range (25th–75th %)
—
SAT average
—
SAT reading
—
SAT math
—
ACT composite
—
Average GPA
3.90

Cost

In-state tuition
$16,758
Out-of-state tuition
$50,958
Room & board
$18,970
Books & supplies
$1,286
Total cost of attendance
$38,701
Average net price
$12,470

Net price is the total cost minus grants and scholarships — what students actually pay. It varies sharply by family income; see the breakdown below.

Outcomes

Graduated (within 6 years)
86%
Graduated on time (4 years)
74%
First-year retention
94%
Transferred to another college
4%
Median earnings, 6 years after entry
$65,669
Median earnings, 10 years after entry
$84,943
Median debt at graduation
$15,500
Students with federal loans
21%
Paying down their loans (1 year in)
78%

About 12% of students who finish here need more than four years — each extra year adds roughly another year of tuition and living costs.

Graduating on time

By student background (4 years)

All students
74%
Low-income (Pell)
82%
First-generation
81%

When these bars run close together, students from every background tend to finish at similar rates — a sign the school supports the ~30% who are first-gen or low-income.

Campus life & athletics

On-campus housing
Yes
Dorm capacity
19,711
Dorm capacity vs undergrads
56%
Application fee
$80
Athletics
NCAA Division I without football
Varsity athletes
649 (308 men · 341 women)

Housing and fees: IPEDS 2023–24. Athletics rosters: Equity in Athletics data, 2024–25. Dorm capacity can include graduate and family housing, so the share of undergrads can top 100%.

Varsity sports (12)

Track and Field and Cross Country (combined)180
Rowing88
Soccer62
Water Polo53
Swimming52
Baseball42
Volleyball42
Fencing38
Basketball32
Softball25
Tennis24
Golf11

Athlete counts per sport, Equity in Athletics data, 2024–25.

Campus safety

Safety grade
D
Reported offenses per 1,000 students
11.2 / year
Violent offenses (2022–2024)
146
Property offenses (2022–2024)
1,343

On-campus criminal offenses reported under the Clery Act, 2022–2024, across 1 campus (44,256 students). Counts reflect reports, not convictions — schools with strong reporting cultures often show more, so a higher count doesn't simply mean a more dangerous campus.

Reported offenses in an average year

The same 2022–2024 Clery Act reports, divided down to one year.

496reported offenses a year
49 violent a year448 property a year

By offense type, per year

Motor vehicle theft
414
Burglary
28
Rape
20
Fondling
16
Aggravated assault
10
Arson
6.3
Robbery
2.3

Averages, not a forecast — a single year can run well above or below this. Bars are scaled against this campus's most-reported offense, so they compare types here rather than against other schools.

What you'll actually pay, by family income

Average net price (total cost minus grants and scholarships) paid by aided students in each family-income band.

< $30k
$7,525
$30–48k
$8,155
$48–75k
$9,942
$75–110k
$15,199
$110k+
$28,785

College Scorecard / IPEDS, most recent year. Family income is total household income; net price covers tuition, fees, room, board and supplies after grant aid, for students receiving federal aid.

Four-year (or more) true cost

Net price for your family's income, projected across the time it actually takes students here to graduate.

Est. total to a degree
$41,917

$9,942/year × about 4.2 years — most students here don't finish in exactly four, and each extra term adds cost. A planning estimate from net-price and graduation-timing data, not a bill.

Does the school pay you to attend?

Grant aid from the school's own funds — the discount off sticker, on top of any federal or state help.

56%
of first-years get a grant from the school
$11,334
average award, among those who get one

A meaningful share of freshmen — 56% — get grant money from University of California-San Diego itself, averaging $11,334, which softens the sticker price.

Blends need-based and merit aid — IPEDS doesn't split the two, so a high number can mean generous merit scholarships, deep need-based aid, or both. Figures cover 6,530 full-time first-year undergraduates, 2022–23. Source: IPEDS Student Financial Aid.

Is it worth it?

A rough return-on-investment read from what graduates earn versus what they borrow.

Median earnings (10 years)
$84,943
Typical debt at graduation
$15,500
Debt vs. one year's pay
18%
Out-earn a HS grad
73%

Typical debt would take roughly 1.8 years to repay at about a tenth of median earnings.

Strong value

Graduates here tend to earn well relative to what they borrow — typical debt pays back fast, and most out-earn a high-school graduate.

Earnings are the College Scorecard median for former students (working, not enrolled) 10 years after entry — not a guarantee, and they vary a lot by major. Debt is the median federal loan balance at graduation.

The pay gap here

Median earnings 10 years after entry, split by gender.

Women
$79,096
Men
$93,494

Men out-earn women by $14,398 (18%) a decade out.

Federal figures for former students working and not enrolled, 10 years after they first entered. A gap this wide usually reflects which majors men and women here tend to choose — not different pay for the same job.

Campus climate

Summer high
82°F
Winter low
46°F
Annual rain
11.5″

Average temperature

HighLow
40°70°90°JFMAMJJASOND

Average precipitation (inches)

0.01.42.7JFMAMJJASOND

NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals, San Diego Miramar Nas, CA US station (6 mi from campus).

Median earnings of this school's own graduates 1 and 5 years after finishing each program, and median federal-loan debt at completion (College Scorecard). Small programs are privacy-suppressed (—). Click a major to compare colleges nationally.

Colleges similar to University of California-San Diego

Schools with a comparable profile — size, selectivity, cost, and graduate outcomes. Compare University of California-San Diego side by side →

Colleges near University of California-San Diego

Source: US Department of Education College Scorecard (most recent cohorts), IPEDS institutional characteristics, Equity in Athletics (EADA) data, Clery Act Campus Safety and Security data, and NOAA US Climate Normals. Distances are straight-line from campus coordinates. Percentiles compare schools of the same level (four-year vs. two-year) that report each statistic.