26.7%
Acceptance Rate
$16,758
Avg Cost (In-State)
$50,958
Avg Cost (Out-of-State)
86.8%
Graduation Rate
34,948
Total Enrollment
Popular programs
Application requirements
Regular Deadline
November 30
Common App
No
Test Policy
Test Free
Essays Required
4
Letters of Rec
0
Application Fee
$80
Interview
Not required
Essays: 4 Personal Insight Questions from a choice of 8 prompts, 350 words each
Note: Uses UC Application system only; all UCs share same application and deadline
Requirements are AI-generated from public data and may change. Always verify directly with the college.
Getting there
Graduate outcomes
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard
$65,669
Median Earnings at 6 Years
median graduate salary 6 years after starting
$84,943
Median Earnings at 10 Years
median graduate salary 10 years after starting
87%
4-Year Graduation Rate
students completing degree within 4 years
Earnings data: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Figures reflect federal aid recipients only — actual median earnings may be higher at schools where many students receive grants rather than loans.
Earnings by major
Median earnings 1 year after graduation, by bachelor's program. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard FieldOfStudy data.
| Program | Median earnings (1yr) | Earnings (4yr) | Graduates |
|---|---|---|---|
| Biology, General. | $34,504 | $64,437 | 505 |
| Cognitive Science. | $39,839 | $81,160 | 463 |
| International/Globalization Studies. | $45,168 | $81,174 | 415 |
| Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology. | $45,066 | $72,491 | 388 |
| Political Science and Government. | $33,345 | $67,713 | 325 |
| Computer Science. | $112,006 | $159,487 | 266 |
| Communication and Media Studies. | $33,046 | $67,302 | 254 |
| Mathematics and Computer Science. | $89,651 | $137,218 | 236 |
Tracked through federal tax records. Programs with fewer than 30 graduates with reported earnings are privacy-suppressed. 4-year figure tracks the same cohort 3 years later.
What current students say
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Verify with .edu and write oneWhat will you actually pay?
Personalized cost estimate based on your family's finances and academic profile
Calculate Your Cost at University of California-San Diego
Get a personalized estimate of what you'd pay to attend University of California-San Diego
Tactics that apply here
Things you can do that most families don't know about.
California Eligibility in the Local Context (ELC) — UC
~$25k valueCalifornia's top 9% by their own high school's UC GPA distribution are guaranteed admission to at least one UC campus (not necessarily their first choice).
Who it helps: California residents in the top 9% of their high school class by weighted UC GPA, especially those at less-selective high schools.
How to use: Apply to UC via the system-wide application by November 30. UC determines ELC eligibility automatically from your transcripts.
Source ↗Early Action priority deadlines unlock the biggest merit pools
~$15k valueAt many public universities, applying by the EA deadline (Nov 1) instead of regular (Feb 1) decides whether you're considered for the top merit awards.
Who it helps: Students with their applications ready by November of senior year, especially those targeting merit-rich publics.
How to use: List each target school's EA deadline (commonly Nov 1, sometimes Oct 15 or Dec 1). Submit complete applications + test scores by then. Confirm merit-scholarship deadlines separately — some require a different priority date or supplemental essay.
Source ↗Cal Grant
~$14k valueCalifornia's main need-based aid: covers full tuition at UC, CSU, or community college for in-state residents who meet GPA + income thresholds.
Who it helps: California residents attending UC, CSU, or qualifying private/community colleges, with family income under the published Cal Grant cap.
How to use: File FAFSA (or CADAA for undocumented students) by March 2. Confirm your school submits the GPA Verification Form. Award notification by April 30.
Source ↗File FAFSA the day it opens
~$5k valueMost schools award state and institutional aid first-come-first-served from a fixed pool. Filing FAFSA in October beats filing in February by thousands.
Who it helps: Every student applying for need-based aid, but especially families relying on state grants or institutional aid.
How to use: Set a calendar reminder for the FAFSA opening date (currently Oct 1 most years; Dec 1 in the 2024-25 transition year). Use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool to auto-fill tax info. Submit even if you have to estimate; corrections are easy.
Source ↗CSS Profile is required by 200+ private schools — separate from FAFSA
Most selective private colleges use the CSS Profile in addition to FAFSA. It costs $25 + $16/school and reaches deeper into family finances than FAFSA does.
Who it helps: Any student applying to a private 4-year with significant institutional aid needs.
How to use: Check the CSS Profile school list for each of your target colleges. Open the app at cssprofile.collegeboard.org as soon as it opens (early Oct). Submit ahead of each school's earliest priority date — often before the FAFSA deadline.
Source ↗Scholarships
Scholarships you may qualify for.
UC Regents Scholarship (system-wide)
$2,000-$30,000+ (varies by campus)
universityTop ~2% UC admitted freshmen at each UC campus; merit + holistic.
Deadline: Through UC admission
Learn more ↗UC San Diego Chancellor's Scholarship
$1,000-$5,000/year
universityUCSD admits with academic merit + leadership.
