University of California-San Diego

www.ucsd.edu/

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2020 Undergraduate Tuition

$11,442

0% growth from 2019

2020 Average Net Price

$15,222

After Financial Aid

2018 Student Loan

1.09%

Default Rate

2020 Acceptance Rate

36.6%

100,062 Applicants

2020 Enrolled Students

39,576

96.2% Full-Time

2020 Graduation Rate

87.1%

4,280 Graduates

About

University of California-San Diego is a higher education institution located in San Diego County, CA. In 2020, the most popular Bachelor's Degree concentrations at University of California-San Diego were Cognitive Science (632 degrees awarded), International & Global Studies (631 degrees), and Computer Science (435 degrees).

In 2020, 11,376 degrees were awarded across all undergraduate and graduate programs at University of California-San Diego. 48.8% of these degrees were awarded to women, and 51.2% awarded men. The most common race/ethnicity group of degree recipients was asian (3,232 degrees), 1.37 times more than then the next closest race/ethnicity group, white (2354 degrees).

The median undergraduate tuition at University of California-San Diego is $11,442, which is $−17,121 less than the national average for Doctoral Universities ($28,563).

Photo by Vince Smith

Costs

The median undergraduate tuition at University of California-San Diego is $11,442, which is $−17,121 less than the national average for Doctoral Universities ($28,563).

After taking grants and loans into account, the average net price for students is $15,222.

In 2020, 59% of undergraduate students attending University of California-San Diego received financial aid through grants. Comparatively, 31% of undergraduate students received financial aid through loans.

Tuition Costs

$11,442

2020 Undergraduate Tuition

In 2020, the cost of tuition at University of California-San Diego was $11,442. The cost of tuition at University of California-San Diego is $−17,121 less than than the overall (public and private) national average for Doctoral Universities ($28,563).

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

Average Net Price

$15,222

2020 Value

2.41%

1 Year Growth

In 2020 University of California-San Diego had an average net price — the price paid after factoring in grants and loans — of $15,222. Between 2019 and 2020, the average net price of University of California-San Diego grew by 2.41%.

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

$13,976

Room and Board

$1,128

Books and Supplies

The average yearly cost of room and board at University of California-San Diego was of $13,976 in 2020. During the same period, the average yearly cost of books and supplies was $1,128. The cost of room and board increased by 4.04% between 2019 and 2020. The cost of books and supplies increased by 2.36% 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

59%

Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Grants

31%

Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Loans

59% of undergraduate students at University of California-San Diego received financial aid through grants or loans in 2020. This represents a growth of 1.72% with respect to 2019, when 58% 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.

1.09%

2018 Default Rate

Number of Defaults

In 2018 the default rate for borrower's at University of California-San Diego was 1.09%, which represents 51 out of the 4670 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 100,062 undergraduate applications in 2020, which represents a 0.956% annual growth. Out of those 100,062 applicants, 36,634 students were accepted for enrollment, representing a 36.6% acceptance rate.

There were 39,576 students enrolled at University of California-San Diego in 2020, and 89% of first-time enrollees submitted SAT scores with their applications.

University of California-San Diego has an overall enrollment yield of 17.6%, which represents the number of admitted students who ended up enrolling.

Acceptance Rate

36.6%

Acceptance Rate in 2020

36,634

Accepted Out of 100,062

In 2020, the undergraduate acceptance rate of University of California-San Diego was 36.6% (36,634 admissions from 100,062 applications). This is higher than the acceptance rate of 2019, which was 31.5%. Between 2019 and 2020, the number of applicants grew by 0.956%, while admissions grew by 17.4%.

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

SAT Scores

89%

Submission Percentage

5,723

Scores Submitted

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 has a total enrollment of 39,576 students. The full-time enrollment at University of California-San Diego is 38,072 students and the part-time enrollment is 1,504. 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 29.9% Asian, 20.7% White, 19.2% Hispanic or Latino, 4.8% Two or More Races, 1.76% Black or African American, 0.164% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders, and 0.124% American Indian or Alaska Native.

