Founded as an experiment in 1960, UC San Diego scholars aren’t afraid to challenge convention if it means we can accelerate answers to our society’s most pressing issues. As one of the top 20 research universities in the world, we are driving change far beyond our walls to advance society and propel economic growth. And the world has taken notice.
UC San Diego's main campus is located near the Pacific Ocean on approximately 1,200 acres of coastal woodland in La Jolla, California. The campus sits on the ancestral homelands of the Kumeyaay Nation. Kumeyaay people continue to have an important and thriving presence in the region. UC San Diego's rich academic portfolio includes eleven academic, professional and graduate schools and eight undergraduate residential colleges. UC San Diego is also home to the prestigious Scripps Institution of Oceanography and the UC San Diego Health System.
Rankings
UC San Diego is making waves in the rankings. Globally and nationally, our campus is recognized for improving social mobility, offering a high-quality education at an affordable price, producing powerful research, advancing health care and more.
Global Rankings
1st
Top “Golden Age” University In 2020 for the fourth year in a row, Times Higher Education ranked UC San Diego 1st among the world’s top “Golden Age” universities—the best higher education institutions that were founded between 1945 and 1966.
7th
Clarivate Highly Cited Researchers The 2023 Highly Cited Researchers list includes 71 individual distinctions from UC San Diego (up from 66 last year). The university has the highest number of influential voices in the University of California system and ranks 7th highest among universities worldwide.
18th
Academic Ranking of World Universities The 2024 Academic Ranking of World Universities has recognized UC San Diego as No. 18 in its list of the top universities in the world. UC San Diego was also ranked No. 3 among public universities in the United States in the latest edition of the annual ranking released by ShanghaiRanking Consultancy.
21st
U.S. News and World Report U.S. News and World Report listed UC San Diego as 21st in their 2024-2025 Best Global Universities rankings, which are evaluated based on 13 indicators, such as global and regional research reputation, international collaboration and total citations.
Center for World University Rankings The Center for the World University Rankings named UC San Diego the 34th best university in the world, 21st in the U.S. and seventh best public university in the nation in 2024.
34th
Times Higher Education UC San Diego was named the 34th best university across the globe by Times Higher Education in their 2024 World University Rankings, which assessed more than 1,900 public and private institutions around the world. The campus was also named 20th best in the U.S.
National Rankings
2nd
U.S. News & World Report Best High Schools The Preuss School UC San Diego—a charter middle and high school for low-income students who strive to become the first in their families to graduate from college—was ranked the No. 2 best high school in San Diego County by U.S. News & World Report in their 2024 list of “Best High Schools.” The school was also ranked the 28th best school in the State of California out of over 2,500 schools.
3rd
Forbes UC San Diego was ranked third among the nation’s top public colleges, according to the Forbes 2024 list of America’s Top Colleges. UC San Diego was No. 21 out of the complete list of 500 four-year private and public colleges in the country.
Money Magazine Best Colleges for Transfers In 2021, UC San Diego admitted over half of all transfer students who applied. The campus was named sixth in the nation among colleges where transfer students are succeeding in large numbers, according to Money Magazine’s 2018 list of “10 Best Colleges for Transfer Students.”
Washington Monthly In 2024, Washington Monthly named UC San Diego the ninth best public university in the nation for contributions to social mobility, research and public service.
9th
Campus Pride and BestColleges UC San Diego was named the 9th best public university in the nation for LGBTQ+ students according to a new ranking by Campus Pride in partnership with BestColleges. The “2020 Best Colleges for LGBTQ+ Students” ranking, which placed the campus 17th overall, recognizes higher education institutions that provide both a quality academic experience as well as a safe and inclusive space for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ+) students.
11th
Pitchbook According to Pitchbook’s 2024 annual rankings, UC San Diego ranked No. 36 in a list of the top 100 undergraduate universities in the world based on the number of alumni entrepreneurs who came out of the schools and founded venture capital-backed companies. It is No. 11 out of public undergraduate universities in the U.S.
