Is UC San Diego or UT Austin more selective for computer science?

UC San Diego is typically the more selective admit for computer science when comparing the programs as a whole, though UT Austin CS is in the same highly competitive tier and can be especially difficult for non-Texas residents. UCSD’s Computer Science and Engineering major draws an applicant pool far larger than its available freshman spaces, and admission directly into the major is substantially tougher than UCSD’s already selective campuswide admission. UT Austin also admits students directly to computer science, so neither school should be treated as a place where it is easy to switch into CS later.

The clearest difference is how the public-university systems structure access. UCSD gives California residents priority within the UC system, but CSE remains a capped major with very limited capacity. However, automatic admission to UT Austin does not automatically mean admission to the CS major. Applicants still face an additional, highly selective major-review process.

For an out-of-state applicant, UT Austin CS can feel at least as restrictive in practice because relatively few seats are available after Texas-resident priorities. In either case, apply only with the expectation that CS admission is uncertain, rather than assuming a strong overall university profile will translate into admission to the major.