UC San Diego: the complete school report for parents
UC San Diego puts the most weight on course rigor, GPA and the essay. A second tier of extracurricular activities, personal qualities and talent carries real weight too. It does not consider test scores, legacy and demonstrated interest, so campus visits and emails will not move the decision. With a 26.8% admit rate and 80% of enrolled students at a 3.75 GPA or above, the transcript is the entry ticket and scores are not part of the picture. Transfer applicants are admitted at 54.5% against 26.8% for first-years, so the transfer route is materially wider.
UC San Diego is officially University of California-San Diego, also known as UCSD or Ucsd Uc San Diego. Admissions figures below come from its 2024-2025 Common Data Set (see the source), with the admission-factor grid re-read from that file on 2026-09-07.
What does UC San Diego actually weigh in admissions?
UC San Diego rates 3 of the 18 factors "Very Important": course rigor, GPA, the essay. It does not consider 6 of them at all. Every college reports these weights in section C7 of its Common Data Set; below is UC San Diego's 2024-2025 answer, read from the grid in its own file.
| Factor | How UC San Diego rates it |
|---|---|
| course rigor | Very Important |
| GPA | Very Important |
| test scores | Not Considered |
| the essay | Very Important |
| extracurricular activities | Important |
| recommendations | Not Considered |
| personal qualities | Important |
| talent | Important |
| class rank | Considered |
| demonstrated interest | Not Considered |
| the interview | Not Considered |
| legacy | Not Considered |
| first-generation status | Considered |
| geography | Considered |
| state residency | Important |
| volunteer work | Important |
| work experience | Considered |
| religious affiliation | Not Considered |
Does UC San Diego consider how hard my child’s courses were?
Yes. It is one of the most important factors. The senior-year schedule should keep its AP, IB or honors depth rather than lighten.
Does UC San Diego consider GPA?
Yes. It is one of the most important factors.
Does UC San Diego consider SAT or ACT scores?
No. UC San Diego is test-blind, so SAT and ACT scores are not read even if you send them.
Does UC San Diego consider the application essay?
Yes. It is one of the most important factors. The essay is doing as much work as the transcript.
Does UC San Diego consider extracurricular activities?
Yes. It is an important factor.
Does UC San Diego consider recommendation letters?
No. UC San Diego does not consider it.
Does UC San Diego consider character and personal qualities?
Yes. It is an important factor.
Does UC San Diego consider a special talent or ability?
Yes. It is an important factor.
Does UC San Diego consider class rank?
Yes, but only as a secondary factor.
Does UC San Diego consider demonstrated interest?
No. UC San Diego does not consider it. Campus visits, emails and info sessions do not move the decision.
Does UC San Diego consider an interview?
No. UC San Diego does not consider it. There is no interview to prepare for.
Does UC San Diego consider legacy status?
No. UC San Diego does not consider it. A parent or grandparent who attended gives no advantage.
Does UC San Diego consider being first-generation?
Yes, but only as a secondary factor. Say so on the application; it is read as context.
Does UC San Diego consider where we live?
Yes, but only as a secondary factor.
Does UC San Diego consider state residency?
Yes. It is an important factor.
Does UC San Diego consider volunteer work?
Yes. It is an important factor.
Does UC San Diego consider work experience?
Yes, but only as a secondary factor.
Does UC San Diego consider religious affiliation?
No. UC San Diego does not consider it.
What GPA do admitted students actually have?
80% of enrolled students had a 3.75 GPA or above. The average was 3.9 on a 4 scale, reported for 96% of the entering class. This is the school’s own distribution, not an estimate from its admit rate.
| High school GPA | Share of enrolled students |
|---|---|
| 4.0 | 27.3% |
| 3.75–3.99 | 52.5% |
| 3.50–3.74 | 17.2% |
| 3.25–3.49 | 3% |
| 3.00–3.24 | 0% |
| 2.50–2.99 | 0% |
| 2.00–2.49 | 0% |
What is the UC San Diego waitlist really like?
UC San Diego offered a place on its waiting list to 27,521 applicants and 19,156 accepted one. 4,539 were ultimately admitted. That is 23.7% of those who waited.
Is transferring in easier than applying as a freshman?
UC San Diego admitted 54.5% of 22,510 transfer applicants, against 26.8% of first-year applicants. For a student who does not get in at eighteen, the transfer route is a genuinely wider door and worth planning for deliberately. The minimum college GPA considered is 3.
When do we apply, and does timing change the odds?
UC San Diego offers neither Early Decision nor Early Action, so there is no early round to strategize about and every applicant is read in one pool.
| Regular application deadline | 11/30 |
|---|---|
| Decisions released | 3/15 |
| Reply / deposit deadline | 5/1 |
| Early Decision offered | No |
| Early Action offered | No |
| Application fee | $80 |
| Fee waiver available | Yes |
| Deferred admission offered | No |
What does my child need to take in high school?
UC San Diego requires 15 academic units and recommends 18. A college-preparatory program is required. A GED is accepted.
| Subject | Required | Recommended |
|---|---|---|
| English | 4 years | 4 years |
| Mathematics | 3 years | 4 years |
| Science | 2 years | 3 years |
| of which lab science | 2 years | Not stated |
| Foreign language | 2 years | 3 years |
| History | 2 years | Not stated |
| Visual / performing arts | 1 year | Not stated |
What will UC San Diego actually cost us?