43rd
Wall Street Journal/Times Higher Education UC San Diego was ranked the 43rd best university nationwide in the Wall Street Journal/Times Higher Education College Ranking 2022 report. The ranking of more than 800 universities is based on 15 individual performance indicators.
Three doctoral programs—Biological Sciences, Bioengineering and Scripps Oceanography—are ranked 1st in the nation according to the results of the 2010 National Research Council Data-Based Assessment of Research-Doctorate Programs, conducted every ten years.
5th
According to Nature Index, UC San Diego is the fifth most prolific producer of scientific journal articles of all U.S. public universities in their 2024 Research Leaders list.
4
Scripps Institution of Oceanography operates four research vessels that enable faculty, students and researchers to address our planet’s most pressing environmental challenges within a cutting-edge mobile laboratory. In 2019, the oceanographic research vessel Bob and Betty Beyster became the newest addition to the Scripps Fleet.
10th
In 2022, Nature Index ranked UC San Diego 10th in the world among the top 200 institutions in biomedical sciences in their assessment based upon published research in a targeted set of high-quality scientific journals.
12th
UC San Diego was named 12th best research university in the nation and 45th best college in the world by the Centre for Science and Technology Studies of Leiden University in their 2023 report that measured scientific impact of universities worldwide.
100+
More than 100 research centers on campus.
Best Value Rankings
5-star rating
UC San Diego earned 5 stars–the highest rating available–in Money’s Best Colleges in America 2024 list. The outlet annually recognizes colleges that combine quality and affordability.
6th
UC San Diego placed sixth among the nation’s top public colleges for students seeking an outstanding education at an affordable price, according to The Princeton Review’s Best Value Colleges for 2024.
11th
UC San Diego has been ranked the 11th best public university in the country among colleges that pay off the most in a 2019 ranking by CNBC. The rankings measured UC San Diego’s costs, financial aid packages and the earnings for alumni at the start of their career ($61,300), as well as the mid-point ($94,050) and after they have been in the workforce for more than ten years ($126,800).
13th
In 2019, Forbes ranked UC San Diego 13th among America's Best Value Colleges. Scores are based on net price, net debt, alumni earnings, timely graduation, school quality and access for low-income students.
19th
In 2019, Kiplinger’s Personal Finance named UC San Diego the 19th best in-state value public university in the nation based on its academic quality and affordability, including high four-year graduation rates, low average student debt at graduation, the availability of financial aid and overall great value.
27th
In 2024, Washington Monthly named UC San Diego 27th Best Bang for the Buck among public universities in the western U.S.
Top 10%
UC San Diego was named a Social Mobility Innovator by CollegeNET, Inc. for successfully enrolling students from low-income backgrounds, graduating them into promising careers and fostering a campus culture based on inclusive excellence. UC San Diego has ranked among the top 10 percent of schools on the index for the past four years.
Graduate Program Rankings
9th
The Hollywood Reporter named UC San Diego’s Acting MFA program 9th in the world, and first on the west coast in their 2024 report.
4th
UC San Diego Rady School of Management ranked 4th in the nation for entrepreneurship and learning by Bloomberg Businessweek in 2022.
13th
UC San Diego’s Rady School of Management MBA program ranked 13th in The Princeton Review’s 2023 survey naming the top graduate schools for entrepreneurship studies.
6th
In their 2022 rankings, College Choice named UC San Diego’s Master’s in Fine Arts Program 6th in the nation based on academic reputation, student satisfaction, affordability and average annual salary of early career artists.
11th
Foreign Policy Magazine’s 2018 rankings named UC San Diego 11th in the nation for best undergraduate institutions to study international relations. The rankings also named UC San Diego's master's program for policy careers in international relations in the 15th spot and Ph.D. program for an academic career in international relations in the 7th spot.
14th
UC San Diego Rady School of Management’s two-year MBA program has been ranked 14th in the world in a 2018 The Times Higher Education and Wall Street Journal business school report. The ranking was determined using data provided by schools and a survey of the schools’ alumni.
