University of California-Santa Cruz
Tuition, net price, acceptance rate, graduation rate, and graduate salary · Santa Cruz, California
Net price / year
$17,890
after grants & scholarships
higher than 81% of public 4-year colleges
Acceptance rate
66%
Graduation rate
75%
within 150% of normal time
higher than 91% of public 4-year colleges
Median earnings
$67,085
4 years after graduating
higher than 75% of public 4-year colleges
University of California-Santa Cruz at a glance
- What is the tuition at University of California-Santa Cruz?
- In-state undergraduate tuition and fees are $16,005 for the 2024-25 academic year, or $50,205 for out-of-state students.
- What is the cost of attendance at University of California-Santa Cruz?
- The average cost of attendance is $41,179 a year before financial aid (2023-24), counting tuition, books, housing and other living expenses.
- What is the net price at University of California-Santa Cruz?
- The average net price for in-state students is $17,890 a year after grants and scholarships (2023-24).
- What is the acceptance rate at University of California-Santa Cruz?
- About 66% of applicants were admitted (fall 2024).
- Is University of California-Santa Cruz test optional?
- Test policy reported to the federal government: Tests neither required nor recommended.
- What is the graduation rate at University of California-Santa Cruz?
- 75% of first-time, full-time students finish within 150% of normal time, or 6 years (entering classes through fall 2018).
- How much do graduates of University of California-Santa Cruz earn?
- The median graduate earns $67,085 four years after finishing, among graduates working and not enrolled (2024 dollars).
Key takeaways
- 75% of students graduate on time or within 150% of normal time, higher than 91% of public 4-year colleges.
- The earnings premium over a typical high-school graduate would cover the estimated net cost in about 2.4 years of work (not counting income forgone while studying).
- At $17,890 a year, the average net price is higher than 81% of public 4-year colleges.
- Graduates earn a median $67,085 four years after finishing, more than 75% of public 4-year colleges.
- Families earning under $30,000 pay about $8,717 a year on average, versus $33,323 for families earning over $110,000.
Tuition and cost of attendance at University of California-Santa Cruz
Average net price (in-state)
$17,890 per year
Cost of attendance minus average grants and scholarships, for first-time full-time students receiving federal aid.
Estimate your own price with the University of California-Santa Cruz net price calculator ↗
Estimated total net cost
$71,560
Net price × 4 years, at today's prices and assuming on-time completion. Your actual cost depends on your aid.
Net price by family income
Average yearly net price for students receiving federal aid.
- $0–30k $8,717
- $30–48k $10,613
- $48–75k $14,418
- $75–110k $18,986
- $110k+ $33,323
Where the sticker price goes· Cost of attendance $41,179
- Tuition & fees$16,005
- Books & supplies$1,192
- Room & board$19,948
- Other expenses$6,902
- Tuition & fees (in-state)
- $16,005
- Tuition & fees (out-of-state)
- $50,205
University of California-Santa Cruz acceptance rate and admissions
Acceptance rate
Share of applicants admitted.
Test policy: Tests neither required nor recommended
Graduation rate and salary after graduating from University of California-Santa Cruz
Graduation rate
75%
First-time, full-time students finishing within 150% of normal time.
Retention rate
89%
Full-time first-years who return the next fall.
Typical monthly payment
$177
On a standard 10-year federal plan.
Years of earnings premium to cover cost
2.4 years
Net cost ÷ (graduate earnings − high-school graduate earnings). Excludes income forgone while studying and assumes today's earnings. A rough guide, not a prediction.
Earnings vs debt
Of graduates working and not enrolled, in 2024 dollars.
- Debt-to-earnings
- 0.2×Median debt divided by median earnings 4 years after graduating.
- Share of pay going to loans
- 3.2%
- 3-year loan default rate
- 0%
Outcomes by student group
The Scorecard reports some outcomes separately for groups of students. A group is left out when it is too small to report. These are school-level figures and say nothing about any individual student.
