10-yr median earnings
$68,396
Federal aid recipients only
Public · Santa Cruz, California
University of California-Santa Cruz
University of California-Santa Cruz is a public institution in Santa Cruz, California. as a public institution, published Scorecard outcomes are the federal Title-IV cohort view of former students — not every graduate and not a guarantee for any one enrollee.
- $17,890
- Avg net price / yr
- $68,396
- 10-yr median earnings
- 74.8%
- 150%-time completion
- 65.8%
- Acceptance rate
The verdict
University of California-Santa Cruz pairs top-10% former-student earnings with a moderately open admit.
According to the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard.
- Top 8%
- former-student earnings, US
- 65.8%
- acceptance rate
- 74.8%
- 150%-time completion
- +38%
- earnings, 6→10 yrs
City: Small
Carnegie: R1
Institution data retrieved July 2026; field-of-study data retrieved March 2026.
How to read this University of California-Santa Cruz profile
Figures above come from IPEDS institution records published through the College Scorecard (retrieved July 2026 for institution fields; March 2026 for field-of-study). Peer groups and cost cohorts follow IPEDS ownership sector, Carnegie class ("Doctoral Universities: Very High Research Activity"), and locale, not an editorial shortlist.
Average net price subtracts grant and scholarship aid from cost of attendance for full-time, first-time undergraduate Title IV recipients. It is a defined cohort average, not a personalized price; income-band fields add context but do not replace the school's current net-price calculator.
Earnings use Treasury-linked records for federally aided former students who were working and not enrolled in the measurement year (completers and noncompleters). IPEDS completion and retention use separate first-time, full-time cohorts, so those denominators are not the earnings cohort. Read cost, completion, and earnings as distinct historical measures, not a causal verdict or individual forecast.
College Value Score
B
College Value Score
71/100
University of California-Santa Cruz
A 6-metric composite of earnings, cost, and completion outcomes benchmarked against every reporting US college, not a ranking of teaching quality, campus life, or fit for any individual student. See the full methodology.
Earnings A+
$68,396
10-year median former-student earnings
Net Price D
$17,890
Average annual cost after grants and aid
Completion Rate B+
74.8%
Completion within 150% of normal time
Debt D
$16,666
Median federal debt at graduation
Loan Repayment A
79.3%
Borrowers repaying loans within 3 years
Retention A-
87.9%
First-year students returning for year two
Each axis is the percentile score shown in the breakdown at left; the shape shows this school's overall profile at a glance.
Avg net price
$17,890
After grants and scholarships
150%-time completion
74.8%
Full-time, first-time cohort
150%-time completion vs portal median (57.1%) 74.8%
Four-year-institution cohort
College ROI Quadrant - University of California-Santa Cruz vs peers
Each dot is a college plotted by 10-year median earnings (x-axis) vs average net price (y-axis), colored by completion within 150% of normal time. Bottom-right = high earnings/lower price; top-left = lower earnings/higher price.
How University of California-Santa Cruz ranks nationally
Where this school's former-student earnings fall within the full national distribution of every US college that reports to the College Scorecard, not just its peer set.
University of California-Santa Cruz: former-student earnings vs. every US college
10-year median earnings, College Scorecard
$68,396 Top 8% higher than 92% of 5,103 US colleges
Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US colleges. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard · Mar–Jul 2026 retrievals
| Metric | University of California-Santa Cruz | National rank | Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10-yr median earnings | $68,396 | #423 of 5103 | 92nd |
| Average net price | $17,890 | #2661 of 5020 | 47th (lower is better) |
| 150%-time completion | 74.8% | #1053 of 4858 | 78th |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 17,940 | #162 of 5462 | 97th |
National ranks count every operating US college reporting each metric to the College Scorecard, separate from the earnings histogram above.
Quick Facts
17,940
Undergraduate enrollment
65.8%
Acceptance rate
-
SAT average
74.8%
150%-time completion
$68,396
10-yr median earnings
87.9%
First-year retention
How University of California-Santa Cruz ranks in California
State rank among 493 reporting California colleges with College Scorecard data, a separate lens from the national distribution above.
