If you’re looking for a college that’s good for computer science, you’ve come to the right place. Read on to learn about why UCSD is one of the best colleges for computer science in the country, what makes UCSD stand out from other schools, and how you can get into this prestigious university.

UC San Diego is one of the top-ranked universities in the country and has been recognized by Forbes as one of their 30 Under 30 Best Young Entrepreneurs list. It also has been ranked as one of the top 10 public universities in California by US News & World Report.

If you want to study computer science at a top-notch school, then UC San Diego should be high on your list! The school offers undergraduate degrees in computer science, as well as graduate programs like Masters degrees in both Computer Science and Software Engineering.

The acceptance rate at UC San Diego is very low—only 11% of applicants were accepted last year. However, if you want to get into this prestigious school then there are some steps you can take to improve your chances:

1) Make sure your GPA is above 3.5 or higher (3.7 or higher will increase your chances).

UC San Diego Computer Science Overview

The University of California, San Diego (UC San Diego or, colloquially, UCSD) is a public land-grant research university in San Diego, California. Established in 1960 near the pre-existing Scripps Institution of Oceanography, UC San Diego is the southernmost of the ten campuses of the University of California, and offers over 200 undergraduate and graduate degree programs, enrolling 31,842 undergraduate and 8,631 graduate students. The university occupies 2,178 acres (881 ha) near the coast of the Pacific Ocean, with the main campus resting on approximately 1,152 acres (466 ha). UC San Diego is ranked among the best universities in the world by major college and university rankings.

UC San Diego consists of four academic divisions (Arts and Humanities, Biological Sciences, Physical Sciences, and Social Sciences), and seven graduate and professional schools (Jacobs School of Engineering, Rady School of Management, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, School of Global Policy and Strategy, School of Medicine, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, and the newly established Wertheim School of Public Health and Human Longevity Science).

 The university has seven undergraduate residential colleges (Revelle, John Muir, Thurgood Marshall, Earl Warren, Eleanor Roosevelt, Sixth, and Seventh). UC San Diego received over 140,000 applications for Fall 2021, making it the second most applied to university in the United States. UC San Diego Health, the region’s only academic health system, provides patient care, conducts medical research and educates future health care professionals at the UC San Diego Medical Center, Hillcrest, Jacobs Medical Center, Moores Cancer Center, Sulpizio Cardiovascular Center, Shiley Eye Institute, Institute for Genomic Medicine, Koman Family Outpatient Pavilion and various express care and urgent care clinics throughout San Diego.

UC San Diego Computer Science Degrees & Awards

Degree	Concentration	Sub-concentration
Master of Advanced Study (MAS)
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)	Computer science
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)	Computer engineering
Master of Science (MS)	Computer engineering
Master of Science (MS)	Computer science

Degrees Awarded

Degree	Number Awarded
Master’s Degrees	259
Doctoral Degrees	28

Earning Your Degree

Part-time study available?	No
Evening/weekend programs available?	No
Distance learning programs available?	No
Terminal master’s degree available?

Degree Requirements

Degree	Requirement
Master’s Degrees	Entrance Exam GRE General Test Comp Exam Required for some Thesis Required for some Comprehensive exam or thesis
Doctoral Degrees	Entrance Exam GRE General Test Comp Exam Required Thesis Required 1-quarter teaching assistantship

UC San Diego Computer Science Acceptance Rate

UC San Diego Computer Science Acceptance Rate

15%

• 5,646 Applied
• 867 Accepted
• 340 Enrolled

Applying

 105Application Fee – Domestic 125Application Fee – InternationalYesElectronic
applications accepted?