Completion within 150% of normal time, by group
Share of students who entered in 2018 and completed within 150% of normal time (six years at a four-year college, three at a two-year college).
All students, same entering cohort: 75%
Group rates and the all-student rate come from the same 2018 entering cohort, so they can be compared directly. Groups at small colleges can rest on very few students. Data period: Entering cohort 2018 (IPEDS).
Earnings ten years after entry
All students who entered this college, whether or not they graduated, in 2022 dollars, ten years after entry.
Typical range: middle half of students
25th percentile $41,808 · median $68,396 · 75th percentile $102,779
Median by family income
Median by sex
This is not the same as the graduates' earnings shown above. It covers everyone who entered, including students who left without a degree, ten years after entry and in 2022 dollars. The graduates' figure covers only completers, four years after finishing, in 2024 dollars. Do not compare the two directly.
Data period: Students who entered in academic years 2009-10 and 2010-11 (pooled), earnings measured in 2020 and 2021, 2022 dollars (Treasury).
Median federal student debt, by group
Median federal loan debt of students who borrowed, when they left school, by group.
By Pell Grant status
By first-generation status
By family income
By gender
Data period: Loans in fiscal years 2020 and 2021 (pooled, NSLDS).
How borrowers are doing
One year after leaving school and entering repayment, here is where the 6,383 federal-loan borrowers from this college stood. It covers borrowers only, not students who did not take federal loans.
Repayment status one year after entering repayment
- Paid in full 17%
- Making progress 16%
- Not making progress 9%
- Delinquent 2%
- Default 0%
- Forbearance 45%
- Deferment 11%
- Discharged 0%
What the terms mean
- Paid in full:
- The borrower has paid off the loans completely.
- Making progress:
- Payments are reducing the loan balance, not just covering interest.
- Not making progress:
- The borrower is paying, but not enough to shrink the balance.
- Delinquent:
- Payments are late but the loan is not yet in default.
- Default:
- The borrower has missed payments for so long that the loan is officially in default.
- Forbearance:
- Payments are temporarily paused or reduced, and interest may keep adding up.
- Deferment:
- Payments are on hold for an approved reason, such as returning to school.
- Discharged:
- The loan was cancelled, for example because of a disability or a school closure.
6,383 borrowers · Data period: Borrowers who entered repayment in the AY2018-19 and AY2019-20 cohorts (pooled, NSLDS).
Programs and majors at University of California-Santa Cruz ranked by earnings
| Program | Earnings, 4 yrs after | Earnings over time | Compared with the U.S. median for this field | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's · Graduates: 82 | $124,641 | 1 yr$79,9694 yrs$124,6415 yrs$137,877 | U.S. median $109,015 U.S. middle half $86.3K–$145.2K · Above the U.S. median | $23,434 |
| Bachelor's · Graduates: 479 | $123,422 | 1 yr$75,1504 yrs$123,4225 yrs$120,928 | U.S. median $107,009 U.S. middle half $74.8K–$152K · Above the U.S. median | $16,499 |
| Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering Bachelor's · Graduates: 56 | $118,290 | 1 yr$78,8424 yrs$118,2905 yrs$124,740 | U.S. median $100,647 U.S. middle half $84.6K–$122.4K · Above the U.S. median | $16,796 |