| Metric | University of California-Santa Cruz | State rank | Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10-yr median earnings | $68,396 | #68 of 493 | 86th |
| Average net price | $17,890 | #221 of 495 | 55th (lower is better) |
| 150%-time completion | 74.8% | #135 of 483 | 72nd |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 17,940 | #34 of 553 | 94th |
Highest former-student earnings in California
| # | School | 10-yr earnings | Net price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Samuel Merritt University | $143,238 | - |
| 2 | Harvey Mudd College | $138,687 | $35,924 |
| 3 | California Institute of Technology | $128,566 | $16,075 |
| 4 | Stanford University | $124,080 | $13,807 |
| 5 | Los Angeles County College of Nursing and Allied Health | $115,318 | - |
| 6 | Gnomon | $114,785 | $51,949 |
| 7 | Santa Clara University | $109,183 | $50,062 |
| 8 | Jesuit School of Theology of Santa Clara University | $109,183 | - |
| 9 | Touro University California | $104,805 | - |
| 10 | Claremont McKenna College | $104,736 | $28,849 |
| 11 | West Coast University-Anaheim-Orange County | $102,672 | $32,879 |
| 12 | West Coast University-Ontario | $102,672 | $49,590 |
| 68 | University of California-Santa CruzThis school | $68,396 | $17,890 |
Admissions
| Admission Rate | 65.8% |
Costs & Financial Aid
Net price by family income at University of California-Santa Cruz
Average annual net price after grants; Title IV recipient cohort by income bracket
- $0 – $30k $8,717
$0 – $30k
$8,717 net price / yr
- $30k – $48k $10,613
$30k – $48k
$10,613 net price / yr
- $48k – $75k
$48k – $75k
$14,418 net price / yr
- $110k+
$110k+
$33,323 net price / yr
What this shows Need-based aid pulls net price down at lower brackets at University of California-Santa Cruz - compare the bar for your income band, not the overall average alone.
Tuition & Net Price
| In-State Tuition | $16,005 |
| Out-of-State Tuition | $50,205 |
| Average Net Price | $17,890 |
31.6%
Pell Grant Rate
28.4%
Federal Loan Rate
$16,666
Median Debt
$177/mo
Monthly Payment
Net price at University of California-Santa Cruz swings rather than trends
Across 11 reported years between 2013 and 2023, the average net price here has ranged from $15,107 to $18,828 without settling into a rise or a fall. Comparing only the first and last years would read as +9.9%, but the years in between do not follow that line, so the honest summary is the range rather than a trend. Budget against the upper end, not the average.
Lowest year
$15,107
Highest year
$18,828
Most recent (2023)
$16,607
11 reported years. Nominal dollars, not adjusted for inflation.
2013 · $15,1072023 · $16,607
Over the same years, enrollment went +13.5% (15,695 → 17,812 students).
Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard, per-year fields (2013–2023). Net price is the average cost after grant and scholarship aid for federally-aided undergraduates.
Student Demographics
Race & ethnicity
Student body at a glance
54.3%
Female
36.7%
First Generation
Outcomes
87.9%
Retention Rate
$49,716
Median Earnings (6yr)
60.7%
Earning Over $25K
79.3%
Loan Repayment, Completers (3yr)
Outcomes & debt snapshot
| Measure | Cohort / horizon | Value |
|---|---|---|
| Completion within 150% of normal time | First-time, full-time | 74.8% |
| First-year retention | First-time, full-time freshmen | 87.9% |
| Median earnings | 6 years after entry | $49,716 |
| Median earnings | 10 years after entry | $68,396 |
| Share earning over $25,000 | Working, not enrolled | 60.7% |
| Loan repayment rate | Completers, 3 years after leaving | 79.3% |
| Median federal student debt | At completion | $16,666 |
| Estimated monthly payment | Standard 10-year plan | $177/mo |
Programs & Earnings
Field-of-study summary by credential
| Credential | Programs | Award count | Avg earnings | Top earnings | Avg debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's | 39 | 4,606 | $67,746 | $124,641 | $18,157 |
| Master's | 5 | 113 | $91,884 | $110,425 | $30,726 |
| Doctoral | 1 | 10 | $70,373 | $70,373 | - |
Top programs at University of California-Santa Cruz by completer earnings
Median earnings of program completers, College Scorecard field-of-study file
- Computer Engineering
Computer Engineering
$124,641 median earnings
- Computer Science
Computer Science
$123,422 median earnings
- Electrical, Electronics, a…
Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering
$118,290 median earnings
- Economics
Economics
$110,425 median earnings
- Biomedical/Medical Enginee…
Biomedical/Medical Engineering
$98,567 median earnings
- Computer/Information Techn…
Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management
$94,589 median earnings
- Biochemistry, Biophysics a…
Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology
$88,305 median earnings
- Business/Managerial Econom…
Business/Managerial Economics
$82,064 median earnings
What this shows The highest-earning programs at a school are not necessarily its most popular ones - a small specialized program can post strong median earnings without reflecting the outcome most students here actually see.