Families pay an average of $12,470 a year at UC San Diego after grants and scholarships, against a published in-state tuition of $14,934. The published price is not what most families pay.
What families at each income level actually paid:
| Family income | Average net price per year |
|---|---|
| Under $30,000 | $7,525 |
| $30,000–$48,000 | $8,155 |
| $48,000–$75,000 | $9,942 |
| $75,000–$110,000 | $15,199 |
| Over $110,000 | $28,785 |
, which the federal data puts at about $164 a month in repayment UC San Diego’s net price calculator gives your own figure.
Does a degree from UC San Diego pay off?
Graduates earn a median $84,943 ten years after entering, and $65,669 at six years. 87% out-earn a typical high school graduate within six years. 82% are actively paying down their loans three years in.
Four-year net cost against that earnings premium:
| Family income | Four-year net cost | Years to pay back |
|---|---|---|
| Under $30,000 | $30,100 | 0.7 |
| $30,000–$48,000 | $32,620 | 0.8 |
| $48,000–$75,000 | $39,768 | 1.0 |
| $75,000–$110,000 | $60,796 | 1.5 |
| Over $110,000 | $115,140 | 2.8 |
A scale, not a forecast: it assumes aid and earnings hold steady.
$160,463 to $39,424, depending on the major. Median earnings five years out at UC San Diego:
| Major | Median earnings, 5 years | Graduates a year |
|---|---|---|
| Computer Science | $160,463 | 591 |
| Computer Engineering | $154,498 | 167 |
| Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering | $120,436 | 218 |
| Mechanical Engineering | $99,554 | 146 |
| Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods | $86,000 | 161 |
| Cognitive Science | $85,159 | 759 |
| Economics | $84,118 | 430 |
| Chemistry | $83,272 | 346 |
| International/Globalization Studies | $73,765 | 537 |
| Psychology, General | $56,911 | 320 |
| Music | $44,134 | 26 |
| Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft | $39,424 | 47 |
College Scorecard, by field of study; highest and lowest shown.
Will my child actually graduate?
94% of first-years return for a second year. 74% graduate within four years and 86% within six (2018 cohort). The rate holds up across income: 82.0% of Pell-grant recipients graduate within six years against 88.0% of everyone else, a gap of 6.0 points.
How big are the classes?
The student-faculty ratio is 19:1, and 88% of faculty are full-time. Accredited by Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University Commission.
What is life at UC San Diego like?
34,955 undergraduates, 12% of first-years from out of state. 77% of freshmen live in university housing, falling to 48% across all undergraduates. Greek life is small: 10% of men join a fraternity and 10% of women a sorority. 40% of students are the first in their family to attend college, and the median family income is $76,397.
Incoming undergraduates are eligible for a two-year on-campus housing guarantee. Students must live on campus for the whole of their admit year and hold the contract for the full term to keep it.
Source: Housing Guarantee, UC San Diego Housing Dining Hospitality
UC San Diego scholar-athletes graduate at an average rate above 90 percent, among the highest of any institution across all NCAA divisions.
How is UC San Diego ranked, and how strong is the alumni network?
UC San Diego is ranked #6 for public universities in the U.S. News Best Colleges 2026. Its full set of published positions, including the ones that are less flattering:
| Ranking | Position |
|---|---|
| U.S. News Best Colleges 2026, public universities | #6 |
| U.S. News Best Colleges 2026, national universities | #29 |
| U.S. News Best Colleges 2026, social mobility | #27 |
Shown in full, including the less flattering ones.
Source: University of California: UC is the best public university in the 2026 U.S. News rankings
UC San Diego counts roughly 256,000 alumni in the Triton community, a figure its own pages also give as more than 240,000 depending on the count. Every graduate joins the Alumni Association automatically, with no fee and no sign-up.
What this means for your student
- Course rigor is rated Very Important here, so the senior-year schedule should hold its AP, IB or honors depth rather than lighten. UC San Diego recommends 18 academic units.
- 80% of enrolled students are at a 3.75 GPA or above, averaging 3.9. Below that line the rest of the application has to carry real weight.
- Do not spend money on test preparation for UC San Diego: scores are not read even if you send them.
- Skip demonstrated-interest tactics here. Visits and emails are not tracked, so save that effort for schools where they count.
- The waitlist is live but thin: 4,539 of 19,156 who waited were admitted, about 24%.
- If the first-year answer is no, the transfer route is genuinely wider here and worth planning for from the first semester of college.
- Its highest-earning major returns $160,463 five years out against $39,424 at the other end, a gap wider than the one between most schools.
- See where your student actually stands: calculate their GPA and compare it against the distribution above.
Common questions about UC San Diego
What GPA do you need for UC San Diego?
80% of enrolled students at UC San Diego had a high school GPA of 3.75 or above, and the average was 3.9, according to its 2024-2025 Common Data Set.
Does the UC San Diego waitlist move?
19,156 students accepted a place on the UC San Diego waiting list and 4,539 were admitted in the 2024-2025 cycle.
What do UC San Diego graduates earn?
UC San Diego graduates earn a median $84,943 ten years after entering, and 87% out-earn a typical high school graduate within six years.
Where these numbers come from
Admissions figures: UC San Diego’s 2024-2025 Common Data Set, published here, factor grid re-read from it on 2026-09-07. Earnings, debt, net price and graduation rates: College Scorecard (2022-2023). Unreported values show as “Not reported”.
How to read these numbers · Back to the UC San Diego profile