University of California, Santa Cruz

Basic Information

Type Public
Geographical Reach Regional
Population 300,000

Weather

Comfortable Days 195 (99% 😎)
Sunshine Hours 3,120 (92% ☀️)
Days Without Precipitation 322 (96% 🏖️)

Demographics

Total Undergraduates 18,101
Men / Women 47% / 53%
From State 92%
From Region 0%
Athletes 312 (1.8%)

Racial/Ethnic

White 30%
Hispanic 29%
Asian 24%
Mixed 9%
International 3%
Black 2%
Native American 0%

Schools & Majors

⇅ Ranked Trends Degrees Male White Asian Black Hispanic Intl Earnings Earn % Earn z ROI Employment Debt-to-Earn Accept SAT p25 SAT p75
Baskin School of Engineering 1,104 75% 25% 45% 1% 13% 5% $113,553 98 -0.13 97 96%
Biomolecular Engineering 2 — 50% 50% 50% 0% 0% 0% $107,619 80 +0.76 96 95% — 77% — —
Computer Engineering 140 +1 84% 26% 41% 1% 14% 5% $121,165 70 +0.19 98 98% — 77% — —
Computer Engineering 45 +2 80% 29% 44% 0% 11% 4% $121,165 70 +0.19 98 98% — — — —
Electrical Engineering 50 +1 74% 30% 34% 4% 24% 0% $114,549 56 -0.12 97 97% — 77% — —
Computer Science 684 +9 75% 23% 47% 1% 12% 5% $116,889 45 -0.24 98 95% — 79% — —
Technology and Information Management 118 — 72% 22% 50% 3% 14% 8% $95,818 50 -0.12 91 97% — 79% — —
Applied Mathematics 32 — 56% 38% 31% 0% 22% 6% $88,332 27 -0.65 86 — — 80% — —
Computational Mathematics 14 +5 64% 50% 21% 0% 21% 7% $87,582 26 -0.67 85 — — 80% — —
Biotechnology 19 — 58% 32% 42% 5% 21% 0% $89,145 98 +1.57 86 — — 77% — —
⇅ Ranked Trends Degrees Male White Asian Black Hispanic Intl Earnings Earn % Earn z ROI Employment Debt-to-Earn Accept SAT p25 SAT p75
Division of Humanities 389 35% 38% 7% 3% 39% 1% $51,975 2 -0.45 17 93%
American/United States Studies/Civilization — — — — — — — — $53,692 39 -0.44 21 — — 67% — —
Applied Linguistics 12 — 33% 33% 17% 0% 42% 0% $48,199 16 -0.88 10 90% — 68% — —
Applied Linguistics and Multilingualism 49 +2 37% 45% 4% 4% 31% 0% $48,199 16 -0.88 10 90% — 68% — —
Classical Languages 3 — 0% 33% 33% 0% 0% 0% $49,983 22 -0.72 13 — — 68% — —
Critical Race and Ethnic Studies 36 +3 17% 8% 14% 11% 47% 0% $55,958 46 -0.26 27 95% — 67% — —
Feminist Studies 23 +2 0% 52% 4% 4% 35% 0% $55,958 53 -0.03 27 95% — 67% — —
History 76 +12 59% 53% 5% 1% 24% 1% $55,984 54 -0.09 27 95% — 68% — —
Jewish Studies 2 — 50% 100% 0% 0% 0% 0% $49,315 41 -0.19 12 — — — — —