Time-based media/new media (7th), fine arts (10th).
Engineering
Biomedical/Bioengineering (8th); Computer Science: Systems (8th); Computer Science: Artificial Intelligence (10th); Best Engineering School (11th), Computer Science: Programming Language (11th); Computer Engineering (12th); Computer Science (13th); Electrical Engineering (14th); Computer Science: Theory (15th); Mechanical Engineering (17th); and Aerospace Engineering (18th); Civil Engineering (27th), and Materials Engineering (29th).
Health Sciences
School of Medicine research program (Tier 1) and School of Medicine primary care (Tier 2).
Sciences
Discrete mathematics and combinatorics (5th), physics of living systems (5th), biochemistry (8th), geophysics and seismology (8th), earth sciences (9th), neuroscience/neurobiology (9th), algebra (10th), genetics (10th), cell biology (12th), molecular biology (12th), condensed matter (13th), biochemistry/biophysics (13th), geometry (15th), theoretical chemistry (15th), biological sciences (17th), physical chemistry (17th), mathematics (20th), chemistry (20th), physics (21st), geochemistry (21st), math analysis (23rd), biostatistics (34th) and statistics (41).
Social Sciences and Humanities
Behavioral neuroscience (1st), international politics (5th), econometrics (7th), political science (8th), comparative politics (10th), sociology of culture (10th), development economics (11th), psychology (12th), American politics (13th), economics (14th), public finance (14th), labor economics (17th), political methodology (17th), microeconomics (18th), macroeconomics (18th), history (30th), sociology (31st) and English (53rd).
Academics
UC San Diego’s academic programs, taught by recognized experts, prepare students to stand out and lead change. As a student-centered university, all undergraduates belong to a tight-knit college community and are equipped to succeed through supplemental learning, faculty-mentored research opportunities, student success coaches and more.
12
Divisions and schools
140+
Undergraduate majors
7
Undergraduate residential colleges
26:1
Student-to-faculty ratio
Undergraduate Fields of Study by Student Population
36.6%
Social Sciences
18.8%
Engineering
17.5%
Biology
13%
Physical Sciences
5%
Arts and Humanities
2.7%
Special/Undeclared
2.5%
Scripps Institution of Oceanography
2.1%
Halıcıoğlu Data Science Institute
1.7%
Herbert Wertheim School of Public Health and Human Longevity Science
Top 5 Undergraduate Majors by Student Population
17.5%
Biology
7.9%
Psychology
7.4%
Economics
7.1%
Mathematics
6.0%
Cognitive Science
About Students
Students at UC San Diego are curious about the world around them and eager to make a difference. Both academically exceptional and socially conscious, our undergraduate and graduate scholars set the bar high. They travel the world on service learning trips to improve public health and sustainability; they develop exciting entrepreneurial ideas and launch companies; and they work alongside faculty members on diverse research projects, from civic engagement to ocean aerosols and materials inspired by nature.
43,381
Total student population (Fall 2023)
Undergraduate Students
Freshmen
130,830
Freshman applicants (Fall 2023)
Transfer
19,942
Transfer applicants (Fall 2023)
92%
Of admitted transfer students come from California Community College
Total
33,096
Total number of all undergraduate matriculated students (Fall 2022)
Graduate and Professional Students
9,872
Total graduate and professional students
3,814
Doctoral students
4,315
Masters students
962
Clinical residents
781
MD and pharmacy students
Degrees Conferred 2023
8,415
Bachelor’s degrees
2,793
Masters degrees
603
Ph.D.
115
M.D.
57
Pharmacy
About Faculty, Staff and Alumni
There is a spirit of bold ingenuity shared among the UC San Diego community. Faculty members are sought-after experts in their field, equally passionate about tackling our world’s toughest problems and training the next generation of student leaders. Staff bring heart and creativity to advance the mission of our campus. And alumni stand out as distinct thinkers who make waves in diverse fields.
