PublicUrban

University of California-San Diego

UCSD UC San Diego

La Jolla, California 92093

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Data last updated: May 29, 2026

Campus Vibe

Sciences-focusedLarge campusUrbanGreek life

Highly selective — top graduate earnings

University of California-San Diego is a public institution in La Jolla with particular strength in biology and engineering.

A large campus of 33.8K undergraduates with a 19:1 student-faculty ratio. The urban location puts students at the center of city life.

88% of students graduate within four years, and graduates earn a median of $84,943 a decade after enrollment. Net price after aid averages $11,750.

Established

1960

Motto

Fiat lux

Mascot

King Triton

Type

Public land-grant research university

Conference

Big West Conference

Division

Division II

Plan Your Visit

25%Acceptance

—SAT Avg

33,787Students

19:1Student:Faculty

88%Grad Rate

$84,943Earnings 10yr

$11,750Net Price

Admissions

Acceptance Rate24.5%

Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard / IPEDS.

Cost & Financial Aid

Sticker Price

Tuition (in-state)$15,265

Tuition (out-of-state)$46,042

Room & Board$17,198

Books & Supplies$1,307

Total Cost of Attendance$36,325

Average Net Price$11,750

Median Debt at Graduation$15,500

Monthly Payment (10yr)$164

Net Price by Family Income

$0–30K$7,487

$30–48K$7,864

$48–75K$10,389

$75–110K$17,131

$110K+$28,113

Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Net price reflects most recent cohort of federally-aided undergraduates.

Debt & Aid Detail

Graduate w/ Zero Debt

76.0%

Median Debt at Grad

$14,778

Campus Safety

Total Incidents (2024)

258

Peer Average

240

3-Year Trend

Emergency System

24/7 campus police department, blue-light phone network, emergency mass notification system

Incident Breakdown (2024)

Burglary

Aggravated Assault

Robbery

Motor Vehicle Theft

Sex Offenses

Arson

Drug Arrests

Liquor Arrests

Source: U.S. Department of Education Campus Safety & Security data (Clery Act, 2024 reporting year).

Programs (190)

Student Life

Student Satisfaction

Retention Rate

94%

Positive

Student Body

Undergrads

33,787

Gender Split

54% / 46%

Women / Men

First Generation

40%

Pell Grant Recipients

33%

Race & Ethnicity

White 18%

Black 2%

Hispanic 25%

Asian 34%

Two+ 6%

Int'l 12%

Outcomes

4-Year Graduation Rate87.6%

Freshman Retention93.9%

Median Earnings After Graduation

6 Years$65,669

10 Years$84,943

Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Earnings reflect federally-aided students 6 and 10 years after entry.

Rankings

U.S. News

#29

—

vs 2024

Forbes

#20

—

vs 2024

Wall Street Journal

#29

—

vs 2024

Washington Monthly

#24

—

vs 2024

More About This School

Varsity Sports

Volleyball teams

History & Fun Facts

•The city voted to agree to its part of the deal in 1958, and the UC Board of Regents approved construction of the new campus in 1960.
•UC San Diego was the first general campus of the University of California to be designed "from the top down" in terms of research emphasis.

Source: Wikipedia

Location & Lifestyle

Cost of Living

163Very High

Estimated from CA state average + large city premium

Climate (School Year)

Snowfall: 0"Sunny days: 250Rainy days: 75

Nearest Cities

San Diegopop. 1.4M

12 mi(21 min)

Los Angelespop. 3.9M

100 mi(173 min)

Phoenixpop. 1.6M

301 mi(522 min)

Getting There

Nearest Airports

SAN San Diego10 mi

LAX Los Angeles100 mi

LAS Las Vegas251 mi

Distance to Cities

Boston, MA2577 mi · ~74h 27m drive

New York, NY2427 mi · ~70h 7m drive

Hartford, CT2495 mi · ~72h 5m drive

Providence, RI2560 mi · ~73h 57m drive

Albany, NY2440 mi · ~70h 29m drive

Syracuse, NY2320 mi · ~67h 1m drive

Rochester, NY2247 mi · ~64h 55m drive

Buffalo, NY2182 mi · ~63h 2m drive

Philadelphia, PA2367 mi · ~68h 23m drive

Pittsburgh, PA2112 mi · ~61h 1m drive

Harrisburg, PA2276 mi · ~65h 45m drive

Newark, NJ2418 mi · ~69h 51m drive

Washington, DC2270 mi · ~65h 35m drive

Baltimore, MD2292 mi · ~66h 13m drive

Atlanta, GA1890 mi · ~54h 36m drive

Charlotte, NC2078 mi · ~60h 2m drive

Raleigh, NC2197 mi · ~63h 28m drive

Miami, FL2273 mi · ~65h 40m drive

Orlando, FL2141 mi · ~61h 51m drive

Tampa, FL2091 mi · ~60h 24m drive

Nashville, TN1741 mi · ~50h 18m drive

New Orleans, LA1610 mi · ~46h 31m drive

Richmond, VA2253 mi · ~65h 5m drive

Chicago, IL1730 mi · ~49h 59m drive

Detroit, MI1967 mi · ~56h 49m drive

Minneapolis, MN1527 mi · ~44h 7m drive

St. Louis, MO1561 mi · ~45h 6m drive

Kansas City, MO1333 mi · ~38h 31m drive

Indianapolis, IN1784 mi · ~51h 32m drive

Columbus, OH1952 mi · ~56h 23m drive

Cleveland, OH2029 mi · ~58h 37m drive

Milwaukee, WI1734 mi · ~50h 6m drive

Dallas, TX1185 mi · ~34h 14m drive

Houston, TX1306 mi · ~37h 44m drive

Austin, TX1160 mi · ~33h 31m drive

San Antonio, TX1132 mi · ~32h 42m drive

Los Angeles, CA100 mi · ~2h 53m drive

San Francisco, CA447 mi · ~12h 55m drive

San Diego, CA12 mi · ~21 min drive

Seattle, WA1052 mi · ~30h 23m drive

Portland, OR920 mi · ~26h 35m drive

Denver, CO829 mi · ~23h 57m drive

Phoenix, AZ301 mi · ~8h 42m drive

Salt Lake City, UT619 mi · ~17h 53m drive

Honolulu, HI2605 mi · ~75h 15m drive

Southern (mild winters, hot summers)

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