University of California, Santa Cruz
Santa Cruz, California · Public, a small city · 17,940 undergraduates
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Is it hard to get into UCSC?
The middle half of admitted students scored in these ranges: a quarter scored lower, a quarter higher. Fall 2024 admissions, from the College Scorecard.
Acceptance rate
65.8%
68,845 applied
SAT, middle half
Not published
Not used for admission
ACT, middle half
Not published
Not used for admission
Test scores this year
Not used at all
10% of admitted students enrolled
- What they look at
- High school GPARequired
- Courses takenRequired
- College-prep programRequired
How much does UCSC cost?
Sticker prices and what students actually paid after grants, by family income. A year means tuition, fees, room, board, books and other costs.
Tuition and fees, California residents
$16,585
Tuition and fees, out of state
$54,187
A full year, sticker price
$43,867
Living on campus
Average price after grants
$18,549
Students who got federal aid
What a year cost, by family income
| Family income | Average paid after grants |
|---|---|
| Under $30,000 | $9,973 |
| $30,001 to $48,000 | $10,713 |
| $48,001 to $75,000 | $13,446 |
| $75,001 to $110,000 | $18,220 |
| Over $110,000 | $35,350 |
- Room and board on campus
- $20,929 a year; $20,902 off campus
- Books and supplies
- $1,256 a year
- The school's own grants
- 57% of full-time first-years get one, averaging $10,748
Tuition over the years
Tuition and fees for a year, as reported to the federal government.
How much do UCSC students borrow?
Federal student loans only, for students who borrowed.
Typical debt at graduation
$15,000
About $170 a month over ten years
Students who borrow
26.6%
Get a Pell Grant
34.3%
Federal grant for lower-income families
Over 25 when they start
3.6%
What do UCSC graduates earn?
Typical yearly pay of everyone who started here with federal aid, whatever they studied and whether or not they finished.
Six years after starting
$57,492
Ten years after starting
$73,362
Middle half: $46,105 to $106,677
Best-paid program, five years out
$135,036
Computer Engineering
Lowest-paid program, five years out
$43,832
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft
Do UCSC students finish?
Of the students who started full time, first time.
Back for second year
87.9%
Graduate in six years
73.7%
The four-year figure is for a later, smaller group, so it is not shown
After eight years
79% graduated
15% transferred, 0% still enrolled
Who goes to UCSC?
Women
52.8%
First in their family at college
36.7%
Part-time
2.9%
Students per teacher
22
- Background
- White 31%, Hispanic 29%, Black 2%, Asian 24%, Two or more 9%, International 3%
- Housing
- Campus housing, 9,524 beds
What do UCSC graduates earn, by program?
Every bachelor's program the school awards, with what its graduates earn and owe. The government hides pay for small programs, so some rows have no figure.
Computer science
| Program | Graduates | Pay, one year out | Pay, five years out | Debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services, Other | 0 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
| Computer and Information Sciences, General | 0 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
| Computer Science | 1,314 | $82,863 | $130,271 | $15,482 |
| Computer Software and Media Applications | 0 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
| Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management | 199 | $65,266 | $106,787 | $14,083 |
Engineering
| Program | Graduates | Pay, one year out | Pay, five years out | Debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Biomedical/Medical Engineering | 9 | $72,918 | $119,939 | Hidden |
| Computer Engineering | 280 | $103,729 | $135,036 | $18,146 |
| Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering | 80 | $84,803 | $127,663 | $20,999 |
Business and commerce
| Program | Graduates | Pay, one year out | Pay, five years out | Debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business/Managerial Economics | 587 | $59,361 | $95,909 | $13,500 |
Health sciences and kinesiology
| Program | Graduates | Pay, one year out | Pay, five years out | Debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Public Health | 20 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
Life sciences
| Program | Graduates | Pay, one year out | Pay, five years out | Debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Agricultural Production Operations | 39 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
| Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology | 100 | $52,133 | $84,254 | $15,000 |
| Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Other | 0 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
| Biology, General | 436 | $39,216 | $73,361 | $15,000 |
| Biomathematics, Bioinformatics, and Computational Biology | 109 | $74,517 | Hidden | $18,211 |
| Biotechnology | 14 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
| Cell/Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences | 364 | $47,445 | $84,474 | $15,000 |
| Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology | 319 | $31,819 | $54,498 | $14,000 |
| Microbiological Sciences and Immunology | 1 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
| Natural Resources Conservation and Research | 335 | $35,486 | $62,380 | $14,020 |
| Neurobiology and Neurosciences | 83 | $45,764 | $69,052 | $18,032 |
| Plant Sciences | 23 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
Math and physical sciences
| Program | Graduates | Pay, one year out | Pay, five years out | Debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Applied Mathematics | 64 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
| Astronomy and Astrophysics | 77 | Hidden | Hidden | $17,273 |
| Chemistry | 92 | $56,661 | $79,801 | $13,850 |
| Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences | 107 | $55,437 | $76,175 | $15,000 |
| Mathematics | 154 | $41,374 | $77,770 | $14,250 |
| Physical Sciences, General | 124 | Hidden | Hidden | $14,620 |
| Physics | 79 | $72,553 | $131,315 | Hidden |
Arts and humanities
| Program | Graduates | Pay, one year out | Pay, five years out | Debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Classics and Classical Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | 10 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
| English Language and Literature/Letters, Other | 0 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
| History | 201 | $35,042 | $62,393 | $15,000 |
| Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services | 373 | $29,608 | $53,717 | $15,543 |
| Philosophy | 100 | $33,889 | $53,788 | $15,000 |
| Religion/Religious Studies | 0 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
| Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | 34 | $39,769 | $64,061 | Hidden |
Education (teaching)
| Program | Graduates | Pay, one year out | Pay, five years out | Debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Social and Philosophical Foundations of Education | 150 | $30,814 | Hidden | $15,051 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas | 7 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
Fine and performing arts
| Program | Graduates | Pay, one year out | Pay, five years out | Debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Design and Applied Arts | 283 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
| Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft | 59 | $29,817 | $43,832 | $17,500 |
| Film/Video and Photographic Arts | 351 | $26,183 | $52,054 | $15,000 |
| Fine and Studio Arts | 261 | $28,838 | $46,878 | $15,117 |
| Graphic Communications | 0 | $24,678 | Hidden | $18,278 |
| Music | 26 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
General arts and science (major chosen later)
| Program | Graduates | Pay, one year out | Pay, five years out | Debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Behavioral Sciences | 0 | $34,890 | Hidden | $13,000 |
| Cognitive Science | 268 | $40,140 | $61,448 | $12,000 |
| Human Biology | 0 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
| Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other | 2 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
| Natural Sciences | 0 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
Compare UCSC with other universities
Side by side: acceptance rates, scores, costs and pay.
Where these numbers come from
College Scorecard release 10152026, Most Recent Cohorts files, fetched 2026-10-20. Test policy: the school's page (opens in a new tab). Tuition history, housing and the school's own grants: the federal IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) survey.
How every figure in this part of the site is sourced, and the check of every link.
Careerhelp is not affiliated with University of California, Santa Cruz. Figures describe past students; check the school's own pages before you apply.
Social sciences