About Faculty
3,804
Total number of faculty
1,733
Number of ladder-rank faculty
2,071
Clinical/in-residence faculty
356
Lecturers
1,154
Postdoctoral scholars
3,822
Student teachers and research assistants
Faculty Awards (including Faculty Emeriti)
168
Memberships held by current and emeriti faculty in National Academy of Sciences (88), National Academy of Engineering (32) and National Academy of Medicine (48).
216
UC San Diego faculty who have been named Fellows of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), the largest general science organization in the world and publisher of the journal Science.
143
UC San Diego faculty who have been selected for the Alfred P. Sloan Research Fellowship, which awards the brightest early career scientists in the U.S. and Canada whose drive, creativity and insight make them a researcher to watch.
Nobel Prize
Sixteen Nobel laureates have taught at UC San Diego. In addition, the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to former vice president Al Gore and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, whose roster of researchers lists nearly two dozen Scripps Institution of Oceanography scientists including Veerabhadran Ramanathan, Richard Somerville and Lynne Talley.
National Medal of Science
Michael Freedman, mathematics (1987); Craig Venter, pharmacology (2009); and Shu Chien, bioengineering (2011).
Breakthrough Prize
Dr. Napoleone Ferrara (2012); Don Cleveland (2017); James McKernan (2017); Joanne Chory (2017)
American Academy of Arts and Letters
Rand Steiger (2011 Music Award); Chinary Ung (2020); Lei Liang (2021 Music Award); Anthony Davis (2021); and Roger Reynolds (2023).
American Academy of Arts and Sciences
Susan Ackerman (2019); Yishi Jin (2019); John Wixted (2019); Paul M. Churchland (2020); Vicki H. Grassian (2020); Margaret S. Leinen (2020); David G. Victor (2020); Ananda Goldrath (2021); Eileen Myles (2021); Stefan Savage (2021); Arshad B. Desai (2022); Karen Oegema (2022); and Ana Celia Zentella (2022).
Fields Medal
Michael Freedman, mathematics (1986); and Efim Zelmanov, mathematics (1994).
Tony Award
Judith Dolan, theatre and dance (1997).
John von Neumann Theory Prize in Mathematics
Ruth Williams (2016).
MacArthur Fellowship
Michael Freedman, mathematics (1984); Arnold Mandell, psychiatry (1984); Edwin Hutchins, cognitive science (1985); Michael Schudson, communications (1990); Patricia Smith Churchland, philosophy (1991); Nancy D. Cartwright, philosophy (1993); Russell Lande, biology (1997); Kun-Liang Guan, pharmacology (1998); Guillermo Algaze, anthropology (2003); Carol Padden, communication (2010) and Stefan Savage, computer science (2017).
Pulitzer Prize
Roger Reynolds, music (1989); Rae Armantrout, poetry (2010); Anthony Davis, music (2020); and Brandon Som (2024).
Grammy Award
Kamau Kenyatta (2014).
Academy Award
Henrik Wann Jensen, computer science and engineering (2004).
As a billion-dollar research enterprise framed by the Pacific and positioned in the heart of one of the most densely concentrated innovation hubs in the nation, UC San Diego is a unique place where fresh ideas are translated into solutions to benefit society.
San Diego’s first biotechnology company, Hybritech, was started in 1979 by UC San Diego School of Medicine professor Ivor Royston. Hundreds of other groundbreaking local companies have roots with our university, from telecommunications giant Qualcomm, Inc.; to Ballast Point Spirits, one of the region’s earliest craft breweries; and Portfolium, a unique student electronic portfolio network.
#1
UC San Diego is the largest employer headquartered in San Diego County.
1,000+
Over 1,000 companies utilize, or have utilized, technology created at UC San Diego.
3rd
UC San Diego is third in the University of California system for the highest number of U.S. patents issued in fiscal year 2019-20. In fiscal year 2019-20, UC San Diego issued 96 U.S. patents.
4th
The Milken Institute identified UC San Diego among the top five in the nation for startup creation in their 2017 report, "The Best Universities for Technology Transfer."
