University of California-San Diego

www.ucsd.edu/

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2021 Undergraduate Tuition

$11,442

2021 Average Net Price

$15,632

After Financial Aid

2019 Student Loan

0.663%

Default Rate

2021 Acceptance Rate

34.2%

118,386 Applicants

2021 Enrolled Students

41,885

96.2% Full-Time

2021 Graduation Rate

89.3%

4,723 Graduates

About

University of California-San Diego is a higher education institution located in San Diego County, CA. In 2021, the most popular Bachelors Degree concentrations at University of California-San Diego were Cognitive Science (699 degrees awarded), International & Global Studies (585 degrees), and Computer Science (537 degrees).

In 2021, 11,974 degrees were awarded across all undergraduate and graduate programs at University of California-San Diego. 49.5% of these degrees were awarded to women, and 50.5% awarded men. The most common race/ethnicity group of degree recipients was asian (3,418 degrees), 1.3 times more than then the next closest race/ethnicity group, white (2,621 degrees).

The median undergraduate tuition at University of California-San Diego is $11,442, which is $−17,550 less than the national average for Doctoral Universities ($28,992).

Photo by Vince Smith

Doctoral Universities: Highest Research Activity Doctoral Universities

Costs

In 2021, the median undergraduate tuition at University of California-San Diego is $11,442, which is $−17,550 less than the national average for Doctoral Universities ($28,992).

After taking grants and loans into account, the average net price for students is $15,632.

In 2021, 57% of undergraduate students attending University of California-San Diego received financial aid through grants. Comparatively, 25% of undergraduate students received financial aid through loans.

Tuition Costs

$11,442

2021 Undergraduate Tuition

In 2021, the cost of tuition at University of California-San Diego was $11,442. The cost of tuition at University of California-San Diego is $−17,550 less than than the overall (public and private) national average for Doctoral Universities ($28,992).

This chart compares the tuition costs of University of California-San Diego (in red) with those of other similar universities.

Average Net Price

$15,632

2021 Value

2.69%

1 Year Growth

In 2021 University of California-San Diego had an average net price — the price paid after factoring in grants and loans — of $15,632. Between 2020 and 2021, the average net price of University of California-San Diego grew by 2.69%.

This chart compares the average net price of University of California-San Diego (in red) with that of other similar universities.

Average net price is calculated from full-time beginning undergraduate students who were awarded a grant or scholarship from federal, state or local governments, or the institution.

Other Student Expenses

$14,543

Room and Board

$1,124

Books and Supplies

The average yearly cost of room and board at University of California-San Diego was of $14,543 in 2021. The cost of room and board increased by 4.05% between 2020 and 2021.

During the same period, the average yearly cost of books and supplies was $1,124. The cost of books and supplies decreased by 0.355% during the same period.

This chart compares the average student costs at University of California-San Diego (in red) with that of similar universities.

Financial Aid by Income Level

57%

Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Grants

25%

Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Loans

57% of undergraduate students at University of California-San Diego received financial aid through grants or loans in 2021. This represents a decline of 3.39% with respect to 2020, when 59% of undergraduate students received financial aid.

This chart compares the average award discount at University of California-San Diego (in red) with that of other similar universities.

The average award discount is the ratio between the average grant or scholarship value, and the cost, which is the sum of out-of-state tuition, room, board, book, supplies, and other expenses.

Student Loan Default Rate

Cohort default rates only account for borrowers who default in the first three years, and some schools only have a small proportion of borrowers entering repayment. These rates should be interpreted with caution, as they may not be reflective of the entire school population.

0.663%

2019 Default Rate

Number of Defaults

In 2019 the default rate for borrower's at University of California-San Diego was 0.663%, which represents 31 out of the 4673 total borrowers.

A cohort default rate is the percentage of a school's borrowers who enter repayment on certain Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL) Program or William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan (Direct Loan) Program loans during a particular federal fiscal year (FY), October 1 to September 30, and default or meet other specified conditions prior to the end of the second following fiscal year.

Admissions

University of California-San Diego received 118,386 undergraduate applications in 2021, which represents a 18.3% annual growth. Out of those 118,386 applicants, 40,493 students were accepted for enrollment, representing a 34.2% acceptance rate.

There were 41,885 students enrolled at University of California-San Diego in 2021. 89% of first-time enrollees submitted SAT scores with their applications.

University of California-San Diego has an overall enrollment yield of 18.6%, which represents the number of admitted students who ended up enrolling.

Acceptance Rate

34.2%

Acceptance Rate in 2021

40,493

Accepted Out of 118,386

In 2021, the undergraduate acceptance rate of University of California-San Diego was 34.2% (40,493 admissions from 118,386 applications). This is lower than the acceptance rate of 2020, which was 36.6%. Between 2020 and 2021, the number of applicants grew by 18.3%, while admissions grew by 10.5%..

This chart compares the acceptance rate of University of California-San Diego (in red) with that of other similar universities, and the chart below shows the acceptance rate by gender.

SAT Scores

89%

Submission Percentage (2020)

5,723

Scores Submitted (2020)

89% of enrolled first-time students at University of California-San Diego in 2020 submitted SAT scores with their applications.

