UCSD: A Parent's Guide to Admissions, Cost & Outcomes
Officially University of California-San Diego · La Jolla, California · Public · Selective · CDS 2025-2026
Admission at a glance
Common Data Set 2025-2026
- Test-blind
- 136,750
- Applicants
- 39,054
- Admitted29%
- 7,801
- Enrolled
- 20%
- Yield rate
Selectivity
Selective29% admittedRanked #29 (tie) in National Universities; Best Undergraduate Engineering Programs #17 (tie), Business Programs #50 (tie), Computer Science #14 (tie), Economics #12 (tie)U.S. News & World Report, Best Colleges 2027
Admission figures come from the 2025-2026 Common Data Set published by University of California-San Diego (see the source), read on 2026-09-12.
Is UCSD a reach, target or safety for your student?
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UCSD is a public university in La Jolla, California that admits about 29% of applicants, making it a selective school. The average family pays about $12,470 a year after financial aid, which matters more than the published sticker price. It is best known for Cell/Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences, Cognitive Science and Computer Science, its largest undergraduate programs by number of graduates. About 86% of students graduate within six years. Its most recent Clery Act report shows roughly 16.5 criminal offenses per 1,000 students.
UCSD is a public institution located in La Jolla, California with a selective admissions profile. For the most recent reporting cycle, UCSD admits between a quarter and half of applicants, with an overall admission rate of 29%. The average net price after grants and scholarships is $12,470 per year, which is the figure most families actually pay rather than the published sticker price.
What parents should know about UCSD right now
UC San Diego, founded November 18, 1960, is the southernmost UC and one of the largest, with 35,442 undergraduates and 10,736 graduate students enrolled in fall 2025 across a 2,178-acre campus in La Jolla. Selectivity has risen sharply: the freshman acceptance rate fell from 32.3 percent in 2019 to 22.7 percent in 2022, and the campus drew 131,229 freshman applications in that cycle. UCSD is consistently among the top public research universities, with biological sciences ranked 7th nationally, microbiology 5th, and oceanography ranked 1st worldwide via the Scripps Institution of Oceanography. The campus reported $1.42 billion in research expenditures, placing it 7th nationally. Distinctive for parents is the eight-college residential system, where each undergraduate is assigned to a college (the newest, Seventh and Eighth, were founded in 2020 and 2021 around environmental and community themes) with its own general education sequence and advising team, giving a smaller-college feel inside a large research university. On the financial aid front, the state and institutional priority deadline for 2025-2026 was extended to April 2, 2025, and 44 percent of undergraduates have historically received Pell Grants. Families should also be aware that the federal H.R. 1 law signed July 4, 2025 caps new Parent PLUS borrowing at $20,000 per year and $65,000 total per dependent student starting July 1, 2026, which will affect financing decisions for many UC families.
What GPA does my child need for UCSD?
85% of enrolled students at UCSD had a high school GPA of 3.75 or above, and the average was 3.88, according to its 2025-2026 Common Data Set.
Compare UCSD with the other schools on your list
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What does UCSD weight in admissions?
UCSD reports these factor weights in its Common Data Set (2025-2026). What the weights mean
Very Important
3- Rigor of secondary school record
- Academic GPA
- Application essay
Important
5- Extracurricular activities
- Talent/ability
- Character/personal qualities
- State residency
- Volunteer work
Considered
4- Class rank
- First generation status
- Geographical residence
- Work experience
Not Considered
6- Standardized test scores
- Recommendations
- Interview
- Alumni/ae relation
- Religious affiliation/commitment
- Level of applicant's interest
SAT and ACT scores UCSD typically admits
Many applicants to schools in this tier submit test scores, though the policy varies by year, so check the latest test-optional status before deciding.
- • Test-blind: UCSD does not consider SAT or ACT scores in admission decisions, even if submitted.
- • UC is test-blind: SAT/ACT not considered for admission or scholarships; may be used for placement.
- • Checked for Fall 2027 applicants on UCSD's admissions site. Policies change; confirm before you apply.
Where admitted students ranked in their high school class
Class rank distribution gives parents a clear sense of how academically dominant a typical admitted student was within their own high school cohort, often a more meaningful signal than absolute GPA.
| Top 10% of class | 100% |
| Top 25% of class | 100% |
| Top 50% of class | 100% |
| % submitting class rank | 96% |
How much does UCSD actually cost?
