University of California-San Diego
Tuition, net price, acceptance rate, graduation rate, and graduate salary · La Jolla, California
Net price / year
$12,470
after grants & scholarships
lower than 57% of public 4-year colleges
Acceptance rate
27%
Graduation rate
87%
within 150% of normal time
higher than 98% of public 4-year colleges
Median earnings
$83,130
4 years after graduating
higher than 97% of public 4-year colleges
University of California-San Diego at a glance
- What is the tuition at University of California-San Diego?
- In-state undergraduate tuition and fees are $16,758 for the 2024-25 academic year, or $50,958 for out-of-state students.
- What is the cost of attendance at University of California-San Diego?
- The average cost of attendance is $38,701 a year before financial aid (2023-24), counting tuition, books, housing and other living expenses.
- What is the net price at University of California-San Diego?
- The average net price for in-state students is $12,470 a year after grants and scholarships (2023-24).
- What is the acceptance rate at University of California-San Diego?
- About 27% of applicants were admitted (fall 2024).
- Is University of California-San Diego test optional?
- Test policy reported to the federal government: Tests neither required nor recommended.
- What is the graduation rate at University of California-San Diego?
- 87% of first-time, full-time students finish within 150% of normal time, or 6 years (entering classes through fall 2018).
- How much do graduates of University of California-San Diego earn?
- The median graduate earns $83,130 four years after finishing, among graduates working and not enrolled (2024 dollars).
Key takeaways
- Graduates earn a median $83,130 four years after finishing, more than 97% of public 4-year colleges.
- 87% of students graduate on time or within 150% of normal time, higher than 98% of public 4-year colleges.
- The earnings premium over a typical high-school graduate would cover the estimated net cost in about 1.1 years of work (not counting income forgone while studying).
- Families earning under $30,000 pay about $7,525 a year on average, versus $28,785 for families earning over $110,000.
- The acceptance rate is 27%, so admission is selective.
Tuition and cost of attendance at University of California-San Diego
Average net price (in-state)
$12,470 per year
Cost of attendance minus average grants and scholarships, for first-time full-time students receiving federal aid.
Estimate your own price with the University of California-San Diego net price calculator ↗
Estimated total net cost
$49,880
Net price × 4 years, at today's prices and assuming on-time completion. Your actual cost depends on your aid.
Net price by family income
Average yearly net price for students receiving federal aid.
- $0–30k $7,525
- $30–48k $8,155
- $48–75k $9,942
- $75–110k $15,199
- $110k+ $28,785
Where the sticker price goes· Cost of attendance $38,701
- Tuition & fees$16,758
- Books & supplies$1,286
- Room & board$18,970
- Other expenses$5,888
- Tuition & fees (in-state)
- $16,758
- Tuition & fees (out-of-state)
- $50,958
University of California-San Diego acceptance rate and admissions
Acceptance rate
Share of applicants admitted.
Test policy: Tests neither required nor recommended
Graduation rate and salary after graduating from University of California-San Diego
Graduation rate
87%
First-time, full-time students finishing within 150% of normal time.
Retention rate
94%
Full-time first-years who return the next fall.
Typical monthly payment
$164
On a standard 10-year federal plan.
Years of earnings premium to cover cost
1.1 years
Net cost ÷ (graduate earnings − high-school graduate earnings). Excludes income forgone while studying and assumes today's earnings. A rough guide, not a prediction.
Earnings vs debt
Of graduates working and not enrolled, in 2024 dollars.
- Debt-to-earnings
- 0.2×Median debt divided by median earnings 4 years after graduating.
- Share of pay going to loans
- 2.4%
- 3-year loan default rate
- 0%
Outcomes by student group
The Scorecard reports some outcomes separately for groups of students. A group is left out when it is too small to report. These are school-level figures and say nothing about any individual student.
Completion within 150% of normal time, by group
Share of students who entered in 2018 and completed within 150% of normal time (six years at a four-year college, three at a two-year college).
