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Philosophy at University of California-Santa Cruz

Santa Cruz, CA · Public · Bachelor's Degree
27 /100
DegreeOutlook Score (Base Case) — assumes in-state tuition
27
Optimistic
27
Base Case
22
Pessimistic
Earnings $30,285/yr (-6% vs median)
AI Risk Very High (64% exposed)
Job Market Medium (15,000 openings/yr)
ROI 9.1x earnings multiple (2.9x out-of-state)
Ranked #45 of 77 Philosophy programs

How AI Changes the Outlook

Three scenarios based on how aggressively AI disrupts the career paths available to Philosophy graduates.

Optimistic
No Disruption		 Base Case
Gradual AI		 Pessimistic
Aggressive AI
10-Year Earnings $533K $527K $484K
Earnings Multiple (In-State) 9.2x 9.1x 8.3x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) 2.9x 2.9x 2.7x
Probability of Field Employment 51% 44% 29%
DegreeOutlook Score 27 27 22

10-Year Earnings Projection

*Year 1 uses actual reported earnings. Scenarios diverge as AI impact compounds over time.

4-Year Tuition, In-State (Sticker)
$58,240
Out-of-state: $181,348 (2.9x ROI)
4-Year Net Price (After Aid)
$66,428
-14% less than sticker · See by income
Median Debt at Graduation
$15,000
5.9 months of Year 1 earnings
Reported Earnings (5 Year)
$50,265
66% growth from Year 1

About University of California-Santa Cruz

A 63% admission rate makes University of California-Santa Cruz accessible to a wide range of qualified students, with a mid-sized student body of 17,812 in Santa Cruz, CA.

See all programs and financial aid at University of California-Santa Cruz →

Top Career Paths

Natural sciences managers $161,180/yr
Mathematicians $121,680/yr
Mathematical science teachers, postsecondary $79,350/yr
View all 4 career paths with salary ranges and AI risk →

Compare & Explore

Compare this program → View all 77 schools offering Philosophy →

Philosophy at Other Schools

University of Pennsylvania ($73,053) Columbia University in the City of New York ($52,668) Boston College ($47,345) Utah Valley University ($43,699) CUNY Lehman College ($43,311) Southern Methodist University ($42,334) University of Washington-Seattle Campus ($42,072) University of Washington-Bothell Campus ($42,072)

Other Majors at University of California-Santa Cruz

Computer Engineering ($79,969) Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering ($78,842) Computer Science ($75,150) Biomedical/Medical Engineering ($55,856) Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management ($55,773) Business/Managerial Economics ($52,029) Economics ($50,518) Cell/Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences ($45,088)

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the DegreeOutlook Score for Philosophy at University of California-Santa Cruz?
A score of 27/100 indicates below-average financial outcomes for Philosophy. Earnings, ROI, or AI risk factors are pulling the score down.
Will AI replace Philosophy careers?
With 64% of typical job tasks exposed to AI, this is one of the higher-risk fields. Our pessimistic scenario projects $484,016 in decade earnings vs $533,075 in the optimistic case — a meaningful gap.
Scores use College Scorecard earnings, BLS employment projections, and AI task-exposure research. See full methodology →