30 States
Technologies invented by UC San Diego are being put into practice by companies in 30 states across the U.S., with the majority utilized by companies in California.
31
Total start-ups launched in 2018 by faculty, students and staff.
118
Licenses created in 2018 by UC San Diego faculty and students.
2,500+
In 2018, the UC San Diego Office of Innovation and Commercialization managed 2,539 inventions and more than 460 new intellectual property agreements.
$16.5 Billion
Total annual economic impact in California—more than the entire annual revenue of the state of Arizona.
32,429
Direct jobs attributable to active UC San Diego-related companies.
100,492
Jobs throughout California directly and indirectly supported by UC San Diego.
41,666
Total number of full and part-time academic and staff employees at UC San Diego (as of April 2024).
$32.4 Billion
Total estimated annual sales of active UC San Diego-related companies in San Diego County, including those utilizing licensed technology.
Financial Figures
As the region’s leading research university, the campus continues to have a significant impact on San Diego’s economy. Philanthropic and research support enables our scholars to achieve critical breakthroughs that will impact lives for generations to come.
$352.7 million
In FY 2023–24, UC San Diego’s diverse community of donors—over 23,000 alumni, friends and community members—provided $352.7 million in annual support for student-centered spaces and programs, arts and culture initiatives, research and innovation efforts, world-class health care, and more.
$7.9 billion
Fiscal year 2022-23 revenues; 19% of this total is revenue from contracts and grants, most of which is from the federal government for research.
Total combined endowment for the campus as of fiscal year 2022-23, managed by the UC San Diego Foundation and the UC Regents.
Public Service
At UC San Diego, we strive to make a difference in all that we do—it is an integral part of our university mission. Our faculty members don’t just teach, they conduct breakthrough research that changes lives locally and globally. Staff members unite to better the local community through hundreds of hours of volunteer work. And students are shaped into global changemakers through service-learning projects around the world.
Association of Public and Land-grant Universities (APLU) Designation
In 2017, UC San Diego was named an Innovation and Economic Prosperity University by the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities (APLU), a designation that fewer than 60 universities nationwide have achieved. The designation recognizes universities that are leaders in spurring regional economic development, including workforce enhancement, innovation and entrepreneurship and civic growth.
Changemaker Campus
UC San Diego was designated as a Changemaker Campus in 2017 by Ashoka U for its role as a leader in social innovation education. Only a select number of universities around the world have received this designation. UC San Diego is the first University of California campus to be recognized.
1st
Highest population of low-income students (11 percent) among peer institutions. (New York Times, 2017).
5th
Fifth in the nation for the number of disadvantaged students who have greater prospects of becoming high wage earners as adults. (New York Times, 2017).
9th
Best public university in the nation for social mobility, research and public service. (Washington Monthly, 2024).
14th
Top fifteen for number of alumni serving as Peace Corps volunteers. In total, the campus has produced over 800 volunteers.
50
Number of hours Chancellor Khosla encourages all campus community members to volunteer each year.
64
Number of student organizations on campus that have a primary focus on service.
2,200+
Number of local low-income and first-generation college students who have been awarded a Chancellor’s Associates Scholarship.
3 Million
Number of annual community service hours contributed by faculty, staff and student volunteers.
Making College Attainable: Chancellor’s Associates Scholars Program
More than 2,200 local low-income and first-generation college students have been named Chancellor’s Associates Scholars. When combined with other financial aid, the award covers students’ tuition, on-campus living expenses, books and more—essentially a full scholarship.
Community Outreach
UC San Diego engages the local community through numerous social, environmental and educational initiatives, including:
UC San Diego Health—the region’s only academic health system—is dedicated to clinical, research and teaching excellence. For decades, UC San Diego Health and its schools of medicine and pharmacy have been advancing medicine through breakthrough discoveries — including pioneering firsts in surgery, imaging, cancer treatment and cardiovascular care. And with more than 1,500 doctors and scientists who are published experts in their fields, UC San Diego Health is well equipped to deliver the highest quality patient-centered primary and specialty care.
