University of California-Santa Cruz

Santa Cruz, CA ucsc.edu 17,812 students

UC Santa Cruz's main campus is set on over 2,000 acres of rolling, forested hills with views of the Pacific Ocean. The university utilizes a residential college system, reminiscent of Oxbridge, to foster a close-knit community within the larger university. Students benefit from the university's proximity to both the Monterey Bay and the Silicon Valley, as well as the university's administrative ties to the Lick and Keck Observatories.

Programs

Analyzed in dataset

Earnings

$38,112

Average graduate, 1 yr after

Outlook

44/100

Avg DegreeOutlook Score

Tuition

$14,560

In-state sticker price

Out-of-state: $45,337/yr

Financial Aid

The sticker price is rarely what families actually pay. UC Santa Cruz's grant and scholarship aid lowers the net price for most income brackets. 32% of students receive Pell Grants; 29% take federal loans.

Net Price by Family Income

Academic Year 2025

Income Bracket	Avg Net Price	4-Year Net Cost
$0 – $30K	$9,472	$37,888
$30K – $48K	$10,114	$40,456
$48K – $75K	$13,001	$52,004
$75K – $110K	$18,786	$75,144
$110K+	$32,674	$130,696
Sticker price (no aid)	$14,560	$58,240

Net price = tuition + fees + room & board minus grants and scholarships, by reported family-income bracket. Source: IPEDS Student Financial Aid survey via College Scorecard.

Programs at UC Santa Cruz

35 degree programs ranked by DegreeOutlook Score. Click any program for AI scenario analysis and 10-year earnings projections.

Degree Program	DW Score	1-yr Earnings	AI Risk	ROI
Computer Science Compare across schools →	87	$75,150/yr	Very High	19.8x
Computer Engineering Compare across schools →	85	$79,969/yr	Very High	22.7x
IT Management Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management Compare across schools →	81	$55,773/yr	Very High	17.7x
Electrical Engineering Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering Compare across schools →	75	$78,842/yr	Very High	20.4x
Economics Compare across schools →	73	$50,518/yr	Very High	14.2x
Business Economics Business/Managerial Economics Compare across schools →	67	$52,029/yr	Very High	14.4x
Biomedical Engineering Biomedical/Medical Engineering Compare across schools →	66	$55,856/yr	High	15.8x
Cell Biology Cell/Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences Compare across schools →	56	$45,088/yr	High	12.6x
Mathematics Compare across schools →	56	$40,798/yr	Very High	12.1x
Chemistry Compare across schools →	55	$39,700/yr	High	10.4x
Geosciences Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences Compare across schools →	51	$43,362/yr	High	11.5x
Biology Biology, General Compare across schools →	51	$37,651/yr	High	11.1x
Biochemistry Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology Compare across schools →	50	$40,320/yr	High	12.0x
Cognitive Science Compare across schools →	50	$35,384/yr	Moderate	12.1x
Political Science Political Science and Government Compare across schools →	47	$31,882/yr	Very High	10.0x
Legal Studies Non-Professional General Legal Studies (Undergraduate) Compare across schools →	42	$36,941/yr	Moderate	9.8x
Psychology Psychology, General Compare across schools →	41	$30,730/yr	High	9.1x
History Compare across schools →	39	$33,081/yr	High	7.3x
Physics Compare across schools →	36	$37,859/yr	Very High	5.5x
Sociology Compare across schools →	36	$28,495/yr	High	8.7x
Romance Languages Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics Compare across schools →	35	$32,934/yr	Very High	7.9x
Natural Resources & Conservation Research Natural Resources Conservation and Research Compare across schools →	34	$29,152/yr	High	9.3x
Ethnic & Cultural Studies Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies Compare across schools →	31	$31,140/yr	Very High	8.7x
Neuroscience Neurobiology and Neurosciences Compare across schools →	31	$25,034/yr	High	9.9x
Anthropology Compare across schools →	29	$23,152/yr	High	7.1x
Astronomy and Astrophysics Compare across schools →	28	$35,171/yr	Very High	5.0x
Community Organization and Advocacy Compare across schools →	28	$29,617/yr	High	8.0x
Philosophy Compare across schools →	27	$30,285/yr	Very High	7.6x
Behavioral Sciences Compare across schools →	24	$28,709/yr	High	3.9x
Fine Arts Fine and Studio Arts Compare across schools →	24	$21,106/yr	Moderate	5.2x
Ecology & Evolutionary Biology Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology Compare across schools →	22	$25,810/yr	High	6.0x
Film & Photography Film/Video and Photographic Arts Compare across schools →	22	$23,614/yr	High	6.8x
Linguistics Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services Compare across schools →	22	$21,793/yr	Very High	6.2x
Graphic Communications Compare across schools →	21	$25,358/yr	High	3.4x
Theater & Drama Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft Compare across schools →	21	$21,638/yr	Moderate	5.1x