All students, same entering cohort: 86%
Group rates and the all-student rate come from the same 2018 entering cohort, so they can be compared directly. Groups at small colleges can rest on very few students. Data period: Entering cohort 2018 (IPEDS).
Earnings ten years after entry
All students who entered this college, whether or not they graduated, in 2022 dollars, ten years after entry.
Typical range: middle half of students
25th percentile $57,071 · median $84,943 · 75th percentile $127,245
Median by family income
Median by sex
This is not the same as the graduates' earnings shown above. It covers everyone who entered, including students who left without a degree, ten years after entry and in 2022 dollars. The graduates' figure covers only completers, four years after finishing, in 2024 dollars. Do not compare the two directly.
Data period: Students who entered in academic years 2009-10 and 2010-11 (pooled), earnings measured in 2020 and 2021, 2022 dollars (Treasury).
Median federal student debt, by group
Median federal loan debt of students who borrowed, when they left school, by group.
By Pell Grant status
By first-generation status
By family income
By gender
Data period: Loans in fiscal years 2020 and 2021 (pooled, NSLDS).
How borrowers are doing
One year after leaving school and entering repayment, here is where the 8,083 federal-loan borrowers from this college stood. It covers borrowers only, not students who did not take federal loans.
Repayment status one year after entering repayment
- Paid in full 25%
- Making progress 15%
- Not making progress 6%
- Delinquent 1%
- Default 0%
- Forbearance 42%
- Deferment 11%
- Discharged 0%
What the terms mean
- Paid in full:
- The borrower has paid off the loans completely.
- Making progress:
- Payments are reducing the loan balance, not just covering interest.
- Not making progress:
- The borrower is paying, but not enough to shrink the balance.
- Delinquent:
- Payments are late but the loan is not yet in default.
- Default:
- The borrower has missed payments for so long that the loan is officially in default.
- Forbearance:
- Payments are temporarily paused or reduced, and interest may keep adding up.
- Deferment:
- Payments are on hold for an approved reason, such as returning to school.
- Discharged:
- The loan was cancelled, for example because of a disability or a school closure.
8,083 borrowers · Data period: Borrowers who entered repayment in the AY2018-19 and AY2019-20 cohorts (pooled, NSLDS).
Programs and majors at University of California-San Diego ranked by earnings
| Program | Earnings, 4 yrs after | Earnings over time | Compared with the U.S. median for this field | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's · Graduates: 384 | $159,487 | 1 yr$112,0064 yrs$159,4875 yrs$160,463 | U.S. median $107,009 U.S. middle half $74.8K–$152K · Above the U.S. median | $16,166 |
| Bachelor's · Graduates: 116 | $149,139 | 1 yr$96,2564 yrs$149,1395 yrs$154,498 | U.S. median $109,015 U.S. middle half $86.3K–$145.2K · Above the U.S. median | $18,414 |
| Mathematics and Computer Science Bachelor's · Graduates: 252 | $137,218 | 1 yr$89,6514 yrs$137,218 | U.S. median $118,943 U.S. middle half $77.1K–$174.9K · Above the U.S. median | $18,887 |
