Behavioral Sciencesat University of California-Santa Cruz
Graduates earn $28,709/yr in their first year — about 17.0% below the national Behavioral Sciences average. Base-case 10-year earnings $414K; scenarios range from $402K to $408K depending on AI disruption.
What this degree looks like at UC Santa Cruz
The data for UC Santa Cruz's Behavioral Sciences program highlights a common challenge for broad liberal arts degrees in competitive markets. While the listed career paths offer substantial salaries, these roles typically require advanced degrees or significant specialized experience beyond a bachelor's. Many graduates might initially find themselves in roles like social work support, research assistant positions, or general administrative roles where the direct application of their studies is less specialized. The Santa Cruz region, while beautiful, isn't a major hub for entry-level, high-paying pure behavioral science jobs, often pushing graduates to compete in broader Bay Area markets. Furthermore, the high AI risk suggests certain analytical or data-intensive aspects of these fields are vulnerable. To counteract this, aggressively pursue internships or pair your studies with a minor in a more applied field like data science, business analytics, or user experience research to develop immediately marketable skills.
Three scenarios, ten years out
Each scenario is a different assumption about how AI reshapes the career paths this major feeds into. Earnings projections stack the full 10-year cumulative trajectory; scores use the same 0–100 metric as the hero, recomputed under that scenario's assumptions.
10 year projection
Year-by-year earnings under each scenario. Base case reflects BLS growth patterns applied to UC Santa Cruz's starting earnings; optimistic and pessimistic adjust for AI's effect on each career path this major feeds into.
Common career destinations for this program's graduates, weighted by the school's specific occupation mix. Salary is BLS national median; AI risk is per-role task-exposure research.
Peer schools offering Behavioral Sciences
How UC Santa Cruz stacks up against other schools offering this major.
Other top programs at UC Santa Cruz
Other highest-scoring programs offered at UC Santa Cruz, ranked by DegreeOutlook Score.
Consider the trade route
Not sure a 4-year degree is the right path? Trade programs in Behavioral Sciences offer shorter timelines, lower debt, and strong AI resilience for hands-on careers.
Compare Behavioral Sciences trade programs on TradeSchoolOutlook →Frequently asked about Behavioral Sciences at UC Santa Cruz
How does University of California-Santa Cruz's Behavioral Sciences program score?
This program scores 24/100 — on the lower end for Behavioral Sciences. Prospective students should carefully weigh costs against likely earnings.
How vulnerable is Behavioral Sciences to AI automation?
AI won't 'replace' Behavioral Sciences careers outright, but it is likely to reduce the number of job openings. We model 36% task exposure, which compresses field employment probability in our scenarios.
Why are Behavioral Sciences earnings lower at University of California-Santa Cruz?
Lower starting pay at University of California-Santa Cruz may reflect local labor market conditions rather than program quality. Many graduates see convergence with national averages within 3-5 years.