Students enrolled at University of California-San Diego in full-time Undergraduate programs are most commonly Asian Male (17.1%), followed by Asian Female (16.4%) and Hispanic or Latino Female (12.6%). Students enrolled in full-time Graduate programs are most commonly White Male (15.3%), followed by White Female (12.3%) and Asian Male (7.92%).

Full-Time vs Part-Time Enrollment

96.2%

Full-Time Enrollment

The total enrollment at University of California-San Diego, both undergraduate and graduate, is 39,576 students. The full-time enrollment at University of California-San Diego is 38,072 and the part-time enrollment is 1,504. This means that 96.2% of students enrolled at University of California-San Diego are enrolled full-time compared with 76.5% 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

94%

2020 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 94%. Compared with the full-time retention rate at similar Doctoral Universities (85%), 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

Asian
11,841
White
8,173
Hispanic or Latino
7,616

The enrolled student population at University of California-San Diego is 29.9% Asian, 20.7% White, 19.2% Hispanic or Latino, 4.8% Two or More Races, 1.76% Black or African American, 0.164% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders, and 0.124% 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 50% White, 15% Hispanic or Latino, and 9.69% 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, 785 students (1.98%) did not report their race.

Graduates

In 2020, 272 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 (3,232 degrees awarded). There were 1.37 times more asian graduates than the next closest race/ethnicity group, white (2354 degrees).

The most common Bachelor's Degree concentration at University of California-San Diego is Cognitive Science (632 degrees awarded), followed by International & Global Studies (631 degrees) and Computer Science (435 degrees).

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 (1,620 degrees awarded), Math & Statistics (670 degrees), and Physical Sciences (584 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 (499,805 people), Other managers (472,272 people), Software developers (460,390 people), Miscellaneous engineers, including nuclear engineers (347,703 people), and Postsecondary teachers (307,714 people).

The most specialized majors at University of California-San Diego are Interdisciplinary Studies (1,620 degrees awarded), Math & Statistics (670 degrees), Physical Sciences (584 degrees), Biology (1,868 degrees), and Engineering (1,798 degrees).

Highest Paying Jobs by Major

Surgeons

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 Surgeons, Securities, commodities, & financial services sales agents, Physicians, Derrick, rotary drill, & service unit operators, & roustabouts, oil, gas, & mining, and Chief executives & legislators

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 (633,063 people), Colleges, universities & professional schools, including junior colleges (599,341 people), Computer Systems Design (553,425 people), Architectural, engineering & related services (470,977 people), and Elementary & secondary schools (416,746 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

Cognitive Science
632 degree-majorss awarded
International & Global Studies
631 degree-majorss awarded
Computer Science
435 degree-majorss awarded

In 2020, the most common bachelors degree concentration at University of California-San Diego was Cognitive Science with 632 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

5,824

Degrees Awarded to Men

in 2020

5,552

Degrees Awarded to Women

in 2020

In 2020, 5,824 degrees were awarded to men at University of California-San Diego, which is 1.05 times more than the number of degrees awarded to females (5,552).

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 2020, 614 degrees were awarded to men at University of California-San Diego in Computer Science, which is 4.01 times more than the 153 female recipients with that same degree.

Most Common Female Majors

In 2020, 338 degrees were awarded to women at University of California-San Diego in Cognitive Science, which is 1.12 times more than the 303 male recipients with that same degree.

Time to Complete

62%

100% Completion Time

86%

150% Completion Time

In 2020, 62% 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, 86% completed their degrees within 150% of the normal time, and 88% 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.

American Indian or Alaska Native Male

Highest Graduation Rate (100%)

The student demographic with the highest graduation rate at University of California-San Diego is Male and American Indian or Alaska Native (100% graduation rate). Across all Doctoral Universities, Asian Female students have the highest graduation rate (72.4%).

