University of California, San Diego
#28 in National Universities (tie)
Overview
University of California, San Diego is a public institution that was founded in 1960. It has a total undergraduate enrollment of 33,096 (fall 2022), its setting is urban, and the campus size is 1,976 acres. It utilizes a quarter-based academic calendar. University of California, San Diego's ranking in the 2024 edition of Best Colleges is National Universities, #28. Its in-state tuition and fees are $16,056; out-of-state tuition and fees are $48,630.
The University of California, San Diego lies alongside the Pacific Ocean in the La Jolla community of San Diego. The UCSD Tritons compete in more than 20 NCAA Division II sports, mainly in the California Collegiate Athletic Association. The school has hundreds of student organizations, and the university hosts a thriving Greek community. All freshmen are eligible for guaranteed on-campus housing for two years, but they are not required to live on campus. The campus has an aquarium and is home to the Large High Performance Outdoor Shake Table, which tests structures’ ability to withstand simulated earthquakes.
UCSD includes six undergraduate colleges, five academic divisions and five graduate and professional schools. Its School of Medicine and Jacobs School of Engineering are highly ranked. One UCSD tradition is the Sun God Festival, which began in the 1980s and includes concerts featuring popular musicians, carnival activities, vendors and student booths. UCSD is also known for its International House, where approximately 350 students from more than 30 countries live and learn together. Notable UCSD alumni include Guy "Bud" Tribble and Bill Atkinson, who helped create the first Apple Macintosh computer, and Mike Judge, an actor, writer, director and producer who created the film "Office Space" and the TV series "King of the Hill."
University of California, San Diego is a public institution that was founded in 1960. It has a total undergraduate enrollment of 33,096 (fall 2022), its setting is urban, and the campus size is 1,976 acres. It utilizes a quarter-based academic calendar. University of California, San Diego's ranking in the 2024 edition of Best Colleges is National Universities, #28. Its in-state tuition and fees are $16,056; out-of-state tuition and fees are $48,630.
The University of California, San Diego lies alongside the Pacific Ocean in the La Jolla community of San Diego. The UCSD Tritons compete in more than 20 NCAA Division II sports, mainly in the California Collegiate Athletic Association. The school has hundreds of student organizations, and the university hosts a thriving Greek community. All freshmen are eligible for guaranteed on-campus housing for two years, but they are not required to live on campus. The campus has an aquarium and is home to the Large High Performance Outdoor Shake Table, which tests structures’ ability to withstand simulated earthquakes.
UCSD includes six undergraduate colleges, five academic divisions and five graduate and professional schools. Its School of Medicine and Jacobs School of Engineering are highly ranked. One UCSD tradition is the Sun God Festival, which began in the 1980s and includes concerts featuring popular musicians, carnival activities, vendors and student booths. UCSD is also known for its International House, where approximately 350 students from more than 30 countries live and learn together. Notable UCSD alumni include Guy "Bud" Tribble and Bill Atkinson, who helped create the first Apple Macintosh computer, and Mike Judge, an actor, writer, director and producer who created the film "Office Space" and the TV series "King of the Hill."
+ Show More
At-a-Glance
Setting
Urban
In-state tuition and fees
$16,056
Undergraduate Enrollment
33,096
Acceptance Rate
24%
2024 Rankings
Schools are ranked according to their performance across a set of widely accepted indicators of excellence. Read more about how we rank schools.
My Fit Score
My Fit Custom College Ranking
Does this school fit your college needs? Receive a personalized ranking provided by U.S. News College Compass and find out. Try it now
Admissions
Cost
Out-of-State Tuition & Fees
$48,630
In-State Tuition & Fees
$16,056
Room & Board
$17,325(2023-24)
Average Need-Based Aid Package
$28,830
$14,895
$14,895
Out-of-State Tuition & Fees
$48,630
In-State Tuition & Fees
$16,056
Room & Board
$17,325(2023-24)
Average Need-Based Aid Package
$28,830
*Average in-state cost after aid
Academics
72%
19:1
45%
Popular Majors
MAJOR
% OF GRADUATES
ALUMNI STARTING SALARY
Biology, General
17%
N/A
Psychology, General
8%
N/A
Cognitive Science, General
8%
N/A
Computer Science
7%
N/A
Economics
7%
N/A
| |||
| |||
| |||
| |||
|
* In cases where salary data at the specific major level is unavailable, a general salary for the major category is displayed.
Faculty Research Impact
Bibliometric Rank
9
Bibliometrics is the statistical analyses of publications and citations for the purpose of measuring faculty research impact.Publications Cited in Top 25% of Journals
71%
Publications Cited in Top 5% of Journals
26%
Total Papers published between 2018-2022
52,721
Citations Per Publication
20:1
Pick the Perfect Major
Discover the perfect major for you based on your innate wiring. The Innate Assessment sets you up for success by pairing you with majors, colleges and careers that fit your unique skills and abilities.
Students
33,096
Graduate Enrollment
8,386
Total Enrollment
41,482
Full-Time Degree-Seeking Students
31,451
Student Diversity
Gender Distribution
Ethnic Diversity
65%
Minority Enrollment
65%
Minority Enrollment
39%
Asian
23%
Hispanic
19%
White
14%
International
3%
Black
2%
Unknown
Not Specified is not included in this breakdown due to an enrollment of 0%.
Campus Life
Housing and Dorms
Types of campus housing available:
Student Activities
93+
Sports Teams
24
Fraternities
21
Sororities
After College
Graduation Rate
72%
Graduating Students Who Have Borrowed (any loan type, 2021)
39%
Average Debt at Graduation
$19,230
$44,276
$44,276
Graduation Rate
72%
Graduating Students Who Have Borrowed (any loan type, 2021)
39%
Average Debt at Graduation
$19,230
Schools You Might Also Like
Reviews & Ratings
See reviews and ratings of this school from students, alumni, staff and others. These reviews are not written by U.S. News and have no impact on any of the Best Colleges rankings. Read an explanation of user ratings.
Read More
Undergraduate data are based on the 2022 school year.
More from This School
More from This School
My Fit Score
My Fit Custom College Ranking
Does this school fit your college needs? Receive a personalized ranking provided by U.S. News College Compass and find out. Try it now
Top Schools in California
You can compare up to 25 schools at a time. Please remove a school before adding another.