Application Deadlines

Type	Domestic	International	Priority date
Fall deadline	December 18th	Not reported	No

Entrance Requirements

Exam	Details
Master’s Degree Exam	GRE General Test
Doctoral Degree Exam	GRE General Test

International Students

Exam	Details
TOEFL: Required	TOEFL Paper score: 550 TOEFL IBT score: 80
IELTS: Required	IELTS Paper score: 7

UC San Diego Computer Science Tuition & Fees

Financial Support

Financial award applicants must submit:	FAFSA
Types of financial support available	Scholarship and/or loans

Student Body

825 Total Graduate Reported International Breakout (representing other countries)

Gender

• Male (78%)
• Female (21%)

Research

Focus of faculty research:

Artificial intelligence and machine learning, bioinformatics, computer architecture and compilers, visual computing, computer graphics, computer vision, databases and information management, embedded systems and software, high-performance computing, human-computer interaction, programming systems, security and cryptography, software engineering, systems and networking, ubiquitous computing and social dynamics, VLSI/CAD

Externally sponsored research expenditures last year:

0

Location & Contact

Address9500 Gilman Drive
La Jolla, CA  92093
United StatesContactDean Tullsen
Chair
Email: dtullsen@ucsd.edu
Phone: 858-534-6181

UC San Diego Computer Science Overview

• All currently enrolled students already in a CSE major must submit their request to change into another CSE major through the Major/Minor Tool  (requests are processed monthly except during summer)
• Newly admitted UCSD CSE majors will need to wait until they are enrolled in courses in order to submit a change of major request using the Major/Minor Tool
• CS-Bioinformatics (CS27) became impacted in FA14. CS27 majors who entered the program before FA14 who wish to change from CS with Specialization in Bioinformatics (CS27) to Computer Science (CS26) or Computer Engineering (CS25) must apply competitively for a spot through the CSE Capped Admissions Application
• CSE Majors who intend to double major may NOT drop their CSE major to accept their offer into their secondary major. Come in and meet with an advisor before dropping your CSE Major. Once a student leaves the CSE Major, they will not be able to re-add the major unless they go through the CSE Capped Major Application Process which does not guarantee a student will be able to re-add.

Non-CSE majors who are continuing enrolled undergraduate UCSD students: 

• All non-CSE majors must apply to change into a CSE major through the MyJSOE Major Change Application
• See MyJSOE Major Change Application for the timeline and all application deadlines. 
• In the 2020-2021 academic year, requests to change into a CSE major will be open for Spring 2021 and Summer 2021 (55 students will be accepted each application cycle, with an anticipated yield of 50 students)
• Be sure to read this webpage and the MyJSOE Major Change Application webpage material thoroughly (once an application is submitted, it may not be withdrawn for any reason)

Non-Major Advising

COVID-19 Update: We want to let you know that our CSE advisors are still here for you when you need us. However, to ensure we are doing our part to “flatten the curve” and keep you and our staff safe during this global pandemic, we are moving to remote advising until further notice. Prospective CSE majors may contact us via the Virtual Advising Center (vac.ucsd.edu) or csestudent@eng.ucsd.edu. We are offering advising appointments for prospective students which can be conducted via Zoom videoconference or phone. To schedule an appointment, please email csestudent@eng.ucsd.edu. If there are openings the day before the appointment, we will allow non-CSE Majors to book those time slots. We will not have staff in the office to monitor our phone lines starting Wednesday, March 18th, so please be sure to reach out to us via email only for an appointment. 

Eligibility Requirements to Submit an Application 

• All of the following eligibility courses (or their accepted equivalent) must have been completed prior to application: CSE 8B or 11, CSE 12, CSE 15L, and CSE 20 (MATH 15A or MATH 109 may be substituted for CSE 20 if taken first). Courses must be completed with a letter grade. Eligibility courses taken outside of UCSD must be posted on a student’s academic history by the time the application closes for students to meet eligibility requirements. Tentative grades, unofficial transcripts, or official transcripts submitted to directly the department will not be accepted in lieu of course credit on a student’s academic history. 
• If some or all of the eligibility courses listed above were completed with transfer credit from a different institution, students must still complete a minimum of eight units at UC San Diego for a letter grade, drawn from the following screening courses (or their approved petitioned equivalent) before submitting an application: CSE 8B or CSE 11, CSE 12, CSE 15L, CSE 20 (MATH 15A or MATH 109 may be substituted for CSE 20), CSE 21, CSE 30, and CSE 100. 
• Must have a minimum of a 3.3 UCSD GPA in the screening courses (or their approved petitioned equivalents)
•  May not have a D or F in any of the screening courses (unless the course has been retaken for a passing grade). 
• May not exceed the 2-time CSE Capped Admissions Program application limit (each student may apply a maximum of two times for the opportunity to major in the CSE department through the CSE Capped Major Admissions Application).  Students who apply without meeting all eligibility requirements will be disqualified (application will be flagged as ineligible) and the application will count as one of the 2-time CSE Capped Admissions Program application limit.
• Any course substitutions requiring a petition must be submitted to the CSE department no later than noon the Friday before the MyJSOE Major Change App opens
• Students with 150+ units at the time of the application review will need to have submitted a quarter by quarter (QXQ) plan for their remaining requirements to be reviewed by the CSE department and their college. QXQ plan must be emailed to csestudent@eng.ucsd.edu no later than the capped major application deadline. 
  • Students may submit their application but will not be offered a seat until a college advisor has reviewed and approved the student’s QXQ plan.
  • Approval from the college will be needed before the department’s decision deadline. Students who cannot complete the CSE major requirements within the university term limits (6 terms for transfer students, 12 terms for students who start here as freshmen) may be considered ineligible for the CSE Capped Admissions Program and may not be approved to switch into the major.
  • 150 unit cap includes all credit, including AP and IP credit
• Students will be notified via Virtual Advising Center with the decision