This chart shows the SAT scores for the 25th and 75th percentile of applicants broken out into each section of the test that their are evaluated on.

Enrollment

University of California-San Diego had a total enrollment of 41,885 students in 2021. The full-time enrollment at University of California-San Diego is 40,280 students and the part-time enrollment is 1,605. This means that 96.2% of students enrolled at University of California-San Diego are enrolled full-time.

The enrolled student population at University of California-San Diego, both undergraduate and graduate, is 30% Asian, 20.2% White, 19.4% Hispanic or Latino, 5.22% Two or More Races, 1.7% Black or African American, 0.138% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders, and 0.103% American Indian or Alaska Native.

Students enrolled at University of California-San Diego in full-time Undergraduate programs are most commonly Asian Male (16.8%), followed by Asian Female (16.7%) and Hispanic or Latino Female (13%). Students enrolled in full-time Graduate programs are most commonly White Male (13.8%), followed by White Female (11.4%) and Asian Female (7.96%).

Full-Time vs Part-Time Enrollment

96.2%

Full-Time Enrollment

The total enrollment at University of California-San Diego in 2021, both undergraduate and graduate, is 41,885 students. The full-time enrollment at University of California-San Diego is 40,280 and the part-time enrollment is 1,605. This means that 96.2% of students enrolled at University of California-San Diego are enrolled full-time compared with 76.6% at similar Doctoral Universities.

This chart shows the full-time vs part-time enrollment status at University of California-San Diego (in red) compares to similar universities.

Retention Rate over Time

95%

2021 Retention Rate

Retention rate measures the number of first-time students who began their studies the previous fall and returned to school the following fall. The retention rate for full-time undergraduates at University of California-San Diego was 95%. Compared with the full-time retention rate at similar Doctoral Universities (84%), University of California-San Diego had a retention rate higher than its peers.

This chart shows the retention rate over time at University of California-San Diego (highlighted in red) compares to similar universities.

Enrollment by Race & Ethnicity

Most Common Race or Ethnicity (2021)

Asian
12,548 enrolled students
White
8,455 enrolled students
Hispanic or Latino
8,110 enrolled students

The enrolled student population at University of California-San Diego is 30% Asian, 20.2% White, 19.4% Hispanic or Latino, 5.22% Two or More Races, 1.7% Black or African American, 0.138% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders, and 0.103% American Indian or Alaska Native. This includes both full-time and part-time students as well as graduate and undergraduates. By comparison, enrollment for all Doctoral Universities is 48.9% White, 15.1% Hispanic or Latino, and 9.56% Black or African American.

Any student who is studying in the United States on a temporary basis is categorized as a "Non-Resident Alien", and the share of those students are shown in the chart below. Additionally, 862 students (2.06%) did not report their race.

Graduates

In 2021, 130 fewer women than men received degrees from University of California-San Diego. The most common race/ethnicity group of degree recipients at University of California-San Diego is asian (3,418 degrees awarded). There were 1.3 times more asian recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, white (2621 degrees).

The most common Bachelor's Degree concentration at University of California-San Diego is Cognitive Science (699 degrees awarded), followed by International & Global Studies (585 degrees) and Computer Science (537 degrees).

In 2021, the most specialized majors across all degree types at University of California-San Diego, meaning they have significantly more degrees awarded in that concentration than the national average across all institutions, are Interdisciplinary Studies (1,563 degrees awarded), Physical Sciences (598 degrees), and Math & Statistics (585 degrees).

Common Jobs by Major

Physicians

Most Common Job

The most common jobs for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at University of California-San Diego are Physicians (509,519 people), Software developers (507,522 people), Other managers (487,296 people), Miscellaneous engineers, including nuclear engineers (368,262 people), and Postsecondary teachers (316,191 people).

The most specialized majors at University of California-San Diego in 2021 are Interdisciplinary Studies (1,563 degrees awarded), Physical Sciences (598 degrees), Math & Statistics (585 degrees), Biology (1,849 degrees), and Engineering (2,047 degrees) (as of 2021).

Highest Paying Jobs by Major

Podiatrists

Highest Paying Job

The highest paying jobs for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at University of California-San Diego are Podiatrists, Surgeons, Physicians, Securities, commodities, & financial services sales agents, and Chief executives & legislators

The most specialized majors at University of California-San Diego are Interdisciplinary Studies (1,563 degrees awarded), Physical Sciences (598 degrees), Math & Statistics (585 degrees), Biology (1,849 degrees), and Engineering (2,047 degrees) (as of 2021).

Common Industries by Major

General medical and surgical hospitals, and specialty (except psychiatric and substance abuse) hospitals

Most Common Industry

The most common industries for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at University of California-San Diego are General medical and surgical hospitals, and specialty (except psychiatric and substance abuse) hospitals (654,801 people), Colleges, universities & professional schools, including junior colleges (623,803 people), Computer Systems Design (593,843 people), Architectural, engineering & related services (483,421 people), and Elementary & secondary schools (435,241 people).

Majors Awarded

IPEDS uses the Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) standard, so the categories may not match the exact concentrations offered by University of California-San Diego.