Deadline: Through UCSD admission
Learn more ↗Cal Grant (California)
Up to $14,296/year (Cal Grant A) or $1,656/year (Cal Grant B)
stateCalifornia residents attending eligible California colleges. Based on GPA and financial need via FAFSA/CADAA.
Deadline: March 2
Learn more ↗Cal Poly SLO President's Honors Scholarship
$5,000-$10,000/year
universityTop Cal Poly SLO Honors College freshmen with academic merit.
Deadline: November 30
Learn more ↗San Jose State Honors Scholarship
$2,000-$6,000/year
universityTop SJSU Honors College admits with academic record + leadership.
Deadline: December 1
Learn more ↗CA Law Enforcement Personnel Dependents Grant
Up to $14,000/year
stateChildren/spouses of CA peace officers, firefighters, or correctional officers killed in line of duty.
Deadline: FAFSA/CADAA
Learn more ↗San Diego State Presidential Scholarship
Full cost of attendance for 4 years
universityTop SDSU freshmen via competitive process; combines academics + leadership.
Deadline: November 30
Learn more ↗CA Child Development Permit Stipend
Up to $2,000-$3,000/year
stateCA students pursuing early childhood education with commitment to teaching service.
Deadline: Through institution
Learn more ↗PG&E Better Together Scholarship
Up to $4,000 (45+ awards)
stateNorthern + Central CA students pursuing STEM, vocational tech, or business in PG&E service territory.
Deadline: Mid-February
Learn more ↗Net price by income
What it actually costs your family.
Average net price (tuition, fees, room/board minus grant aid) by household income tier, AY 2023–24. Source: IPEDS NPRC1.
| Household income | Average net price / year |
|---|---|
| $0 – $30,000 | $7,525 |
| $30,001 – $48,000 | $8,155 |
| $48,001 – $75,000 | $9,942 |
| $75,001 – $110,000 | $15,199 |
| $110,001+ | $28,785 |
Cost calculator
See the full income-tier cost breakdown for University of California-San Diego →
Type your household income and get a per-family estimate, plus % off sticker and a methodology breakdown.
Round-by-round
Acceptance rates by application round.
The single overall 26.7% rate hides a 2–4x gap between ED and RD at most selective schools. Class of 2027 cycle.
Regular Decision
26.71%
acceptance
Bulk-imported from College Scorecard (admission_rate.overall). Deadline/notification dates are typical RD defaults; revise as needed.
Source ↗Class profile
Who actually goes here.
From the most recent Common Data Set and IPEDS.
34.2%
% Pell-eligible
Federal Pell grant recipients
39.6%
% first-generation
First in family to attend college
28.3%
% URM
Black, Hispanic/Latino, Native combined
94.0%
1st-to-2nd year retention
Freshmen who return as sophomores
86.1%
6-year grad rate
Graduate within 150% normal time
For transfer students
Transferring in to University of California-San Diego.
51%
Transfer admit rate
3.0
Min transfer GPA
CA TAG (yes) + IGETC
State articulation
Participates in TAG. Complete IGETC + required courses by spring of transfer year.
Peer colleges
Similar colleges to consider.
Similar selectivity
University of California-Irvine
Irvine, CA
28.6% acceptance
Both admit around 29% of applicants, with 30k undergrads and a s campus — a close selectivity match.
University of Florida
Gainesville, FL
24.2% acceptance
Both admit around 24% of applicants, with 36k undergrads and a c campus — a close selectivity match.
Florida State University
Tallahassee, FL
24.2% acceptance
Both admit around 24% of applicants, with 32k undergrads and a c campus — a close selectivity match.
Cheaper alternatives
San Diego State University
San Diego, CA
36.2% acceptance
Similar selectivity (36% vs 27%) but out-of-state cost runs $21k — meaningfully less than $51k.
California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo
San Luis Obispo, CA
31.3% acceptance
Similar selectivity (31% vs 27%) but out-of-state cost runs $35k — meaningfully less than $51k.
Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University
Tallahassee, FL
20.6% acceptance
Similar selectivity (21% vs 27%) but out-of-state cost runs $18k — meaningfully less than $51k.
Reaches above this college
Safer alternatives
University of Puerto Rico-Mayaguez
Mayaguez, PR
56.5% acceptance
Same s setting in the region, but higher admit rate (57% vs 27%) — a likelier admit with a similar feel.
Chapman University
Orange, CA
65.4% acceptance
Same s setting in the West, but higher admit rate (65% vs 27%) — a likelier admit with a similar feel.
University of California-Santa Cruz
Santa Cruz, CA
65.8% acceptance
Same s setting in the West, but higher admit rate (66% vs 27%) — a likelier admit with a similar feel.
Transfer pathways
Routes in from a community college.
From CA community colleges
TAGUCSD participates in the UC Transfer Admission Guarantee (TAG) program with California community colleges. Six of the nine UCs offer TAG (UCSD does as well). Transfers must complete IGETC or specified major prerequisites at a CCC. The general transfer admit rate at UCSD runs roug…
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