University of California-San Diego: Cost, Graduate Salary, Acceptance Rate and Return on Investment
University of California-San Diego is a public college in La Jolla, CA. Students pay about $12,470 a year in net price, and the median graduate earns $84,943 ten years after enrolling. By our Degree-ROI measure the degree pays back in about 1.7 years and adds $317,050 over a decade, ranking it #34 of 918 (top 5%) by value added.
What is University of California-San Diego's acceptance rate?
University of California-San Diego has an acceptance rate of 26.7%, which makes it selective. It is a public institution in La Jolla, CA enrolling about 34,948 students, with a 86.8% graduation rate.
How much does University of California-San Diego cost?
University of California-San Diego costs about $12,470 per year in average net price, what a typical student actually pays after grants and scholarships. Over four years, including typical borrowing, that totals roughly $65,380. Published sticker cost of attendance is $38,701 per year.
How much do University of California-San Diego graduates earn?
Ten years after enrolling, the median University of California-San Diego student earns $84,943 per year. That is $38,243 more than the $46,700 that the typical worker with only a high-school diploma earns.
Is University of California-San Diego worth it? Degree ROI and payback period
University of California-San Diego pays back its roughly $65,380 cost in about 1.7 years, then keeps returning the earnings premium. Over the first decade the degree adds about $317,050 net of cost, a 5.85x return on the money invested. That ranks it #34 of 918 (top 5%) by value added. Its top-tier value is driven mainly by a low net price and strong graduate earnings.
Top 10% value
University of California-San Diego graduation rate and student debt
86.8% of University of California-San Diego students complete their degree, and the median graduate leaves with $15,500 in federal student debt. That debt is about 18% of one year of median graduate earnings.
University of California-San Diego by the numbers (vs the typical college)
How University of California-San Diego compares to the median four-year college in our snapshot. Percentile is its rank among the 918 colleges that report both earnings and cost (higher is better).
| Metric | This school | Median college | Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| Avg net price / yr | $12,470 | $20,299 | cheaper than 86% |
| Median earnings (10 yrs) | $84,943 | $54,768 | 94th |
| Graduation rate | 86.8% | 57.0% | 93th |
| Acceptance rate | 26.7% | 75.7% | more selective than 93% |
| 10-yr value added | $317,050 | -$28,192 | 96th |
| ROI multiple (per $1) | 5.85x | 0.73x | 98th |
| Payback period | 1.7 yrs | 8.8 yrs | faster than 98% |
Frequently asked
Is University of California-San Diego worth the cost compared to other colleges?
By value added net of cost, University of California-San Diego ranks #34 of 918 (top 5%) of the 918 four-year colleges we rank, and returns about 5.85x the money invested over a decade.
Is University of California-San Diego expensive compared to other colleges?
Its $12,470 average net price is below the $20,299 median for the colleges in this snapshot, making it cheaper than 86% of them.
Do University of California-San Diego graduates earn more than average?
Median earnings of $84,943 ten years out are above the $54,768 median, higher than 94% of the colleges here.
How hard is it to get into University of California-San Diego compared to other colleges?
Its 26.7% acceptance rate is below the 75.7% median, making it more selective than 93% of the colleges in the snapshot.
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