Most Common (2021)

Cognitive Science
699 degree-majors awarded
International & Global Studies
585 degree-majors awarded
Computer Science
537 degree-majors awarded

In 2021, the most common bachelors degree concentration at University of California-San Diego was Cognitive Science with 699 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of degree-majors recipients from bachelors degree programs at University of California-San Diego according to their major.

Sex Breakdown for Common Majors

6,052

Degrees Awarded to Men

in 2021

5,922

Degrees Awarded to Women

in 2021

In 2021, 6,052 degrees were awarded to men at University of California-San Diego, which is 1.02 times more than the number of degrees awarded to females (5,922).

This chart displays the sex disparity between the top 5 majors at University of California-San Diego by degrees awarded.

Most Common Male Majors

In 2021, 668 degrees were awarded to men at University of California-San Diego in Computer Science, which is 3.34 times more than the 200 female recipients with that same degree.

Most Common Female Majors

In 2021, 414 degrees were awarded to men at University of California-San Diego in Cognitive Science, which is 1.41 times more than the 294 male recipients with that same degree.

Time to Complete

65%

100% Completion Time

87%

150% Completion Time

In 2021, 65% of students graduating from University of California-San Diego completed their program within 100% "normal time" (i.e. 4 years for a 4-year degree). Comparatively, 87% completed their degrees within 150% of the normal time, and 89% within 200%.

The following chart shows these completion rates over time compared to the average for the Doctoral Universities Carnegie Classification group.

Graduation rate is defined as the percentage of full-time, first-time students who received a degree or award within a specific percentage of "normal time" to completion for their program.

Graduation Rate by Race and Sex

Showing demographic groups with ≥ 5 graduating students.

Asian Female

Highest Graduation Rate (95.1%)

The student demographic with the highest graduation rate in 2021 at University of California-San Diego is Female and Asian (95.1% graduation rate). Across all Doctoral Universities, Asian Female students have the highest graduation rate (72.9%).

The department of education defines graduation rate as the percentage of full-time, first-time students who received a degree or award within 150% of "normal time" to completion.

The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) categorizes any student who is studying in the United States on a temporary basis as a "Non-Resident Alien", and the graduation rate of those students is shown in the chart below. Additionally, 2.27% of graduates (107 students) did not report their race.

Race & Ethnicity by Share

Most Common Student Race or Ethnicity (2021)

Asian
3,418 degrees awarded
White
2,621 degrees awarded
Hispanic or Latino
2,007 degrees awarded

The most common race/ethnicity at University of California-San Diego is asian (3,418 degrees awarded). There were 1.3 times more asian recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, white (2621 degrees).

1.63% of degree recipients (195 students) did not report their race.

Race & Ethnicity by Sex

Most Common Sex Demographic (2021)

Asian Female
1,764 degrees awarded
Asian Male
1,654 degrees awarded
White Male
1,377 degrees awarded

The most common race/ethnicity and sex grouping at University of California-San Diego is asian female (1,764 degrees awarded). There were 1.07 times more asian female recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, asian male (1654 degrees).

Operations

University of California-San Diego employs 582 Professors, 275 Assistant professors and 252 Lecturers. Most academics at University of California-San Diego are Male Professor (432), Male Assistant professor (158), and Female Professor (150).

The most common positions for non-instructional staff at University of California-San Diego are: Business and Financial Operations, with 1,386 employees, Service, with 1,239 employees, and Computer, Engineering, and Science with 1,147 employees.

Government Grants and Contracts

Grants & Contracts

$740M - Federal
$37.4M - State
$19.9M - Local

As of 2021, University of California-San Diego received $740M in grants and contracts from the federal government, $37.4M from state grants and contracts, and $19.9M from local grants and contracts.

Salary Expenditure

$2.74B

2021 Salaries

1.48%

decline from 2020

In 2021, University of California-San Diego paid a median of $2.74B in salaries, a 1.48% decline from the previous year.

The median for similar Doctoral Universities is 234M (42.8% of overall expenditures).

Instructional Salaries

$210M

Instructional Salaries

1,373

Number of Employees

In 2021, University of California-San Diego paid a total of $210M to 1,373 employees working as instructors, which represents 7.64% of all salaries paid.

This is compared to a median of $71M (30.3%) for similar Doctoral Universities.

Occupations by Share

Professor

Most Common Instructor

582 Employees

Business and Financial Operations

Most Common Non-Instructional Employee

1,386 Employees

In 2021, the most common positions for instructional staff at University of California-San Diego were Professor with 582 employees, Assistant professor with 275 employees, and Lecturer with 252 employees.

In 2021, the most common positions for non-instructional staff at University of California-San Diego were Business and Financial Operations with 1,386 employees, Service with 1,239 employees, and Computer, Engineering, and Science with 1,147 employees.

Instructors by Academic Rank and Sex

Most Common Demographic (2021)

Male Professor
Male Assistant professor
Female Professor

In 2021, the most common demographic for instructional staff at University of California-San Diego was Male Professor with 432 employees, Male Assistant professor with 158 employees, and Female Professor with 150 employees.

This chart shows the sex split between each academic rank present at University of California-San Diego.