You checked UCSD's overall number and felt fine. Then you saw the CS kids panicking. Both reactions are right. The UCSD transfer acceptance rate by major ran from 17.1% to 78.0% for fall 2025, and your major decides which end you land on.
Good news: you can see the whole spread before you apply. Or skip the homework and let a website like Transfermatic build your class plan around the UCSD major you want.
UCSD transfer acceptance rate by major: all 18
Here's every major, lowest to highest, from official UC data. The campus average is your yardstick.
| Major | Fall 2025 admit rate |
|---|---|
| Computer Science | 17.1% |
| Computer Engineering | 19.5% |
| Mechanical Engineering | 20.2% |
| Electrical Engineering | 38.7% |
| Marine Biology | 40.8% |
| Aerospace Engineering | 42.4% |
| Business Economics | 43.4% |
| Chemistry | 45.0% |
| Biology | 47.4% |
| Economics | 56.7% |
| Data Science | 57.4% |
| Cinematic Arts | 65.4% |
| Math-Computer Science | 65.5% |
| Psychology | 66.4% |
| Communication | 70.2% |
| Cognitive Science | 75.6% |
| Political Science | 76.2% |
| Literatures in English | 78.0% |
Comparing campuses? Here are transfer acceptance rates by major across every UC.
The hard half: everything under 51.9%
Every major from CS through Biology sat below the campus average. CS is the big one: 1,987 applicants, 339 admits. Admitted CS transfers had a middle-half GPA of 3.89 to 4.00. Translation: near-perfect grades, every prep class done.
Engineering splits weird. Computer and Mechanical hover around 20%, while Electrical (38.7%) and Aerospace (42.4%) admit roughly twice as often. Business Economics pulled 2,320 applicants and still took 43.4%.
Going for CS anyway? A website like Transfermatic maps every prep class in the right order, so nothing's missing when you hit submit.
The wider doors: everything over 51.9%
Every major from Economics up beat the average. Literatures in English topped the list at 78.0%, and Political Science, Cognitive Science and Communication all cleared 70%.
Higher odds still isn't "easy." Data Science (57.4%) is a screened major on UCSD's own list. And watch the degree: Economics hit 56.7%, but the B.S. in Economics admitted 41.3% of its 138 applicants.
CS at 17.1%, Math-CS at 65.5%. A backdoor?
Nope. Math-Computer Science is its own major, and its admits still posted a middle-half GPA of 3.61 to 3.95.
“Pick the major you actually want. Then take the classes that prove it.”
Bottom line
UCSD's overall rate was 51.9%, but nobody applies "overall." You apply to a major, and fall 2025 ran from 17.1% to 78.0%. Find yours in the table, finish its prep, and see which UCSD prep classes your college offers. Then compare with UCLA and UC Berkeley.
Related: see the major prep classes at your college · UC transfer acceptance rates by major · the UCLA transfer acceptance rate and how to get in · the UC Berkeley transfer acceptance rate and how to get in