Latin American and Latino Studies 36 +16 19% 3% 0% 3% 94% 0% $55,958 46 -0.26 27 95% — 67% — —
Linguistics 2 +1 0% 50% 50% 0% 0% 0% $48,199 16 -0.88 10 90% — 68% — —
Literature 93 +21 32% 48% 6% 1% 30% 0% $48,199 31 -0.51 10 90% — 68% — —
Philosophy 43 +6 53% 37% 14% 0% 37% 2% $48,263 11 -0.99 11 93% — 68% — —
Spanish 14 +14 29% 14% 0% 7% 71% 0% $57,481 52 -0.05 31 98% — 68% — —
⇅ Ranked Trends Degrees Male White Asian Black Hispanic Intl Earnings Earn % Earn z ROI Employment Debt-to-Earn Accept SAT p25 SAT p75
Division of Physical and Biological Sciences 1,002 41% 38% 19% 2% 29% 2% $70,281 45 +0.12 63 93%
Astrophysics 40 +4 50% 45% 8% 0% 20% 18% $45,759 0 -2.72 7 88% — 80% — —
Chemistry 32 — 50% 31% 25% 0% 28% 6% $71,604 56 +0.00 66 94% — 80% — —
Earth Sciences 47 +1 57% 55% 11% 2% 17% 0% $68,350 66 +0.30 59 97% — 80% — —
Mathematics 33 +1 76% 36% 12% 0% 21% 6% $69,781 31 -0.59 62 84% — 80% — —
Physical Sciences 51 — 37% 51% 10% 2% 31% 0% $75,268 22 -0.60 72 — — — — —
Physics & Applied Physics 35 +4 71% 37% 20% 0% 23% 0% $117,826 98 +2.47 98 95% — 80% — —
Biochemistry and Molecular Biology 56 — 61% 32% 18% 2% 34% 2% $75,599 68 +0.37 72 94% — 77% — —
Bioinformatics 61 +1 43% 28% 44% 2% 15% 3% $115,578 100 +3.92 98 — — 77% — —
Biology 139 +4 32% 25% 28% 4% 31% 1% $65,825 47 -0.07 53 91% — 77% — —
Biomedical Sciences 41 — 34% 29% 32% 0% 29% 2% $65,825 33 -0.33 53 91% — 77% — —
Ecology — — — — — — — — $48,900 21 -0.82 11 96% — 77% — —
Ecology and Evolutionary Biology 69 +1 39% 42% 7% 0% 36% 1% $48,900 21 -0.82 11 96% — — — —
Human Biology 81 +3 16% 32% 9% 4% 47% 0% $74,312 70 +0.43 70 — — — — —
Microbiology 10 — 70% 30% 30% 10% 30% 0% $72,242 64 +0.26 67 — — 77% — —
Molecular, Cell, and Developmental Biology 137 +4 42% 36% 26% 1% 28% 1% $75,797 68 +0.38 73 96% — 77% — —
Neuroscience 41 +1 41% 37% 20% 5% 29% 0% $61,959 22 -0.44 43 86% — 77% — —
Agroecology and Sustainable Agriculture 19 — 37% 58% 0% 5% 26% 0% $56,838 31 -0.43 29 — — 77% — —
Environmental Sciences 13 — 23% 54% 23% 0% 15% 0% $55,972 37 -0.34 27 96% — 77% — —
Marine Biology 81 +1 37% 51% 12% 2% 23% 1% $48,900 22 -0.63 11 96% — 77% — —
Natural Sciences 4 — 25% 50% 0% 0% 50% 0% $55,811 35 -0.36 26 — — — — —
Plant Sciences 12 — 8% 58% 0% 0% 25% 0% $54,826 19 -0.61 24 100% — 77% — —
Global and Community Health — — — — — — — — $67,980 41 -0.25 58 — — — — —