| Biomathematics, Bioinformatics, and Computational Biology Bachelor's · Graduates: 41 | $123,320 | 1 yr$76,5924 yrs$123,3205 yrs$138,331 | U.S. median $86,713 U.S. middle half $56.8K–$132.8K · Above the U.S. median | $18,000 |
| Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering Bachelor's · Graduates: 186 | $118,150 | 1 yr$80,6874 yrs$118,1505 yrs$120,436 | U.S. median $100,647 U.S. middle half $84.6K–$122.4K · Above the U.S. median | $20,000 |
| Biological/Biosystems Engineering Bachelor's · Graduates: 27 Small sample | $111,677 | 1 yr$67,0164 yrs$111,677 | U.S. median $83,998 U.S. middle half $67.2K–$101.5K · Above the U.S. median | $18,716 |
| Bachelor's · Graduates: 107 | $104,229 | 1 yr$69,5554 yrs$104,2295 yrs$99,554 | U.S. median $92,135 U.S. middle half $77.7K–$109.1K · Above the U.S. median | $20,000 |
| Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering Bachelor's · Graduates: 73 | $100,173 | 1 yr$65,4014 yrs$100,1735 yrs$107,359 | U.S. median $98,207 U.S. middle half $81.6K–$115.9K · Above the U.S. median | $20,008 |
| Biomedical/Medical Engineering Bachelor's · Graduates: 55 | $98,687 | 1 yr$65,0454 yrs$98,6875 yrs$118,528 | U.S. median $93,451 U.S. middle half $74.1K–$113.9K · Above the U.S. median | $20,000 |
| Bachelor's · Graduates: 97 | $96,798 | 1 yr$59,5084 yrs$96,7985 yrs$97,911 | U.S. median $98,158 U.S. middle half $80.3K–$118K · Below the U.S. median | $18,500 |
Show all 47 programs
| Bachelor's · Graduates: 29 Small sample | $96,746 | 1 yr$36,6764 yrs$96,746 | U.S. median $92,425 U.S. middle half $64.6K–$125.5K · Above the U.S. median | $18,583 |
| Bachelor's · Graduates: 52 | $95,018 | 1 yr$48,9514 yrs$95,0185 yrs$84,411 | U.S. median $76,786 U.S. middle half $51.8K–$102.9K · Above the U.S. median | $18,000 |
| Bachelor's · Graduates: 136 | $91,745 | 1 yr$65,4784 yrs$91,7455 yrs$91,984 | U.S. median $86,517 U.S. middle half $73.9K–$101.2K · Above the U.S. median | $16,400 |
| Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods Bachelor's · Graduates: 121 | $89,451 | 1 yr$60,9734 yrs$89,4515 yrs$86,000 | U.S. median $86,176 U.S. middle half $61.8K–$114.7K · Above the U.S. median | $15,127 |
| Engineering, Other Bachelor's · Graduates: 89 | $88,159 | 1 yr$56,5224 yrs$88,1595 yrs$94,292 | U.S. median $93,989 U.S. middle half $77.4K–$115.3K · Below the U.S. median | $18,954 |
| Bachelor's · Graduates: 283 | $87,307 | 1 yr$51,1924 yrs$87,3075 yrs$84,118 | U.S. median $82,686 U.S. middle half $58.2K–$116.3K · Above the U.S. median | $14,667 |
| Bachelor's · Graduates: 61 | $85,233 | 1 yr$42,8594 yrs$85,2335 yrs$79,708 | U.S. median $91,532 U.S. middle half $63.4K–$127.3K · Below the U.S. median | $15,249 |
| International/Globalization Studies Bachelor's · Graduates: 384 | $81,174 | 1 yr$45,1684 yrs$81,1745 yrs$73,765 | U.S. median $59,972 U.S. middle half $40.8K–$82.9K · Above the U.S. median | $15,500 |
| Cognitive Science Bachelor's · Graduates: 332 | $81,160 | 1 yr$39,8394 yrs$81,1605 yrs$85,159 | U.S. median $81,496 U.S. middle half $53.3K–$130.4K · Below the U.S. median | $17,427 |
| Bachelor's · Graduates: 111 | $79,015 | 1 yr$52,3394 yrs$79,0155 yrs$70,456 | U.S. median $69,562 U.S. middle half $49.1K–$97.4K · Above the U.S. median | $16,250 |