Published tuition is $16,758 for in-state students and $50,958 for out-of-state, before grants and scholarships. Room and board adds roughly $18,970 annually. After need-based and merit aid, the average family pays a net price of $12,470 per year, and that is the number that actually matters for budgeting. Roughly 34% of students receive Pell Grants.
| In-state tuition | $14,202 |
| Out-of-state tuition | $53,472 |
| Room and board | $20,443 |
| Average net price (after aid) | $12,470 |
| Share of financial need metaverage, for students with need | 84% |
| Average need-based grant | $28,634 |
| Average merit award, no financial need409 first-year students received one | $12,722 |
| Graduates who borrowed | 31% |
| Average debt at graduationamong those who borrowed | $19,032 |
| Financial aid forms | FAFSA only (no CSS Profile)College Board 2026-27 list |
| Application fee | $80 (waivers available) |
Application deadlines and early decision data for UCSD
| Regular deadline | 11/30 |
| Notification date | 3/15 |
| Reply deadline | 5/1 |
| Rolling admissions | Yes |
Will my child graduate from UCSD?
These predict outcomes at UCSD better than its acceptance rate does. How to read retention and graduation rates
Most popular majors at UCSD
The most popular undergraduate programs at UCSD, measured by the number of students who actually graduate each year, are Cell/Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences, Cognitive Science and Computer Science. Across all programs, UCSD confers roughly 4,143 bachelor's degrees a year. Graduates of its Cognitive Science program report a median income of about $85,159 five years after entering college. What these figures mean
| Major | Graduates / year | Median earnings (5 yrs out) |
|---|---|---|
| Cell/Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences | 769 | n/a |
| Cognitive Science | 759 | $85,159 |
| Computer Science | 591 | $160,463 |
| International/Globalization Studies | 537 | $73,765 |
| Economics | 430 | $84,118 |
| Political Science and Government | 366 | $69,947 |
| Chemistry | 346 | $83,272 |
| Public Health | 345 | $67,103 |
Is UCSD safe? Campus crime & safety
In its most recent Clery Act report (2024), UCSD disclosed 576 total criminal offenses across its campus and surrounding public property, about 16.5 per 1,000 students. That figure includes 28 violent offenses and 60 reported sexual assaults or VAWA offenses. Why per-1,000 rates, not counts
What is campus life like at UCSD?
About 54% of undergraduates at UCSD live in campus housing, making it a largely residential campus. In Greek life, 8% of men join a fraternity and 7% of women join a sorority. Residential rate and Greek participation shape day-to-day social life and are worth weighing alongside academics and cost.
Other colleges in California parents ask about
- University of California-Santa Barbara33% acceptance
- University of California-Santa Cruz66% acceptance
- University of California-Riverside76% acceptance
- University of California-Merced91% acceptance
- California Institute of Technology3% acceptance
- San Diego State University36% acceptance
- San Jose State University85% acceptance
- San Francisco State University96% acceptance
Next steps for UCSD
Common questions parents ask about UCSD
What GPA do I need for UCSD?
85% of enrolled students at UCSD had a high school GPA of 3.75 or above, and the average was 3.88, according to its 2025-2026 Common Data Set.
What SAT or ACT score does UCSD typically admit?
UCSD is test-blind: SAT and ACT scores are not considered in admission decisions, even if you submit them. There is no score range because scores are not read.
How much does UCSD actually cost after financial aid?
The average net price at UCSD after grants and scholarships is $12,470 per year, against a published in-state tuition of $16,758 and $50,958 out of state. Budget against the net figure.
Is UCSD realistic for my child?
UCSD admits 29% of applicants, so the transcript and course rigour carry the decision, with no published score band to place against. Then check the $12,470 average net price against what your family can carry.
What is the acceptance rate at UCSD?
UCSD accepts about 29% of applicants out of roughly 136,750 who apply each year. That makes it a selective school.
Is UCSD test-optional?
UCSD is test-blind for Fall 2027 applicants: it does not consider SAT or ACT scores in admission decisions, even if you submit them.
What is the graduation rate at UCSD?
About 86% of students at UCSD graduate within six years. 95% of freshmen return for sophomore year. Graduation rate predicts real outcomes better than acceptance rate.
What does UCSD look for in applicants?
UCSD rates course rigor, GPA and the application essay as "very important" in its Common Data Set. These are the factors the admissions committee weighs most heavily when reviewing an application.
Is UCSD a public or private school, and where is it located?
UCSD is a public institution located in La Jolla, California.
What are the most popular majors at UCSD?
The largest undergraduate majors at UCSD by annual graduates are Cell/Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences, Cognitive Science and Computer Science. The school awards about 4,143 bachelor's degrees a year in total. These figures come from federal IPEDS completion data.
Is UCSD safe? What is its campus crime rate?
UCSD reported 576 total criminal offenses in its most recent Clery Act disclosure (2024), roughly 16.5 per 1,000 students. Compare the per-1,000 rate rather than the raw total, since larger schools report more incidents.
What is campus life like at UCSD?
At UCSD, 54% of undergraduates live on campus, 8% of men are in fraternities, 7% of women are in sororities, according to its most recent Common Data Set.
Sources: the 2025-2026 Common Data Set submitted by University of California-San Diego, the College Scorecard and IPEDS, and Clery Act disclosures. What each source covers