University of California-San Diego — La Jolla, United States

About University of California-San Diego

UC San Diego was established in 1960 as a University of California campus in La Jolla, building on the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, and Herbert York was its first chancellor. Its first undergraduates enrolled at Revelle College in 1964, and early faculty included Nobel laureates Harold Urey and Maria Goeppert Mayer. Undergraduates belong to residential colleges, and the campus is a major center for research.

Oceanography (Scripps Institution of Oceanography)
Biological and biomedical sciences
Engineering
Residential college system

Source

At a glance

Students: 45,087
International: 11.1%
Students per teacher: 19:1
Founded: 1960
Type: Public
Endowment: $1.4B
Motto: Fiat lux (Let there be light)

La Jolla, United States32.716, -117.165

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Rankings

QSQS#81World · 2027Source
THETHE#47World · 2026Source
WebometricsWebometrics#19World · 2026United States #13Source
CWURCWUR#34World · 2026United States #21Source
ARWUARWU#20World · 2026Source
NCSES HERDNCSES HERD#7United States and outlying areas · Total R&D expenditures · 2024Source
URAPURAP#47World · 2025United States #12Source

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Admissions & how to apply

Check the entry requirements for your course and qualifications.
Apply on the university’s own application page.
Pay the application fee ($80).

Application fee

Per application$80Source

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Costs & aid

International tuition$42,611per year · 2023

Fees$3,431
Room & board2023$17,198

US net price$14,794

What US families pay after grants, by household income. International students usually pay the full price.

<$30k$9,229
$30–48k$9,965
$48–75k$12,147
$75–110k$17,235
>$110k$32,338

Source

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Programmes

221 programmes

Cognitive Science, GeneralBachelor’s · 833 graduates 2025
Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods, OtherBachelor’s · 601 graduates 2025
AnatomyBachelor’s · 585 graduates 2025
Mathematics and Computer ScienceBachelor’s · 454 graduates 2025
Computer ScienceBachelor’s · 429 graduates 2025
International/Globalization StudiesBachelor’s · 369 graduates 2025
Psychology, GeneralBachelor’s · 365 graduates 2025
Biology/Biological Sciences, GeneralBachelor’s · 343 graduates 2025
Computer ScienceMaster’s · 337 graduates 2025
Political Science and Government, GeneralBachelor’s · 322 graduates 2025
Information TechnologyBachelor’s · 250 graduates 2025
Mechanical EngineeringBachelor’s · 248 graduates 2025

…

Outcomes

Admit rate: 26.7%
Graduate in 4 years: 74.2%
Graduate in 6 years: 86%
Return after year one: 94%
Pell grant students: 38.1%
Students with federal loans: 23.8%
Median debt: $13,000

Median earnings after starting

1 year$47,332
6 years$67,904
10 years$96,197

Student body

Women54%
Men46%

US government and university data. Figures describe past students, not your own chances. Source

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