1st
UC San Diego Health is ranked first in San Diego, placing it among the nation’s best hospitals (U.S. News and World Report, 2024-2025). It also placed on the “Best Hospitals National Honor Roll,” a distinction awarded to only 20 hospitals nationwide that are recognized for outstanding patient care.
6th
among public schools for National Institutes of Health research funding FY19 (UC San Diego School of Medicine NIH awards)
18th
best pharmacy school in the nation (U.S. News and World Report, 2020)
30th
best school of medicine in the nation for primary care (U.S. News and World Report, 2023-2024)
100+
physicians in 50 specialties named Top Docs (San Diego Magazine, 2023)
1,713
Faculty members in the schools of medicine and pharmacy.
3,005
Students, postdocs, residents and fellows.
7,000+
Patients receiving treatment in clinical trials.
9,100+
UC San Diego Health employees.
854,000+
Total yearly outpatient visits to UC San Diego Health
800+
Beds at UC San Diego Health medical centers.
$747 Million
UC San Diego Health provides over $747 million annually in charity care and benefits to the community (FY 2023).
$761 Million
Research awards (FY 2019).
'A's For Hospital Safety
UC San Diego Health's hospitals in both La Jolla and Hillcrest earned top marks from The Leapfrog Group in the fall of 2022 for keeping patients safe from preventable harm and medical errors.
Top Teaching Hospital
UC San Diego Health's hospitals in La Jolla and Hillcrest were recognized as among the nation's Top Teaching Hospitals by The Leapfrog Group in 2022. This is the most competitive recognition for excellence in hospital safety and quality. No other UC hospital earned this top teaching hospital recognition.
U.S. News and World Report “Best Hospitals” 2024-25
UC San Diego ranks in the top 50 nationally in 11 specialties. More than 4,500 medical centers across the nation were ranked by U.S. News and World Report.
10th
Pulmonology and Lung Surgery
12th
Obstetrics and Gynecology
19th
Geriatrics
22nd
Neurology and Neurosurgery
26th
Gastroenterology and GI Surgery
27th
Heart and Vascular Surgery
34th
Diabetes and Endocrinology
40th
Ear, Nose and Throat
42nd
Cancer
43th
Urology
44th
Orthopedics
UC San Diego Student-Run Free Clinic Project
For two decades, the Student-Run Free Clinic Project has helped people of all ages and circumstances access high-quality health care, regardless of their ability to pay. The project assists community members with a range of critical health services, including psychiatric care.
UC San Diego Health Firsts
Discovered insulin resistance is a primary cause of Type II diabetes.
First to show that memory could be enhanced in Alzheimer’s disease patients by stopping the action of a brain chemical called acetylcholinesterase (AChE). These findings led to the development of some of the first treatments.
Performed the first pulmonary thromboendarterectomy (PTE), an operation for removing blood clots from the pulmonary arteries to treat chronic pulmonary hypertension.
First to learn of associations between a lack of Vitamin D and breast and other cancers.
Uncovered the first direct evidence of how a cancer gene works.
First to identify the neurobiological early-warning signs of autism during a child’s first year of life, a finding that offers the potential for earlier diagnosis, intervention and improved clinical outcomes for autistic children.
The Hamilton Glaucoma Center, founded in 2004, is the first facility in the world dedicated solely to glaucoma clinical and laboratory research.
First to define the concept of gene therapy as a way to treat diseases by using gene transfer techniques.
UC San Diego Health Academics
As part of our academic enterprise, UC San Diego Health has three professional schools, each located on the university campus in La Jolla.
The Integrated Scientific Curriculum combines clinical medicine and medical science. Students get hands-on clinical instruction at institutions including UC San Diego Health hospitals, the VA San Diego Medical Center, Naval Medical Center San Diego and Rady Children’s Hospital San Diego.
Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences
Founded in 2000, the Skaggs School enrolls an average of 240 Pharm.D. students, 60 Ph.D. students and 30 pharmacy residents yearly.
