More selective than 89% of California colleges we cover. U.S. median 77%.
College Scorecard, Fall 2024 entering class
Share of students sending scores not reported.
IPEDS Admissions, Fall 2023 entering class
Called “yield.” A high yield means many admitted students choose University of California-San Diego over other offers.
IPEDS Admissions, Fall 2023 entering class
Applicants, admits and enrollment
IPEDS Admissions, Fall 2023 entering class (first-time, degree-seeking undergraduates). Newer counts arrive with the next IPEDS release.
GPA and test scores of admitted students
The middle 50% of students University of California-San Diego admitted. A quarter of admitted students were below the lower number and a quarter above the upper one. GPAs are weighted, as the source defines them.
| Admitted for | GPA | SAT | ACT | CLT |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fall 2026 | 4.12–4.28 | — | — | — |
University of California Office of the President (UC Admissions), First-year admit data, fall 2026 (one page per campus). UC GPA (A-G courses, grades 10-11, honors points capped); 141,767 applicants, 38,571 admits; UC does not consider SAT/ACT Federal ranges below describe enrolled students; use the admitted ranges to judge your chances.
University of California-San Diego admissions year over year
| Entering class | Acceptance | SAT reading | SAT math | ACT | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fall 2024 | 27% | — | — | — | College Scorecard |
| Fall 2023 | 25% | — | — | — | IPEDS |
Score ranges are the 25th–75th percentiles. Each year is kept as published; we add a year with every federal release.
How selective is University of California-San Diego compared with other California colleges?
University of California-San Diego has the 11th-lowest acceptance rate of 92 California colleges we cover. Schools around it:
| Rank | College | Acceptance | Graduation | Avg. net price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 | University of California-Berkeley | 11% | 93% | $13,481 |
| 8 | Harvey Mudd College | 13% | 92% | $35,924 |
| 9 | Northeastern University Oakland | 17% | — | $25,181 |
| 10 | Pitzer College | 25% | 83% | $34,191 |
| 11 | University of California-San Diego | 27% | 86% | $12,470 |
| 12 | University of California-Irvine | 29% | 87% | $14,251 |
| 13 | California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo | 31% | 86% | $16,665 |
| 14 | California Institute of the Arts | 32% | 67% | $46,080 |
| 15 | University of California-Santa Barbara | 33% | 83% | $16,109 |
College Scorecard, Fall 2024 entering class. All California colleges →
Who enrolls at University of California-San Diego
College Scorecard; IPEDS
University of California-San Diego admissions questions
What is the University of California-San Diego acceptance rate?
University of California-San Diego accepts 27% of applicants, about 1 in 4. For the Fall 2023 entering class, 32,062 of 130,771 applicants were admitted.
Does University of California-San Diego require the SAT or ACT?
University of California-San Diego does not consider SAT or ACT scores (test-blind), according to its federal admissions report for Fall 2023.
What GPA and SAT score do you need for University of California-San Diego?
The middle 50% of students admitted to University of California-San Diego for Fall 2026 had a weighted GPA of 4.12–4.28 (First-year admit data, fall 2026 (one page per campus)). Below the lower number on any measure makes University of California-San Diego a reach; at or above the upper number on every measure makes it likely.
How many admitted students enroll at University of California-San Diego?
22% of admitted students enrolled in Fall 2023 (7,005 of 32,062).
Is University of California-San Diego getting harder to get into?
University of California-San Diego accepted 27% of applicants for Fall 2024, compared with 25% for Fall 2023.
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Sources: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard and IPEDS Admissions; years shown with each figure. “Colleges we cover” means colleges awarding bachelor's degrees to at least 100 undergraduates. Back to University of California-San Diego overview