Public · #70 National University
University of California, Santa Cruz
Santa Cruz, CA · 17,940 undergraduates
What it may cost by family income
Estimated average net price — what families actually pay after grants and scholarships — by annual household income. Net price matters far more than the $75,379 sticker price. All figures are the full cost of attendance — housing, food, and books included, not just tuition.
| Household income | Est. net price / year |
|---|---|
| Under $30k | $8,717 |
| $30k–$48k | $10,613 |
| $48k–$75k | $14,418 |
| $75k–$110k | $18,986 |
| Over $110k | $33,323 |
Sticker cost of attendance: $75,379 (out-of-state) · $41,179 in-state.
What the whole degree costs
Every cost figure above is one year. A bachelor's degree is four — sometimes five. Today's-prices makes no assumptions; the second column assumes prices rise ~3.5% a year, in line with recent averages.
| Household income | 4 yrs, today's prices | 4 yrs with increases |
|---|---|---|
| Under $30k | $34,868 | $36,742 |
| $30k–$48k | $42,452 | $44,733 |
| $48k–$75k | $57,672 | $60,771 |
| $75k–$110k | $75,944 | $80,025 |
| Over $110k | $133,292 | $140,455 |
75% of students here graduate within six years. If the degree takes a fifth year, budget roughly one more year at the prices above — ask the school what share of students finish in four.
First-year aid is not guaranteed to repeat — ask University of California, Santa Cruz how grants change after year one. That answer moves these numbers more than anything else on this page.
Applying to a specific major at University of California, Santa Cruz
66% is the acceptance rate for the whole university — not for every major. For the programs below, admission is usually decided separately and is harder than that number suggests. Almost no university publishes a by-major admission rate, and neither does the federal government, so we do not show one: any site that does is estimating.
To find the real figure for your major, check University of California, Santa Cruz's Common Data Set and its admissions page, or ask an admissions officer directly — that question gets answered more often than students expect.
At University of California, Santa Cruz: 658 bachelor's degrees awarded a year · $63,530 median earnings (Computer Science.)
Applicant demand has grown far faster than faculty and seats, so many universities cap CS enrollment, admit to it directly, or require a competitive internal application after enrolling.
Check: Whether the school admits to CS directly, and whether switching into CS later is restricted — the answer changes your real odds more than your test scores do.
At University of California, Santa Cruz: 280 bachelor's degrees awarded a year · $51,607 median earnings (Business/Managerial Economics.)
Many undergraduate business schools admit their own cohort at application time and are more selective than the university overall; others admit only after two years of coursework.
Check: Whether the business school is direct-admit for first-years, and if not, what GPA the internal application actually requires.
At University of California, Santa Cruz: 173 bachelor's degrees awarded a year · $23,508 median earnings (Film/Video and Photographic Arts.)
Admission usually turns on an audition or portfolio judged by the department, which can outweigh grades and test scores in either direction.
Check: Audition/portfolio dates and prescreen requirements — many fall well before the regular application deadline.
Federal data shows no bachelor's completions at University of California, Santa Cruz in engineering, nursing or architecture, so those are not listed above. Small or new programs can be missing from federal reporting — confirm with the school before ruling one out.
What graduates earn, by major
Median earnings and median federal loan debt for bachelor's graduates of University of California, Santa Cruz, by field of study, from the U.S. Department of Education. Earnings differ far more between majors at one school than between schools.
| Major | Median earnings | Median debt |
|---|---|---|
| Computer Science. · Computer Science | $63,530 | — |
| Psychology, General. · Social Sciences | $28,393 | — |
| Business/Managerial Economics. · Business | $51,607 | — |
| Biology, General. · Biological Sciences | $31,133 | — |
| Sociology. · Social Sciences | $29,141 | — |
| Cell/Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences. · Biological Sciences | $33,043 | — |
| Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services. · Humanities | $24,832 | — |
| Film/Video and Photographic Arts. · Visual & Performing Arts | $23,508 | — |
| Natural Resources Conservation and Research. | $29,913 | — |
| Economics. · Social Sciences | $44,356 | — |
| Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology. · Biological Sciences | $24,351 | — |
| Political Science and Government. · Social Sciences | $34,704 | — |
Largest programs shown. Earnings are measured a few years after graduation and reflect who enrolls as much as what is taught.
Is University of California, Santa Cruz a reach, target, or safety for you?
Ladder2College models your personal admission odds and net cost here — based on your GPA, scores, and family income — and shows how it fits alongside the rest of your list.
Model my odds & cost — freeFigures are estimates modeled on U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard data and recent reporting, provided for guidance only. Always confirm cost with University of California, Santa Cruz’s official net price calculator and admissions figures with the school directly.