Application Process

• Eligible students may apply using the MyJSOE Major Change Application.  
• Eligible students who have not exceeded the two-time application limit and meet the 3.3 GPA cutoff for screening courses, UCSD 8 unit residency requirement in CSE courses, and approved quarter by quarter plan (QXQ plan needed for students with 150+ units) will be populated onto an Excel sheet. Each student is then randomly assigned a number using Excel’s random number generator.  Students are then sorted by their assigned number from highest to lowest number. The students with the 55 highest assigned numbers are offered a seat in the CSE department (55 seats offered with an anticipated yield of 50 students). 
• In the message you receive informing you of the department’s decision, we will explain what the next steps are if you were or were not approved to declare the major.

If you are interested in the computational and data sciences, but do not receive admission to the CSE department, there are several excellent alternate choices available at UC San Diego. 

This CSE webpage only describes how to apply for a CSE major.  To discuss any of the below major requirements, we recommend contacting the appropriate department OR visit computingpaths.ucsd.edu  for information on the array of all the Computational Sciences offered at UCSD.

• Bioinformatics Specializations: Bioengineering , Biology , and Computer Science and Engineering
• Cognitive Science
• Computer Science and Engineering
• Data Science
• Economics
• Electrical & Computer Engineering
• Interdisciplinary Computing and the Arts (ICAM): Visual Arts and Music
• Mathematics
• Physics

We also recommend you visit the Career Services Center and your College Adviser to discuss your academic and career goals.  Use their resources to identify majors that may be a good fit for you and explore them.

Computer Science at University of California – San Diego

Here, you’ll find out more about the major and acceptance rate out of state, including such details as the number of graduates, what degree levels are offered, ethnicity of students, average salaries, and more. Also, learn how UCSD ranks among other schools offering degrees in compsci.

uC san diego computer science ranking

• Bachelor’s Degree in CompSci
• Master’s Degree in CompSci
• Doctorate Degree in CompSci

uCSD computer science ranking

UCSD is in the top 10% of the country for compsci. More specifically it was ranked #20 out of 286 schools by College Factual. It is also ranked #6 in California.

Ranking Type	Rank
Most Popular Colleges for Computer Science	1
Best Computer Science Colleges for Non-Traditional Students	19
Highest Paid Computer Science Graduates	19
Most Focused Colleges for Computer Science	31
Best Value Colleges for Computer Science	90

Popularity of CompSci at UCSD

During the 2017-2018 academic year, University of California – San Diego handed out 542 bachelor’s degrees in computer science. Due to this, the school was ranked #1 out of all colleges and universities that offer this degree. This is a decrease of 11% over the previous year when 607 degrees were handed out.

In 2018, 246 students received their master’s degree in compsci from UCSD. This makes it the #11 most popular school for compsci master’s degree candidates in the country.

In addition, 23 students received their doctoral degrees in compsci in 2018, making the school the #11 most popular school in the United States for this category of students.

How Much Do CompSci Graduates from UCSD Make?