| Biomedical/Medical Engineering Bachelor's · Graduates: 52 | $98,567 | 1 yr$55,8564 yrs$98,5675 yrs$98,115 | U.S. median $93,451 U.S. middle half $74.1K–$113.9K · Above the U.S. median | $23,000 |
| Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management Bachelor's · Graduates: 88 | $94,589 | 1 yr$55,7734 yrs$94,5895 yrs$108,700 | U.S. median $85,063 U.S. middle half $59.3K–$117.6K · Above the U.S. median | $20,020 |
| Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology Bachelor's · Graduates: 50 | $88,305 | 1 yr$40,3204 yrs$88,3055 yrs$75,833 | U.S. median $65,466 U.S. middle half $44.9K–$88.4K · Above the U.S. median | $18,959 |
| Bachelor's · Graduates: 282 | $82,064 | 1 yr$52,0294 yrs$82,0645 yrs$89,932 | U.S. median $77,981 U.S. middle half $55.1K–$106.7K · Above the U.S. median | $16,519 |
| Bachelor's · Graduates: 93 | $76,382 | 1 yr$50,5184 yrs$76,3825 yrs$88,583 | U.S. median $82,686 U.S. middle half $58.2K–$116.3K · Below the U.S. median | $18,017 |
| Cognitive Science Bachelor's · Graduates: 90 | $72,125 | 1 yr$35,3844 yrs$72,1255 yrs$76,561 | U.S. median $81,496 U.S. middle half $53.3K–$130.4K · Below the U.S. median | $18,981 |
| Bachelor's · Graduates: 35 | $71,348 | 1 yr$39,7004 yrs$71,3485 yrs$66,290 | U.S. median $65,120 U.S. middle half $48.3K–$84K · Above the U.S. median | $15,000 |
Show all 34 programs
| Cell/Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences Bachelor's · Graduates: 150 | $69,849 | 1 yr$45,0884 yrs$69,8495 yrs$79,429 | U.S. median $66,697 U.S. middle half $44.8K–$93.4K · Above the U.S. median | $18,534 |
| Neurobiology and Neurosciences Bachelor's · Graduates: 27 Small sample | $69,027 | 1 yr$25,0344 yrs$69,0275 yrs$63,496 | U.S. median $62,451 U.S. middle half $40.7K–$88.6K · Above the U.S. median | $19,000 |
| Bachelor's · Graduates: 20 Small sample | $66,333 | — | U.S. median $51,490 U.S. middle half $33K–$70.6K · Above the U.S. median | — |
| Non-Professional Legal Studies Bachelor's · Graduates: 104 | $66,244 | 1 yr$36,9414 yrs$66,2445 yrs$62,817 | U.S. median $61,959 U.S. middle half $42.7K–$82.6K · Above the U.S. median | $17,883 |
| Political Science and Government Bachelor's · Graduates: 123 | $65,890 | 1 yr$31,8824 yrs$65,8905 yrs$63,776 | U.S. median $63,293 U.S. middle half $44.8K–$85.4K · Above the U.S. median | $16,703 |
| Bachelor's · Graduates: 145 | $65,036 | 1 yr$37,6514 yrs$65,0365 yrs$70,452 | U.S. median $57,214 U.S. middle half $38.9K–$79.2K · Above the U.S. median | $20,500 |
| Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences Bachelor's · Graduates: 32 | $64,499 | 1 yr$43,3624 yrs$64,4995 yrs$72,711 | U.S. median $60,190 U.S. middle half $44.3K–$77.6K · Above the U.S. median | $20,833 |
| Bachelor's · Graduates: 82 | $60,519 | 1 yr$33,0814 yrs$60,5195 yrs$48,101 | U.S. median $50,680 U.S. middle half $36.3K–$66.7K · Above the U.S. median | $18,100 |
| Bachelor's · Graduates: 208 | $59,948 | 1 yr$30,7304 yrs$59,9485 yrs$59,093 | U.S. median $50,706 U.S. middle half $35.7K–$67.2K · Above the U.S. median | $18,902 |
| Bachelor's · Graduates: 70 | $59,214 | 1 yr$40,7984 yrs$59,2145 yrs$76,366 | U.S. median $69,562 U.S. middle half $49.1K–$97.4K · Below the U.S. median | $19,050 |
| Bachelor's · Graduates: 31 | $58,163 | 1 yr$25,3584 yrs$58,163 | U.S. median $43,283 U.S. middle half $27.2K–$64.3K · Above the U.S. median | $20,411 |
