Acceptance Rate History
University of California-San Diego Acceptance Rate (2013–2025)
CA · Current rate: 28.6%
See if University of California-San Diego is actually within reach — most students underestimate where they stand.
What is University of California-San Diego's acceptance rate in 2025?
University of California-San Diego's acceptance rate in 2025 is 28.6%, up from 26.7% in 2024.
Common Data Set 2025-2026
How many applicants does University of California-San Diego admit, and what is its acceptance rate?
In its 2025 admissions cycle, University of California-San Diego admitted 39,054 of 136,750 applicants — an overall acceptance rate of 28.6%.
Source: Common Data Set 2025-2026
Does University of California-San Diego's 2025 acceptance rate include early-round applicants?
Yes. The 28.6% rate is one whole-cycle figure covering all 136,750 applicants University of California-San Diego received for 2025, early and regular rounds counted together; it is not the rate of any single round.
Source: Common Data Set 2025-2026
Year-by-Year Data
| Year | Acceptance Rate | Applicants | Admitted |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 28.6% | 136,750 | 39,054 |
| 2024 | 26.7% | 134,450 | 35,917 |
| 2023 | 24.5% | 130,771 | 32,062 |
| 2022 | 23.7% | 131,197 | 31,103 |
| 2021 | 34.2% | 118,386 | 40,493 |
| 2020 | 36.6% | 100,062 | 36,634 |
| 2019 | 31.5% | 99,114 | 31,200 |
| 2018 | 30.1% | 97,894 | 29,428 |
| 2017 | 34.0% | 88,446 | 30,061 |
| 2016 | 35.7% | 84,208 | 30,028 |
| 2015 | 33.7% | 78,061 | 26,335 |
| 2014 | 33.3% | 73,448 | 24,449 |
| 2013 | 37.5% | 60,832 | 22,812 |
Source: IPEDS Admissions Survey (NCES) · College Scorecard
Cost
The same school, two different prices
Family income under $30k: $7,525/yr · Family income over $110k: $28,785/yr (AY 2023–24)
Average paid by students receiving federal aid, by family income (College Scorecard). In-state students only. International students are not eligible for U.S. federal aid, so they are not in this cohort and typically pay closer to the sticker price.
High-income families typically pay closer to sticker.
Aid for international students
University of California-San Diego's average institutional aid award to international undergraduates was $10,290 (2025-2026 Common Data Set).
These figures describe only the international students who actually received aid — not what a typical international admit can expect. International students outside this group pay the full sticker price.
Source: official Common Data Set filing
What this school weighs — University of California-San Diego
Course rigor and GPA are not in this table. Nearly every school rates both at the top, so they tell you nothing about this one. These six are where schools differ.
| Class rank | Considered |
|---|---|
| Standardized test scores | Not considered |
| Application essay | Very important |
| Recommendations | Not considered |
| Extracurricular activities | Important |
| Character / personal qualities | Important |
University of California-San Diego Common Data Set 2025–26, section C7
How to read these numbers
- The 2025 rate covers University of California-San Diego's whole applicant pool — early and regular applications counted together in one figure. It is not the rate of any single round.
- The table above holds 13 reported years, 2013 through 2025. Across them University of California-San Diego's rate ranged from 23.7% to 37.5%, so any single year is one point inside that range.
Each figure above describes a class a school already admitted in a completed cycle. It is a record of who was admitted, not a measurement of any one application.
Source: College Scorecard · IPEDS Admissions Survey (NCES) · U.S. Dept. of Education
Where do you stand?
School
University of California-San Diego
University of California-San Diego
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Trend Analysis
University of California-San Diego's acceptance rate has decreased from 37.5% in 2013 to 28.6% in 2025, reflecting increased selectivity. The most notable shift occurred in 2022.
Analysis compiled from official data trends.
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Data sourced from IPEDS and College Scorecard. Does not represent endorsements or guarantee admission outcomes.