⇅ Ranked Trends Degrees Male White Asian Black Hispanic Intl Earnings Earn % Earn z ROI Employment Debt-to-Earn Accept SAT p25 SAT p75
Division of Social Sciences 1,728 36% 34% 17% 2% 34% 2% $58,536 6 -0.70 33 95% 7.5%
Environmental Studies 165 +6 30% 53% 8% 1% 25% 0% $55,972 37 -0.34 27 96% — 77% — —
Business Management Economics 258 +4 65% 26% 34% 2% 26% 3% $86,057 37 -0.37 84 97% — 66% — —
Economics 70 +1 69% 27% 24% 0% 20% 13% $72,725 13 -0.95 68 93% — 67% — —
Economics/Mathematics Combined 18 — 83% 11% 22% 0% 50% 6% $72,725 13 -0.95 68 93% — 67% — —
International Economics 13 — 46% 38% 31% 0% 15% 8% $72,725 13 -0.95 68 93% — 67% — —
Archeology — — — — — — — — $51,024 28 -0.58 15 — — 67% — —
Interdisciplinary Studies — — — — — — — — $51,572 24 -0.55 16 — — — — —
Anthropology 84 — 26% 48% 4% 0% 37% 0% $47,319 8 -0.87 9 92% — 67% — —
Behavioral Sciences 464 +77 23% 34% 14% 2% 38% 2% $50,552 25 -0.68 14 — 7.5% — — —
Cognitive Science 181 +1 39% 28% 29% 2% 27% 0% $55,136 5 -1.18 24 96% — 77% — —
Community Organization and Advocacy 22 — 18% 45% 9% 9% 14% 0% $52,506 42 -0.09 18 92% — 65% — —
Community Studies 133 +55 26% 35% 13% 2% 41% 2% $55,285 51 -0.15 25 96% — 67% — —
Politics 104 +48 43% 38% 8% 2% 42% 0% $59,063 14 -0.97 35 90% — 67% — —
Psychology — — — — — — — — $55,963 60 +0.14 27 95% — 67% — —
Education 100 +18 19% 30% 13% 1% 41% 2% $30,784 0 -2.85 2 — — 65% — —
Educational Studies 2 — 50% 0% 0% 0% 100% 0% $42,263 5 -1.50 5 — — — — —
Science Education — — — — — — — — $50,893 21 -0.66 15 — — 65% — —
Legal Studies 114 +13 31% 27% 12% 4% 45% 2% $62,664 70 +0.38 45 95% — 77% — —
⇅ Ranked Trends Degrees Male White Asian Black Hispanic Intl Earnings Earn % Earn z ROI Employment Debt-to-Earn Accept SAT p25 SAT p75
Division of the Arts 432 46% 38% 16% 2% 30% 3% $48,007 1 -0.29 10 92% 10.2% 68%
Games and Playable Media — — — — — — — — $58,329 18 -0.98 33 100% — 68% — —
Animation 140 +4 56% 23% 31% 4% 26% 5% $56,866 61 +0.08 29 — 10.2% — — —
Art 105 +1 29% 42% 8% 2% 40% 0% $42,063 28 -0.51 4 89% — 68% — —
Film and Digital Media 120 +7 52% 40% 9% 2% 32% 3% $46,707 39 -0.34 9 95% — 68% — —
History of Art and Visual Culture 34 +15 21% 59% 6% 0% 24% 0% $42,063 18 -0.76 4 89% — 68% — —
Music 15 +2 60% 73% 7% 0% 0% 7% $41,222 26 -0.59 4 — — 68% — —
Theater Arts 18 +8 56% 56% 6% 0% 22% 0% $39,330 28 -0.50 3 100% — 68% — —