| Community Organization and Advocacy Bachelor's · Graduates: 50 | $56,620 | 1 yr$29,6174 yrs$56,6205 yrs$52,240 | U.S. median $51,936 U.S. middle half $37.3K–$67.5K · Above the U.S. median | $15,862 |
| Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies Bachelor's · Graduates: 123 | $55,798 | 1 yr$31,1404 yrs$55,7985 yrs$56,551 | U.S. median $51,710 U.S. middle half $34.9K–$68.1K · Above the U.S. median | $19,500 |
| Bachelor's · Graduates: 254 | $55,338 | 1 yr$28,4954 yrs$55,3385 yrs$56,389 | U.S. median $52,657 U.S. middle half $37.7K–$69.5K · Above the U.S. median | $15,679 |
| Natural Resources Conservation and Research Bachelor's · Graduates: 238 | $55,240 | 1 yr$29,1524 yrs$55,2405 yrs$60,229 | U.S. median $55,012 U.S. middle half $39.4K–$72.8K · Above the U.S. median | $18,487 |
| Behavioral Sciences Bachelor's · Graduates: 159 | $54,606 | 1 yr$28,7094 yrs$54,606 | U.S. median $48,673 U.S. middle half $32.1K–$65.9K · Above the U.S. median | $17,000 |
| Bachelor's · Graduates: 121 | $52,315 | 1 yr$23,1524 yrs$52,3155 yrs$47,407 | U.S. median $46,676 U.S. middle half $32.1K–$63.9K · Above the U.S. median | $16,035 |
| Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics Bachelor's · Graduates: 35 | $51,519 | 1 yr$32,9344 yrs$51,5195 yrs$51,675 | U.S. median $55,000 U.S. middle half $38.4K–$73.3K · Below the U.S. median | $15,124 |
| Bachelor's · Graduates: 46 | $51,398 | 1 yr$30,2854 yrs$51,3985 yrs$50,265 | U.S. median $54,455 U.S. middle half $34.9K–$78K · Below the U.S. median | $15,000 |
| Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology Bachelor's · Graduates: 131 | $49,821 | 1 yr$25,8104 yrs$49,8215 yrs$40,513 | U.S. median $48,842 U.S. middle half $36K–$64.3K · Above the U.S. median | $17,589 |
| Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services Bachelor's · Graduates: 174 | $49,763 | 1 yr$21,7934 yrs$49,7635 yrs$41,829 | U.S. median $49,984 U.S. middle half $32.9K–$69.9K · Below the U.S. median | $16,740 |
| Film/Video and Photographic Arts Bachelor's · Graduates: 142 | $45,815 | 1 yr$23,6144 yrs$45,8155 yrs$45,511 | U.S. median $43,765 U.S. middle half $26K–$63.4K · Above the U.S. median | $15,692 |
| Bachelor's · Graduates: 106 | $40,156 | 1 yr$21,1064 yrs$40,1565 yrs$35,979 | U.S. median $41,367 U.S. middle half $26.2K–$56.7K · Below the U.S. median | $19,500 |
| Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft Bachelor's · Graduates: 25 Small sample | $30,524 | 1 yr$21,6384 yrs$30,5245 yrs$35,394 | U.S. median $39,775 U.S. middle half $25.5K–$55.4K · Below the U.S. median | $19,500 |
Earnings are for graduates working and not enrolled, 4 years after completing, in 2024 dollars.
The U.S. median and middle half (25th to 75th percentile) are for graduates of the same field and credential level at all colleges, 4 years after completing.
The 1-year, 4-year and 5-year figures come from different graduating cohorts and dollar years (1-year: AY2018-19 and AY2019-20 graduates, 2022 dollars; 4-year: AY2017-18 and AY2018-19 graduates, 2024 dollars; 5-year: AY2014-15 and AY2015-16 graduates, 2022 dollars), so read them as three separate measures, not a single career path.
Small samples are noisy: the Scorecard adds privacy noise to program figures and some rows are based on only a handful of graduates, so rows marked “small sample” can move a lot from year to year.
What students study
The largest fields among the degrees and certificates this college awarded, grouped by two-digit CIP code (the federal Classification of Instructional Programs). Fields under 1% are left out.