| Bachelor's · Graduates: 122 | $77,249 | 1 yr$45,3104 yrs$77,2495 yrs$83,272 | U.S. median $65,120 U.S. middle half $48.3K–$84K · Above the U.S. median | $16,050 |
| Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology Bachelor's · Graduates: 361 | $72,491 | 1 yr$45,0664 yrs$72,4915 yrs$76,922 | U.S. median $65,466 U.S. middle half $44.9K–$88.4K · Above the U.S. median | $17,359 |
| Urban Studies/Affairs Bachelor's · Graduates: 30 | $71,380 | 1 yr$37,0744 yrs$71,3805 yrs$71,507 | U.S. median $62,532 U.S. middle half $43.6K–$81.7K · Above the U.S. median | $15,499 |
| Natural Resources Conservation and Research Bachelor's · Graduates: 39 | $69,061 | 1 yr$37,5244 yrs$69,0615 yrs$74,028 | U.S. median $55,012 U.S. middle half $39.4K–$72.8K · Above the U.S. median | $18,000 |
| Political Science and Government Bachelor's · Graduates: 255 | $67,713 | 1 yr$33,3454 yrs$67,7135 yrs$69,947 | U.S. median $63,293 U.S. middle half $44.8K–$85.4K · Above the U.S. median | $15,000 |
| Communication and Media Studies Bachelor's · Graduates: 255 | $67,302 | 1 yr$33,0464 yrs$67,3025 yrs$65,361 | U.S. median $56,359 U.S. middle half $39.6K–$76.1K · Above the U.S. median | $13,193 |
| Bachelor's · Graduates: 193 | $66,110 | 1 yr$39,1444 yrs$66,1105 yrs$67,103 | U.S. median $58,808 U.S. middle half $42K–$79.2K · Above the U.S. median | $15,000 |
| Visual and Performing Arts, Other Bachelor's · Graduates: 31 | $64,822 | 1 yr$34,4014 yrs$64,822 | U.S. median $47,629 U.S. middle half $28K–$65.3K · Above the U.S. median | $19,968 |
| Bachelor's · Graduates: 395 | $64,437 | 1 yr$34,5044 yrs$64,4375 yrs$69,381 | U.S. median $57,214 U.S. middle half $38.9K–$79.2K · Above the U.S. median | $17,450 |
| Microbiological Sciences and Immunology Bachelor's · Graduates: 29 Small sample | $64,428 | 1 yr$43,6084 yrs$64,428 | U.S. median $62,582 U.S. middle half $44K–$83.2K · Above the U.S. median | $13,811 |
| Research and Experimental Psychology Bachelor's · Graduates: 58 | $63,130 | 1 yr$23,4204 yrs$63,1305 yrs$70,223 | U.S. median $55,695 U.S. middle half $38.1K–$76.5K · Above the U.S. median | $14,814 |
| Neurobiology and Neurosciences Bachelor's · Graduates: 121 | $61,799 | 1 yr$32,0814 yrs$61,7995 yrs$69,515 | U.S. median $62,451 U.S. middle half $40.7K–$88.6K · Below the U.S. median | $19,000 |
| Bachelor's · Graduates: 49 | $61,745 | 1 yr$21,7134 yrs$61,7455 yrs$60,566 | U.S. median $50,680 U.S. middle half $36.3K–$66.7K · Above the U.S. median | $16,756 |
| Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services Bachelor's · Graduates: 61 | $61,262 | 1 yr$33,4894 yrs$61,2625 yrs$63,343 | U.S. median $48,568 U.S. middle half $35.1K–$62.7K · Above the U.S. median | $19,000 |
| Bachelor's · Graduates: 32 | $58,071 | 1 yr$21,5924 yrs$58,0715 yrs$44,134 | U.S. median $42,892 U.S. middle half $26K–$58.8K · Above the U.S. median | $19,500 |
| English Language and Literature/Letters, Other Bachelor's · Graduates: 34 | $57,900 | 1 yr$21,7884 yrs$57,9005 yrs$49,896 | U.S. median $46,634 U.S. middle half $30.9K–$61.4K · Above the U.S. median | $18,000 |
| Bachelor's · Graduates: 48 | $56,982 | 1 yr$28,5434 yrs$56,9825 yrs$53,445 | U.S. median $46,676 U.S. middle half $32.1K–$63.9K · Above the U.S. median | $13,500 |
| English Language and Literature, General Bachelor's · Graduates: 22 Small sample | $56,097 | 1 yr$24,5234 yrs$56,097 | U.S. median $48,590 U.S. middle half $33.7K–$63.8K · Above the U.S. median | $13,555 |
| Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology Bachelor's · Graduates: 65 | $56,000 | 1 yr$26,9534 yrs$56,0005 yrs$63,237 | U.S. median $50,523 U.S. middle half $35.2K–$66.9K · Above the U.S. median | $15,000 |
| Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services Bachelor's · Graduates: 40 | $55,776 | 1 yr$19,8094 yrs$55,7765 yrs$52,751 | U.S. median $49,984 U.S. middle half $32.9K–$69.9K · Above the U.S. median | $14,497 |
| Bachelor's · Graduates: 110 | $55,534 | 1 yr$36,4644 yrs$55,5345 yrs$60,237 | U.S. median $52,657 U.S. middle half $37.7K–$69.5K · Above the U.S. median | $13,000 |
| Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies Bachelor's · Graduates: 33 | $53,319 | 1 yr$30,9844 yrs$53,3195 yrs$59,797 | U.S. median $51,710 U.S. middle half $34.9K–$68.1K · Above the U.S. median | $24,237 |
| Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology Bachelor's · Graduates: 87 | $52,701 | 1 yr$31,0884 yrs$52,7015 yrs$55,518 | U.S. median $48,842 U.S. middle half $36K–$64.3K · Above the U.S. median | $18,367 |
| Bachelor's · Graduates: 195 | $51,679 | 1 yr$29,1444 yrs$51,6795 yrs$56,911 | U.S. median $50,706 U.S. middle half $35.7K–$67.2K · Above the U.S. median | $15,446 |
| Bachelor's · Graduates: 40 | $48,506 | 1 yr$21,7774 yrs$48,5065 yrs$45,044 | U.S. median $41,367 U.S. middle half $26.2K–$56.7K · Above the U.S. median | $14,833 |
| Visual and Performing Arts, General Bachelor's · Graduates: 62 | $45,915 | 4 yrs$45,9155 yrs$46,800 | U.S. median $41,688 U.S. middle half $25.8K–$59.9K · Above the U.S. median | $15,000 |
| Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft Bachelor's · Graduates: 36 | $41,389 | 1 yr$18,0264 yrs$41,3895 yrs$39,424 | U.S. median $39,775 U.S. middle half $25.5K–$55.4K · Above the U.S. median | $14,458 |
Earnings are for graduates working and not enrolled, 4 years after completing, in 2024 dollars.
The U.S. median and middle half (25th to 75th percentile) are for graduates of the same field and credential level at all colleges, 4 years after completing.
The 1-year, 4-year and 5-year figures come from different graduating cohorts and dollar years (1-year: AY2018-19 and AY2019-20 graduates, 2022 dollars; 4-year: AY2017-18 and AY2018-19 graduates, 2024 dollars; 5-year: AY2014-15 and AY2015-16 graduates, 2022 dollars), so read them as three separate measures, not a single career path.
Small samples are noisy: the Scorecard adds privacy noise to program figures and some rows are based on only a handful of graduates, so rows marked “small sample” can move a lot from year to year.
What students study
The largest fields among the degrees and certificates this college awarded, grouped by two-digit CIP code (the federal Classification of Instructional Programs). Fields under 1% are left out.
Share of degrees and certificates awarded, by field
A large share means many awards, not necessarily many students or higher earnings. Data period: Awards in academic year 2024-25 (IPEDS).
Who attends
A snapshot of the undergraduate student body as this college reported it to the federal government. Shares are shown as published; they can differ slightly from 100% because of rounding.
