University of California-Santa Cruz
Santa Cruz, CA · Public · offers Graduate degrees
66%Acceptance rate
$17,890Average net price / year
75%Graduation rate
$68,396Median earnings 10 yrs after entry
$16,666Median debt at graduation
17,940Undergraduates
Cost
- In-state tuition & fees
- $16,005
- Out-of-state tuition
- $50,205
- Total cost of attendance
- $41,179
- Room & board
- $19,948
- Books & supplies
- $1,192
- Average net price
- $17,890
Net price by family income
- $0–30k
- $8,717
- $30–48k
- $10,613
- $48–75k
- $14,418
- $75–110k
- $18,986
- $110k+
- $33,323
Admissions
- Acceptance rate
- 65.8%
Outcomes
- Graduation rate
- 75%
- First-year retention
- 88%
- Median earnings (6 yrs)
- $49,716
- Median earnings (10 yrs)
- $68,396
- Median debt (graduates)
- $16,666
- 3-year loan default rate
- 0.0%
- Students with Pell grants
- 32%
- Students with federal loans
- 28%
Programs: what graduates earn
42 of 135 programs have published earnings or debt data. Earnings are median salaries of graduates one year after completing the program (or the latest available year).
Bachelor's degree
Master's degree
| Program | Graduates | Earnings | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Computer Engineering | 2 | $120,756 | — |
| Educational Assessment, Evaluation, and Research | 52 | $59,351 | $30,726 |
| Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft | 5 | $39,217 | — |
| Economics | 22 | $62,051 | — |
Doctoral degree
| Program | Graduates | Earnings | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology | 14 | $70,373 | — |
Students
- Undergraduates
- 17,940
- Graduate students
- 2,107
- Part-time
- 3%
- Women / men
- 53% / 47%
- White
- 31%
- Hispanic
- 29%
- Black
- 2%
- Asian
- 24%
- International
- 3%
Faculty & school
- Student–faculty ratio
- 22:1
- Avg faculty salary
- $161,946 / year
- Full-time faculty
- 85%
- Accreditor
- Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University Commission
- Website
- www.ucsc.edu
- Also known as
- UC Santa Cruz
Most popular fields
- Natural Resources & Conservation – 4% of degrees
- Communications Technologies – 3% of degrees
- Computer & Information Sciences – 17% of degrees
- Engineering – 5% of degrees
- Foreign Languages – 4% of degrees
- Legal Professions – 2% of degrees
Frequently asked questions
What is the acceptance rate at University of California-Santa Cruz?
65.8% of applicants were admitted.
How much does University of California-Santa Cruz cost?
The average net price after grants is $17,890 per year; in-state tuition and fees are $16,005 and the full cost of attendance is $41,179.
How much do University of California-Santa Cruz graduates earn?
Students who enrolled earn a median of $68,396 ten years later. See the program table above for salaries by major.
What is the graduation rate?
75% of first-time, full-time students graduate within 150% of normal time.
Other colleges in Santa Cruz
| College | Net price | Acceptance | Graduation | Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Five Branches University Santa Cruz, CA · Private for-profit |
— | — | — | — |
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, June 2026 release.