Share of degrees and certificates awarded, by field
A large share means many awards, not necessarily many students or higher earnings. Data period: Awards in academic year 2024-25 (IPEDS).
Who attends
A snapshot of the undergraduate student body as this college reported it to the federal government. Shares are shown as published; they can differ slightly from 100% because of rounding.
Race and ethnicity
- White 30.6%
- Black or African American 2.1%
- Hispanic or Latino 28.6%
- Asian 24.3%
- American Indian or Alaska Native 0.2%
- Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.1%
- Two or more races 8.9%
- U.S. nonresident 3%
- Race and ethnicity unknown 2.3%
Federal reporting categories. Students who are not U.S. citizens or permanent residents are counted as nonresident, and students who did not report are counted as unknown. Data period: Fall 2024 (IPEDS).
Gender
- Men 47.2%
- Women 52.8%
Federal reporting uses two categories. Data period: Fall 2024 (IPEDS).
Students aged 25 or older
4%
of undergraduates
Many adult students work or have families while enrolled. Data period: Fall 2023 (IPEDS).
Students and campus
- Undergraduate enrollment
- 17,940
- Part-time students
- 3%
- Receive Pell Grants
- 32%
- Receive federal loans
- 28%
- Students per faculty member
- 22 : 1
- Setting
- City
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Frequently asked questions
How much is tuition at University of California-Santa Cruz?
For the 2024-25 academic year, University of California-Santa Cruz reported undergraduate tuition and fees of $16,005 for in-state students and $50,205 for out-of-state students. These are published prices before grants and scholarships; what you pay depends on your aid.
What is the cost of attendance and net price at University of California-Santa Cruz?
The average cost of attendance at University of California-Santa Cruz is $41,179 a year (2023-24), counting tuition, books, housing and other living expenses. After grants and scholarships, the average net price is $17,890 a year. That is higher than 81% of public 4-year colleges.
How much financial aid do students at University of California-Santa Cruz get?
32% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants. 28% receive federal loans. The average net price runs from $8,717 a year for families earning under $30,000 to $33,323 for families earning over $110,000 (2023-24).
What is the acceptance rate at University of California-Santa Cruz?
University of California-Santa Cruz admitted about 66% of applicants in fall 2024. That means most applicants are admitted.
What are the graduation rate and retention rate at University of California-Santa Cruz?
75% of first-time, full-time students at University of California-Santa Cruz finish within 150% of normal time. 89% of full-time first-years return the next fall.
How much do University of California-Santa Cruz graduates earn after graduation?
The median graduate earns $67,085 four years after finishing, among graduates working and not enrolled in further study (2024 dollars). One year after finishing, the median is $37,107.
Is University of California-Santa Cruz worth it?
There is no single answer: it depends on your major, your aid and whether you finish. For University of California-Santa Cruz, the data shows this. The earnings premium over a typical high-school graduate would cover the estimated net cost in about 2.4 years of work. Graduates who borrowed have a median debt of $16,666, about 0.2 times their median earnings four years after finishing. 75% of first-time, full-time students finish within 150% of normal time. These are averages, not predictions, and they do not count income forgone while studying.
How much debt do University of California-Santa Cruz graduates have?
Graduates who borrowed have a median federal-loan debt of $16,666, or about $177 a month on a 10-year plan.
Sources and data periods
All figures come from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard (June 2026 release). Periods differ by measure:
- Average net price: AcadYr 2023-24, reported in IPEDS DCY2024-25
- Acceptance rate: Fall 2024, reported in IPEDS DCY2024-25
- Graduation rate: Fall 2018 or AcadYr 2018-19 cohort (differs by institutional calendar), reported in IPEDS DCY2024-25 pooled with previous years (# of total pooled years found in POOLYRS)
- Median earnings: Treasury AY2017-18, AY2018-19 pooled cohort measured in CY2022, CY2023, inflation adjusted to 2024 dollars
- Median graduate debt: NSLDS FY2020, FY2021 pooled cohorts
Some figures are blank because the school did not report them or the group was too small to publish. How we calculate things