U.S. News also recognized the university’s academic excellence in undergraduate computer science and engineering. The Jacobs School of Engineering’s undergraduate program is No. 19 among engineering schools that offer doctorates, rising three spots from the previous year. The school is also No. 10 out of the nation’s public universities. The outlet named the following specialty areas among the top 10 nationwide: Biocomputing/Bioinformatics/Biotechnology (No. 2), Mobile/Web Applications (No. 5) and Bioengineering/Biomedical (No. 8).

Engineering undergraduates acquire the skills and knowledge necessary to become part of tomorrow’s innovative workforce, thanks to hands-on education, interdisciplinary research opportunities and more. They also break records while solving complex challenges. This past summer, for example, the university’s student-led engineering team Triton Racing achieved their best-ever performance in the annual Formula Society of Automotive Engineers Competition, successfully overcoming logistical hurdles in the process.

Further, faculty and student scholars across a broad spectrum of engineering disciplines are consistently paving the path to new discoveries. Recently, a research team studied the UV light-emitting devices used to cure gel manicures and found that their use leads to cell death and cancer-causing mutations in human cells. Plus, a series of fundamental advances made by UC San Diego bioengineers is accelerating the promising field of biomanufacturing. Using novel technologies, large amounts of melatonin are being made by bacteria for the first time ever. 

Now in its 39th year, U.S News evaluated nearly 1,500 U.S. four-year bachelor’s degree-granting institutions on as many as 19 measures of academic quality for the 2024 edition of the Best Colleges rankings. Ranking factors include graduation and retention rates, faculty resources, social mobility and academic reputation, among other measures.

To view the full U.S. News & World Report 2024 Best Colleges rankings, visit the outlet’s website. For a listing of UC San Diego rankings and accolades, visit the Campus Profile.