Rankings

School-Wide Rankings

US News and World Report Ranking of Best Engineering Schools (published April 2023)

The Jacobs School of Engineering ranks 12th among the nation's top engineering schools, and 8th in the nation among public universities according to the US News and World Report Ranking of Best Engineering Schools (published April 2023). Read about the new Jacobs School rankings here.

With $245 million in federal, state and industry research expenditures, the Jacobs School of Engineering ranks #1 in California, and #1 on the West Coast, for research expenditures. (US News and World Report Ranking of Best Engineering Schools, published April 2023). We are a core part of UC San Diego's incredible $1.76B research enterprise.

US News and World Report

The graduate program rankings below are from US News and World Report Ranking of Best Engineering Schools (published April 2023)

Bioengineering
The Department of Bioengineering ranks 5th in the nation for biomedical/bioengineering (US News and World Report Ranking of Best Engineering Schools, published April 2023). Bioengineering has ranked among the top five programs in the nation every year for more than a decade.

Computer Engineering
The Jacobs School ranks 10th in computer engineering, a program offered in both the Department of Computer Science and Engineering (CSE) and the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE). (US News and World Report Ranking of Best Engineering Schools, published April 2023).

Computer Science and Engineering
The Department of Computer Science and Engineering (CSE) ranks 8th in computer systems; 12th in the nation overall; 12th in programming language; 12th in artificial intelligence; and 12th in computer science theory. (US News and World Report Ranking of Best Engineering Schools, published April 2023).

Electrical and Computer Engineering
The Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) ranks 14th for its programs in electrical / electronic / communications engineering (US News and World Report Ranking of Best Engineering Schools, published April 2023).

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
The Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering ranks 18th for aerospace / aeronautical / astronautical engineering; and 23rd for mechanical engineering. (US News and World Report Ranking of Best Engineering Schools, published April 2023).

NanoEngineering
The Jacobs School ranks 30th for materials engineering and 47th for chemical engineering. Much of this work is performed within the Jacobs School's Department of NanoEngineering. (US News and World Report Ranking of Best Engineering Schools, published April 2023).

Structural Engineering
The Department of Structural Engineering is ranked 25th for civil engineering (US News and World Report Ranking of Best Engineering Schools, published April 2023).

US News and World Report Best Global Universities Rankings (published October 2022)

Engineering at UC San Diego ranks 8th in the nation among public institutions, 12th in the nation overall, and 74th in the world. (US News and World Report Best Global Universities for Engineering ranking, published October 2022.)

Computer Science at UC San Diego ranks 7th in the nation among public institutions, 12th in the nation overall, and 36th in the world. ( U.S. News Best Global Universities for Computer Science ranking, published October 2022.)

Biotechnology and Applied Microbiology at UC San Diego ranks #1 in the nation among public institutions, #4 in the nation overall, and #4 in the world. (US News and World Report Best Global Universities for Engineering ranking, published October 2022.)

Nanotechnology and Nanoscience at UC San Diego ranks #6 in the nation among public institutions, #13 in the nation overall, and #75 in the world. (US News and World Report Best Global Universities for Engineering ranking, published October 2022.)

Materials Science at UC San Diego ranks #8 in the nation among public institutions, #14 in the nation overall, and #58 in the world. (US News and World Report Best Global Universities for Engineering ranking, published October 2022.)

Additional Rankings

The biocomputing, bioinformatics, biotechnology program, a multidisciplinary undergraduate offering supported by three UC San Diego divisions, including the Jacobs School of Engineering, is ranked #2 in the nation. (US News and World Report Best Colleges Ranking, published September 2023)

The mobile and web applications undergraduate specialty within the Department of Computer Science and Engineering is ranked #5 in the nation. (US News and World Report Best Colleges Ranking, published September 2023)

The bioengineering and biomedical undergraduate program in the Shu Chien-Gene Lay Department of Bioengineering is ranked #8 in the nation. (US News and World Report Best Colleges Ranking, published September 2023)

The Department of Bioengineering ranks 1st in the nation for biomedical engineering, according to the 2010 National Research Council (NRC) rankings.

Mechanical Engineering at UC San Diego ranks 3rd in the USA and 8th in the world, according to the 2020 Global Ranking of Academic Subjects from Academic Ranking of World Universities (ARWU) from ShanghaiRanking.

Biotechnology at UC San Diego ranks 4th in the USA and 6th in the world, and Biomedical Engineering at UC San Diego ranks 12th in the USA, according to the 2022 Global Ranking of Academic Subjects from Academic Ranking of World Universities (ARWU) from ShanghaiRanking.

Structural Engineering at UC San Diego ranks 11th in the USA among Civil Engineering programs, according to the 2022 Global Ranking of Academic Subjects from Academic Ranking of World Universities (ARWU) from ShanghaiRanking.

Electrical Engineering at UC San Diego ranks 17th in the USA, according to the 2022 Global Ranking of Academic Subjects from Academic Ranking of World Universities (ARWU) from ShanghaiRanking.

Nanoengineering ranks 11th in the country, according to the 2022 Global Ranking of Academic Subjects from Academic Ranking of World Universities (ARWU) from ShanghaiRanking.

Computer Science and Engineering is tied for 17th in the country, according to the 2022 Global Ranking of Academic Subjects from Academic Ranking of World Universities (ARWU) from ShanghaiRanking.

UC San Diego Rankings

The University of California San Diego has earned 5 stars–the highest rating available–in Money’s Best Colleges in America 2023 list. The outlet, which annually recognizes colleges that combine quality and affordability, named UC San Diego one of only 13 public universities in the nation to receive a 5-star rating.

UC San Diego is the #6 public institution in the nation, according to the 2024 U.S. News & World Report Best College rankings. 

UC San Diego Rankings and Campus Profile

Standings

STANDINGS: ENROLLMENT FOR JACOBS SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING AT UC SAN DIEGO
(school-wide enrollment: bachelors, masters, PhD)

#2 in California for school-wide enrollment in engineering schools (ASEE 2022 data, published Fall 2023)

The Jacobs School of Engineering at UC San Diego is the second largest engineering school in California, according to the latest enrollment data from ASEE.

Jacobs School Statistics

UC San Diego Jacobs School of Engineering

The Jacobs School of Engineering at the University of California San Diego offers excellence at scale in research, education, public service, and technology transfer. The Jacobs School of Engineering is the #8 public engineering school in the nation and #12 in the nation overall. With 279 faculty and more than 9,600 students in six departments, the Jacobs School of Engineering is the largest engineering school in California. The Jacobs School of Engineering ranks #1 in California, and #1 on the West Coast, for research expenditures. Our entrepreneurial faculty lead teams that work across disciplines and industries to tackle the toughest challenges that no lab, department or company can handle alone. At the UC San Diego Jacobs School of Engineering, we make bold possible.