The innovative and flexible curriculum leads to the Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.) degree, taught by a stellar health sciences faculty in a program closely associated with the outstanding clinical, research and academic programs in the School of Medicine. The school is also fourth in the nation for NIH grants and total research funding, according to the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy’s FY2022 institutional rankings report.
The Herbert Wertheim School of Public Health and Human Longevity Science
The Herbert Wertheim School of Public Health and Human Longevity Science was founded in 2019 with a $25 million lead gift from the Dr. Herbert and Nicole Wertheim Family Foundation, seed money to grow in a new era of public health research, education and rapid societal change, with a mission to create and promote healthier populations on a local, national, and global scale.
The school leverages UC San Diego's interdisciplinary and collaborative culture to develop and implement solutions to reduce or eliminate disparities in disadvantaged or underserved communities and improve the overall health of our communities.
UC San Diego Health Clinical Facilities
To fulfill our mission, UC San Diego Health maintains a two-campus strategy integrating research, teaching and clinical care at locations in Hillcrest and La Jolla. Each medical complex supports acute in-patient care and a spectrum of outpatient primary and specialty medical and surgical services, including ambulatory and emergency patient care.
UC San Diego Medical Center—Hillcrest Opened in 1966 | 390 beds | Comprehensive Stroke Center | Area’s only Regional Burn Center | Level I Trauma Center | Owen Clinic for HIV/AIDS
Jacobs Medical Center Opened in 2016 | 364 beds | Level III Neonatal Intensive Care Unit and hospital-based Birth Center | Advanced surgical, cancer and cardiac rehabilitation care
Sulpizio Cardiovascular Center Opened in 2011 | 54 beds | San Diego’s first Comprehensive cardiovascular center | Global leader in pulmonary thromboendarterectomy (PTE)
Moores Cancer Center Opened in 2005 | Region’s only National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center
Shiley Eye Institute Opened in 1991 | Anne and Abraham Ratner Children’s Eye Center | Joan and Irwin Jacobs Retina Center | Hamilton Glaucoma Center
Community-based clinics and specialty services Our work often focuses on outreach to underserved communities and members of health disparity groups.
More About UC San Diego
Meandering the campus, you might stumble upon a giant bear made of boulders, part of UC San Diego’s iconic public art collection. Or discover the immersive SunCAVE, a 360-degree virtual reality space where you can be transported to an archaeological site across the globe. UC San Diego shines in so many ways—from developing the first cognitive science department to being the top surfing school in the nation. Learn more about our unique university.
Scripps Institution of Oceanography climate scientist Charles David Keeling was the first to confirm the buildup of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, a benchmark of global warming studies.
1st
In 2018 UC San Diego was ranked 1st nationally among “Top 10 Surf Colleges” by Surfer Magazine. Criteria included high academic standards, notable alumni as well as access to high quality surf. UC San Diego’s surf team has won six national championships.
2nd
In 1963, UC San Diego Professor Maria Goeppert Mayer became the second woman in history to win a Nobel Prize in Physics.
Number of original drawings, sketches, books, and photographs created by Theodor Seuss Geisel, a.k.a. Dr. Seuss, that are housed at the UC San Diego Library.
Athletics
Division 1
In 2020, UC San Diego became a member of the Big West Conference in NCAA Division I.
Number of NCAA national team sport championships earned.
90
UC San Diego scholar-athletes earn degrees at a 90 percent graduation rate, the highest-rated public institution among all of NCAA Division I and II.
276
UC San Diego has won 276 national, regional and conference championships.
1,389
Number of Tritons that have been named to All-America teams.
Sustainability
58
UC San Diego has completed 58 LEED-certified buildings and renovations on campus, including 11 platinum, 28 gold, 16 silver and three certified.
50%
UC San Diego’s campus vehicle fleet is one of the greenest in the nation with more than 50 percent comprising hybrid, electric or alternative fuel vehicles.
85%
Considered one of the most advanced in the world, UC San Diego’s microgrid generates approximately 85 percent of the electricity used on campus annually, saving more than $8 million a year.