$80,800BACHELOR’S MEDIAN SALARY

$141,200MASTER’S MEDIAN SALARY

Salary of CompSci Graduates with a Bachelor’s Degree

CompSci majors who earn their bachelor’s degree from UCSD go on to jobs where they make a median salary of $80,800 a year. This is great news for graduates of the program, since this figure is higher than the national average of $63,700 for all compsci bachelor’s degree recipients.

Salary of CompSci Graduates with a Master’s Degree

Graduates of the master’s compsci program at UCSD make a median salary of $141,200. This is a better than average outcome since the median salary for all compsci graduates with a master’s is $91,100.

How Much Student Debt Do CompSci Graduates from UCSD Have

$18,500BACHELOR’S MEDIAN DEBT

$22,584MASTER’S MEDIAN DEBT

Student Debt of CompSci Graduates with a Bachelor’s Degree

While getting their bachelor’s degree at UCSD, compsci students borrow a median amount of $18,500 in student loans. This is not too bad considering that the median debt load of all compsci bachelor’s degree recipients across the country is $22,812.

The typical student loan payment of a bachelor’s degree student from the compsci program at UCSD is $192 per month.

Student Debt of CompSci Graduates with a Master’s Degree

At UCSD, a typical compsci student working on their master’s degree borrrows about $22,584 in student loans. This means that these borrowers may have an easier time paying back their loans thatn the typical compsci graduate who borrows a median amount of $31,933.

Those master’s students from UCSD on a 10-year student debt repayment plan end up paying a median amount of $263 per month.

UCSD Computer Programs

Take a look at the following statistics related to the make-up of the compsci majors at University of California – San Diego.

UCSD Computer Science Bachelor’s Program

The compsci program at UCSD awarded 542 bachelor’s degrees in 2017-2018. About 83% of these degrees went to men with the other 17% going to women.

The majority of the graduates for this major are Asian American. In the graduating class of 2018, 52% of grads fell into this category.

The following table and chart show the ethnic background for students who recently graduated from University of California – San Diego with a bachelor’s in compsci.

Ethnic Background	Number of Students
Asian	283
Black or African American	3
Hispanic or Latino	33
White	96
Non-Resident Aliens	95
Other Races	32

UCSD Computer Science Master’s Program

Of the 246 students who graduated with a Master’s in compsci from UCSD in 2018, 79% were men and 21% were women.

The following table and chart show the ethnic background for students who recently graduated from University of California – San Diego with a master’s in compsci.

Ethnic Background	Number of Students
Asian	16
Black or African American	0
Hispanic or Latino	2
White	18
Non-Resident Aliens	208
Other Races	2

Areas of Concentration for CompSci

Computer Science students may decide to concentrate in one of the following focus areas. Individual focus areas may not be available for all degree levels.

Concentration	Annual Graduates
Computer Science	811

Most Popular Related Majors

Related Major	Annual Graduates
Computer Information Systems	37

uCSD acceptance rate by major

UCSD acceptance rates are 32.3% and without a doubt UC San Diego is a competitive school. Keep in mind: many UCSD majors are capped, which means they have a limited number of spots.

UCSD ACT Score Range
Section	25th Percentile	75th Percentile
English Language Arts	26	31
Composite	28	34

uCSD computer science transfer acceptance rate

Let’s wrap up everything we’ve learned. If you still have questions about transferring, check out the UCSD website for more info.
UCSD accepts 54.32% transfer applicants, which is competitive.

To have a shot at transferring into UCSD, you should have a current GPA of at least 4.08 – ideally you’re GPA will be around 4.24. In addition, you will need to submit standardized test scores.

The below tables show the SAT and ACT breakdown of UCSD students.

	25th Percentile	75th Percentile	Average
SAT Math	610	770	690
SAT Reading	560	680	620
2018 Total SAT Score	1170	1450	1310

	25th Percentile	75th Percentile	Average
ACT Math	26	33	29
ACT Reading	25	34	29
2018 Total ACT Score	51	67	59

University of California-San Diego (UC San Diego)’s average SAT score is 1310. To be a competitive applicant for University of California-San Diego (UC San Diego) your SAT score should come close to the average – for the ACT you should be aiming for the equivalent.