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University of California San Diego vs University of Pennsylvania

On research quality in 2022–now, University of California San Diego ranks #33 in the world and University of Pennsylvania #36, of 28,054 institutions. University of California San Diego stands higher in 6 of the 13 fields both publish in, University of Pennsylvania in 7.

Research profiles alike: 0.44similar shapes of research, whatever their size. How it is measured

University of California San Diego

United States · San Diego

World rank, 2022–now
#33
#18 all time
Works, 2022–now
17k
fractional
Top-10% rate
22.3%
share of its work among the world’s most cited
Open access
37%
of its works free to read

Strongest relative focus: Aging, Virology, Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience.

University of Pennsylvania

United States · Philadelphia

World rank, 2022–now
#36
#17 all time
Works, 2022–now
19k
fractional
Top-10% rate
23.5%
share of its work among the world’s most cited
Open access
39%
of its works free to read

Strongest relative focus: Equine, Transplantation, Aging.

Who leads in each field?

University of California San Diego stands higher in 6 of 13 fields, University of Pennsylvania in 7. Each bar is that side’s standing among all institutions ranked in the field: the full bar is first place.

University of California San Diego 67 University of Pennsylvania
  1. #6Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology#14
  2. #36Computer Science#152
  3. —Decision Sciences#20
  4. #129Engineering—
  5. —Health Professions#20
  6. #22Immunology and Microbiology#4
  7. #41Mathematics—
  8. #31Medicine#8
  9. #9Neuroscience#16
  10. —Nursing#2
  11. #39Physics and Astronomy—
  12. #71Psychology#42
  13. #203Social Sciences#95

Standing is the percentile of world rank within each field, 2022–now; the printed number is the rank itself. A dash means the field is too small there to rank. How sides are compared.

Where does each put its research?

Not who is better, but what each side chooses to work on. A country or institution that puts twice the world’s share of its research into a field sits at 2×, whatever its size.

  1. Earth and Planetary Sciences1.4× 0.3×
  2. Engineering0.8× 0.3×
  3. Environmental Science0.6× 0.3×
  4. Computer Science1.1× 0.5×
  5. Physics and Astronomy1.8× 0.9×
  6. Energy0.4× 0.2×
  7. Mathematics1.9× 1.2×
  8. Chemical Engineering0.5× 0.4×
  9. Decision Sciences1.0× 0.8×
  10. Materials Science0.6× 0.5×
  11. Pharmacology, Toxicology and Pharmaceutics0.9× 0.8×
  12. Agricultural and Biological Sciences0.2× 0.2×
  13. Neuroscience2.8× 2.5×
  14. Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology2.1× 2.0×
  15. Arts and Humanities0.5× 0.5×
  16. Chemistry0.7× 0.7×
  17. Psychology1.4× 1.5×
  18. Social Sciences0.5× 0.6×
  19. Immunology and Microbiology1.9× 2.5×
  20. Medicine1.5× 2.1×
  21. Health Professions0.8× 1.4×
  22. Economics, Econometrics and Finance0.6× 1.2×
  23. Nursing0.5× 1.0×
  24. Business, Management and Accounting0.2× 0.5×
  25. Dentistry0.2× 1.7×
  26. Veterinary0.5× 4.6×
University of California San DiegoUniversity of Pennsylvania

Location quotient in 2022–now: the share of each side’s research in the field over the world’s share. 1× is the world’s balance; the axis runs from a quarter of it to four times. Fields where University of California San Diego leans further are at the top, University of Pennsylvania’s at the bottom. How research profiles are compared.

How has their output grown?

2k4k6kUniversity of Pennsylvania4,286 in 2025University of California San Diego3,951 in 20251990200020102020

Fractional works per year. The latest, partial year is left off.

Which publishes more research, University of California San Diego or University of Pennsylvania?

University of Pennsylvania publishes 1.1× as much research as University of California San Diego in 2022–now (19k against 17k fractional works).

Whose research has more impact, University of California San Diego or University of Pennsylvania?

23.5% of University of Pennsylvania's research reaches the world's top 10% most cited, against 22.3% for University of California San Diego.

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