| Program | Credential | Completers | Median Earnings | Median Debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Computer Engineering | Bachelor's | 132 | $124,641 | $23,434 |
| Computer Science | Bachelor's | 607 | $123,422 | $16,499 |
| Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering | Bachelor's | 40 | $118,290 | $16,796 |
| Economics | Master's | 27 | $110,425 | - |
| Biomedical/Medical Engineering | Bachelor's | 11 | $98,567 | $23,000 |
| Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management | Bachelor's | 98 | $94,589 | $20,020 |
| Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology | Bachelor's | 49 | $88,305 | $18,959 |
| Business/Managerial Economics | Bachelor's | 287 | $82,064 | $16,519 |
| Economics | Bachelor's | 162 | $76,382 | $18,017 |
| Educational Assessment, Evaluation, and Research | Master's | 62 | $73,343 | $30,726 |
| Cognitive Science | Bachelor's | 129 | $72,125 | $18,981 |
| Chemistry | Bachelor's | 54 | $71,348 | $15,000 |
| Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology | Doctoral | 10 | $70,373 | - |
| Cell/Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences | Bachelor's | 237 | $69,849 | $18,534 |
| Neurobiology and Neurosciences | Bachelor's | 62 | $69,027 | $19,000 |
Explore Data-Matched Colleges
Matches use Scorecard measures among reporting colleges — not state-system recommendations or geographic proximity.
Similar Enrollment and Sector
Other Public institutions closest in reported enrollment, preferring the same Carnegie classification.
Similar Reported Net Price
Other Public institutions with the nearest reported average net price.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the acceptance rate at University of California-Santa Cruz? ▼
University of California-Santa Cruz is a public institution in Santa Cruz, California. The acceptance rate is 65.8%. Undergraduate enrollment is 17,940 students.
How much do University of California-Santa Cruz former students earn? ▼
Federally aided former students at University of California-Santa Cruz who were working and not enrolled had median earnings of $68,396 ten years after entry; the cohort is not limited to graduates. Six years after entry, the corresponding median is $49,716.
How much does University of California-Santa Cruz cost? ▼
The average net price at University of California-Santa Cruz is $17,890. In-state tuition is $16,005 and out-of-state tuition is $50,205. Median student debt at graduation is $16,666.
What is the graduation rate at University of California-Santa Cruz? ▼
University of California-Santa Cruz has a 74.8% completion rate within 150% of normal time at a four-year institution (typically six years for a bachelor’s program). The first-year retention rate is 87.9%.
Is University of California-Santa Cruz worth the student debt? ▼
The median student debt at University of California-Santa Cruz is $16,666, while former students earn a median of $68,396 ten years after enrollment. That debt represents about 24% of those annual earnings. Among borrowers who completed their program, 79.3% are repaying their loans within 3 years. Estimated monthly loan payment is $177.
Sources & methodology
Public-college profiles lean on IPEDS enrollment and Scorecard Title-IV outcomes. State appropriations are outside this page; the figures below are the federal cohort measures only.
Every number is read live from the Mar–Jul 2026 Scorecard/IPEDS retrievals. Public institutions often enroll large Title-IV cohorts, so medians can be stable — still cohort averages, never a personal forecast. Read the full methodology for how the data is sourced, computed, and verified.
- College Scorecard, U.S. Department of Education - former-student earnings, cost & completion (collegescorecard.ed.gov).
- IPEDS, National Center for Education Statistics - enrollment, admissions, Carnegie class & demographics (nces.ed.gov/ipeds).
- U.S. Treasury / IRS earnings linkage - median earnings 6 & 10 years after enrollment for federal-aid recipients (irs.gov).
- College Scorecard, Field of Study - program-level (credential) earnings & debt (collegescorecard.ed.gov).
- Federal Student Aid (Title IV / NSLDS) - U.S. Department of Education - net price, student debt & aid-recipient repayment outcomes (studentaid.gov).
Where to go next from University of California-Santa Cruz
- Compare University of California-Santa Cruz against schools with similar outcomes at a lower average net price.Find similar schools that cost less
- Browse every reporting college in California side by side.Browse California
- See how fields of study differ on former-student earnings and debt.Explore programs
Public-college Scorecard figures are historical Title-IV cohort averages — confirm current tuition, aid, and admissions rules with the institution before deciding.
Every figure on PlainCollege is rendered directly from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard data, no number is typed in by an editor. Public-institution profiles compile Scorecard Title-IV earnings, IPEDS enrollment/admissions, and Treasury linkage fields — no editor-typed figures. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error on this page. Review the public data changelog. Data current as of Mar–Jul 2026 retrievals.