Race and ethnicity
- White 17.2%
- Black or African American 1.6%
- Hispanic or Latino 26.5%
- Asian 34.6%
- American Indian or Alaska Native 0.1%
- Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.1%
- Two or more races 6.5%
- U.S. nonresident 11.1%
- Race and ethnicity unknown 2.3%
Federal reporting categories. Students who are not U.S. citizens or permanent residents are counted as nonresident, and students who did not report are counted as unknown. Data period: Fall 2024 (IPEDS).
Gender
- Men 45.2%
- Women 54.8%
Federal reporting uses two categories. Data period: Fall 2024 (IPEDS).
Students aged 25 or older
4%
of undergraduates
Many adult students work or have families while enrolled. Data period: Fall 2023 (IPEDS).
Students and campus
- Undergraduate enrollment
- 34,948
- Part-time students
- 2%
- Receive Pell Grants
- 34%
- Receive federal loans
- 21%
- Students per faculty member
- 19 : 1
- Setting
- City
Similar colleges
Schools of a similar type, price, size and outcomes.
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University of Washington-Seattle Campus
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Purdue University-Main Campus
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Where it ranks
This college appears in the top 50 of these TuitionScope rankings.
Guides worth reading
Plain-language explainers that help you read the numbers on this page.
More in California
In California
National rankings
Frequently asked questions
How much is tuition at University of California-San Diego?
For the 2024-25 academic year, University of California-San Diego reported undergraduate tuition and fees of $16,758 for in-state students and $50,958 for out-of-state students. These are published prices before grants and scholarships; what you pay depends on your aid.
What is the cost of attendance and net price at University of California-San Diego?
The average cost of attendance at University of California-San Diego is $38,701 a year (2023-24), counting tuition, books, housing and other living expenses. After grants and scholarships, the average net price is $12,470 a year. That is around the middle of public 4-year colleges.
How much financial aid do students at University of California-San Diego get?
34% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants. 21% receive federal loans. The average net price runs from $7,525 a year for families earning under $30,000 to $28,785 for families earning over $110,000 (2023-24).
What is the acceptance rate at University of California-San Diego?
University of California-San Diego admitted about 27% of applicants in fall 2024. That makes admission selective.
What are the graduation rate and retention rate at University of California-San Diego?
87% of first-time, full-time students at University of California-San Diego finish within 150% of normal time. 94% of full-time first-years return the next fall.
How much do University of California-San Diego graduates earn after graduation?
The median graduate earns $83,130 four years after finishing, among graduates working and not enrolled in further study (2024 dollars). One year after finishing, the median is $44,612.
Is University of California-San Diego worth it?
There is no single answer: it depends on your major, your aid and whether you finish. For University of California-San Diego, the data shows this. The earnings premium over a typical high-school graduate would cover the estimated net cost in about 1.1 years of work. Graduates who borrowed have a median debt of $15,500, about 0.2 times their median earnings four years after finishing. 87% of first-time, full-time students finish within 150% of normal time. These are averages, not predictions, and they do not count income forgone while studying.
How much debt do University of California-San Diego graduates have?
Graduates who borrowed have a median federal-loan debt of $15,500, or about $164 a month on a 10-year plan.
Sources and data periods
All figures come from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard (June 2026 release). Periods differ by measure:
- Average net price: AcadYr 2023-24, reported in IPEDS DCY2024-25
- Acceptance rate: Fall 2024, reported in IPEDS DCY2024-25
- Graduation rate: Fall 2018 or AcadYr 2018-19 cohort (differs by institutional calendar), reported in IPEDS DCY2024-25 pooled with previous years (# of total pooled years found in POOLYRS)
- Median earnings: Treasury AY2017-18, AY2018-19 pooled cohort measured in CY2022, CY2023, inflation adjusted to 2024 dollars
- Median graduate debt: NSLDS FY2020, FY2021 pooled cohorts
Some figures are blank because the school did not report them or the group was too small to publish. How we calculate things