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, 1.54% of graduates (66 students) did not report their race.

Race & Ethnicity by Share

Most Common Student Race or Ethnicity

Asian
3,232 degrees awarded
White
2,354 degrees awarded
Hispanic or Latino
1,707 degrees awarded

The most common race/ethnicity at University of California-San Diego is asian (3,232 degrees awarded). There were 1.37 times more asian recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, white (2354 degrees).

1.9% of degree recipients (216 students) did not report their race.

Race & Ethnicity by Sex

Most Common Sex Demographic

Asian Female
1,617 degrees awarded
Asian Male
1,615 degrees awarded
White Male
1,214 degrees awarded

The most common race/ethnicity and sex grouping at University of California-San Diego is asian female (1,617 degrees awarded). There were 1 times more asian female recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, asian male (1,615 degrees).

Operations

University of California-San Diego has an endowment valued at nearly $895M, as of the end of the 2020 fiscal year. The return on its endowment was of $60.4M (6.75%), compared to the 3.43% average return ($10.5M on $307M) across all Doctoral Universities.

In 2020, University of California-San Diego had a total salary expenditure of $N/A. University of California-San Diego employs 627 Professors, 297 Assistant professors, and 288 Lecturers. Most academics at University of California-San Diego are Male Professors (491), Male Assistant professors(161), and Male Associate professors (146).

The most common positions for non-instructional staff at University of California-San Diego are: Business and Financial Operations, with 1389 employees, Service, with 1355 employees, and Computer, Engineering, and Science with 1170 employees.

Endowment

$895M

2020 Endowment

12%

growth from 2019

University of California-San Diego has an endowment valued at about $895M, as of the end of the 2020 fiscal year. The endowment of University of California-San Diego grew 12% from the previous year. The value of their endowment was $589M higher than than the median endowment of Doctoral Universities according to the Carnegie Classification grouping.

This line chart shows how the endowment at University of California-San Diego (in red) compares to that of some similar universities.

The small bar chart below shows the endowment quintiles for all universities in the Doctoral Universities: Highest Research Activity Carnegie Classification grouping.

Government Grants and Contracts

Grants & Contracts

$766M - Federal
$55.3M - State
$19.2M - Local

As of 2020, University of California-San Diego received $766M in grants and contracts from the federal government, $55.3M from state grants and contracts, and $19.2M from local grants and contracts.

Salary Expenditure

$2.79B

2020 Salaries

9.55%

growth from 2019

In 2020, University of California-San Diego paid a median of $2.79B in salaries, which represents NaNB% of their overall expenditure ($N/A) and a 9.55% growth from the previous year. This is compared to a 7.69% growth from 2018 and a 8.09% growth from 2017.

The median for similar Doctoral Universities is 238M (42.6% of overall expenditures).

Instructional Salaries

$227M

Instructional Salaries

1,481

Number of Employees

In 2020, University of California-San Diego paid a total of $227M to 1,481 employees working as instructors, which represents 8.13% of all salaries paid.

This is compared to a median of $70.3M (29.6%) for similar Doctoral Universities.

Occupations by Share

Professor

Most Common Instructor

627 Employees

Business and Financial Operations

Most Common Non-Instructional Employee

1389 Employees

In 2020, the most common positions for instructional staff at University of California-San Diego were Professor with 627 employees; Assistant professor with 297 employees; and Assistant professor with 288 employees.

In 2020, the most common positions for non-instructional staff at University of California-San Diego were Business and Financial Operations with 1,389 employees; Service with 1,355 employees; and Computer, Engineering, and Science with 1,170 employees.

Instructors by Academic Rank and Sex

Most Common Demographic

Male Professor
Male Assistant professor
Male Associate professor

In 2020, the most common demographic for instructional staff at University of California-San Diego was Male Professor with 491 employees, Male Assistant professor with 161 employees, and Male Associate professor with 146 employees.

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