Financial

In-State Tuition & Fees $16,815
Out-of-State Tuition & Fees $53,411
Est. In-State Cost $21,752
Est. Out-of-State Cost $69,092
ROI Percentile 67th

Retention & Graduation

Full-Time Retention 88%
4-Year Graduation Rate 62%
6-Year Graduation Rate 75%
Transfer-Out Rate 10%

Earnings by Major Category

Each major category's degree-weighted estimated median 5-year earnings at this college, expressed as a z-score against the national degree-weighted distribution for that category. 0 is the national average. The shaded band between +1.28 and −1.28 marks the central 80% of the national distribution (10th–90th percentile).

Academics

⇅ % Degrees Male White Asian Black Hispanic Intl Earnings Earn % Earn z ROI Employment Debt-to-Earn
Social Sciences 21.2% 988 29% 35% 15% 2% 36% 1% $52,693 22 -0.73 19 94% 7.5%
Computer Science 17.2% 802 75% 23% 48% 1% 12% 5% $113,789 56 -0.22 97 95% —
Life & Natural Sciences 14.0% 654 38% 32% 24% 3% 31% 1% $73,190 79 +0.43 68 93% —
Arts 9.3% 432 46% 38% 16% 2% 30% 3% $48,007 32 -0.29 10 92% 10.2%
Humanities 8.4% 389 35% 38% 7% 3% 39% 1% $51,975 31 -0.45 17 93% —
Business & Economics 7.7% 359 66% 26% 31% 1% 26% 6% $82,306 59 -0.53 81 96% —
Agriculture & Food Science 6.3% 294 31% 53% 9% 1% 25% 0% $54,031 23 -0.44 22 96% —
Physical Sciences & Math 6.1% 284 56% 44% 16% 1% 23% 5% $76,240 44 -0.31 73 92% —
Engineering 5.1% 237 81% 28% 41% 2% 15% 4% $119,655 94 +0.13 98 97% —
Professional 2.4% 114 31% 27% 12% 4% 45% 2% $62,664 37 +0.38 45 95% —
Education 2.2% 102 20% 29% 13% 1% 42% 2% $31,009 0 -2.82 2 — —

Research R1

⇅ Research $ Rank Federal Industry $ PhDs Rank PhD students Postdocs
Physical Sciences & Math $81.8M #42 49% $0.5M 57 #54 386 74
Engineering $54.2M #97 79% $0.7M 17 #141 64 13
Life & Natural Sciences $37.5M #95 59% $0.1M 31 #77 243 63
Humanities & Social Sciences $20.5M #101 8% $0 46 #110 203 7
Computer Science $13.0M #69 51% $1.3M 14 #71 245 9
Agriculture & Food Science $5.0M #91 7% $0 4 #81 37 10
Education $1.2M #218 55% $0 3 #399 — —
Business & Economics $1.1M #208 21% $0 5 #188 48 —
Health Sciences $0 #441 — $0 — — — —
Total $214M #119 53% $2.6M 177 #123 1,226 176

Expenditure and funding source: NSF HERD, FY2024. Degrees: IPEDS completions, 2023–24. Students and postdocs: NSF Survey of Graduate Students and Postdoctorates, fall 2024, which covers science, engineering and selected health fields only. An em dash means the source does not report the figure, which is not the same as zero.

Sports NCAA D3

⇅ Athletes ▼ Revenue Expenses Net
Track & Field (combined) 118 $295K $295K $0
Swimming & Diving 32 $189K $189K $0
Soccer 29 $335K $335K $0
Volleyball 21 $225K $225K $0
Basketball 15 $332K $332K $0
Tennis 12 $261K $261K $0
Total 157 $1.6M $1.6M $0
⇅ Athletes ▼ Revenue Expenses Net
Track & Field (combined) 103 $262K $262K $0
Soccer 30 $303K $303K $0
Swimming & Diving 30 $175K $175K $0
Volleyball 21 $350K $350K $0
Basketball 14 $266K $266K $0
Tennis 12 $127K $127K $0
Golf 9 $318K $318K $0
Total 155 $1.8M $1.8M $0
⇅ Athletes ▼ Revenue Expenses Net
Track & Field (combined) 221 $557K $557K $0
Swimming & Diving 62 $364K $364K $0
Soccer 59 $639K $639K $0
Volleyball 42 $575K $575K $0
Basketball 29 $598K $598K $0
Tennis 24 $388K $388K $0
Golf 9 $318K $318K $0
Total 312 $4.7M $4.7M $0

Source: U.S. Department of Education, Equity in Athletics Data Analysis. Each team's revenue and expenses are what the college attributes to it. The Total view's totals row is the department's grand total, which also includes money not attributed to any team; the Male and Female totals rows only add up their teams.

Admissions

Uses Common App No
Acceptance Rate 73%
Yield (non-ED) 10%
Regular Decision Jan 1

Acceptance Rates

In-State Out-of-State International
Regular Decision 71% 84% 72%

Standardized Tests

Test Policy blind