University of California-Santa Cruz

www.ucsc.edu

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2024 Undergraduate Tuition
$12,260
3.6% growth from 2023
2024 Average Net Price
$18,059
After Financial Aid
2024 Acceptance Rate
65.8%
71,722 Applicants
2024 Enrolled Students
19,938
97.1% Full-Time
2024 Graduation Rate
75.1%
2,764 Graduates

About

University of California-Santa Cruz is a higher education institution located in Santa Cruz County, CA. In 2024, the most popular Bachelors Degree concentrations at University of California-Santa Cruz were Computer Science (655 degrees awarded), General Psychology (507 degrees), and Business & Managerial Economics (306 degrees).

In 2024, 5,565 degrees were awarded across all undergraduate and graduate programs at University of California-Santa Cruz. 50.1% of these degrees were awarded to women, and 49.9% awarded men. The most common race/ethnicity group of degree recipients was white (1,833 degrees), 1.26 times more than then the next closest race/ethnicity group, hispanic or latino (1,451 degrees).

The median undergraduate tuition at University of California-Santa Cruz is $12,260, which is $−19,592 less than the national average for Doctoral Universities ($31,852).

Doctoral Universities: Highest Research ActivityDoctoral Universities

Costs

In 2024, the median undergraduate tuition at University of California-Santa Cruz is $12,260, which is $19,592 less than the national average for Doctoral Universities ($31,852).

After taking grants and loans into account, the average net price for students is $18,059.

In 2024, 61% of undergraduate students attending University of California-Santa Cruz received financial aid through grants. Comparatively, 28% of undergraduate students received financial aid through loans.

Tuition Costs

$12,260
2024 Undergraduate Tuition

In 2024, the cost of tuition at University of California-Santa Cruz was $12,260. The cost of tuition at University of California-Santa Cruz is $−19,592 less than than the overall (public and private) national average for Doctoral Universities ($31,852).

This chart compares the tuition costs of University of California-Santa Cruz (in red) with those of other similar universities.

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Average Net Price

$18,059
2024 Value
9.28%
1 Year Growth

In 2024 University of California-Santa Cruz had an average net price — the price paid after factoring in grants and loans — of $18,059. Between 2023 and 2024, the average net price of University of California-Santa Cruz grew by 9.28%.

This chart compares the average net price of University of California-Santa Cruz (in red) with that of other similar universities.

Average net price is calculated from full-time beginning undergraduate students who were awarded a grant or scholarship from federal, state or local governments, or the institution.

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Other Student Expenses

$18,044
Room and Board
$1,315
Books and Supplies

The average yearly cost of room and board at University of California-Santa Cruz was of $18,044 in 2024. The cost of room and board increased by 6.65% between 2023 and 2024.

During the same period, the average yearly cost of books and supplies was $1,315. The cost of books and supplies increased by 9.22% during the same period.

This chart compares the average student costs at University of California-Santa Cruz (in red) with that of similar universities.

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Financial Aid by Income Level

61%
Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Grants
28%
Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Loans

61% of undergraduate students at University of California-Santa Cruz received financial aid through grants or loans in 2024. This represents a decline of 1.61% with respect to 2023, when 62% of undergraduate students received financial aid.

This chart compares the average award discount at University of California-Santa Cruz (in red) with that of other similar universities.

The average award discount is the ratio between the average grant or scholarship value, and the cost, which is the sum of out-of-state tuition, room, board, book, supplies, and other expenses.

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Admissions

University of California-Santa Cruz received 71,722 undergraduate applications in 2024, which represents a 4.18% annual growth. Out of those 71,722 applicants, 47,186 students were accepted for enrollment, representing a 65.8% acceptance rate.

There were 19,938 students enrolled at University of California-Santa Cruz in 2024. 89% of first-time enrollees submitted SAT scores with their applications.

University of California-Santa Cruz has an overall enrollment yield of 9.29%, which represents the number of admitted students who ended up enrolling.

Acceptance Rate

65.8%
Acceptance Rate in 2024
47,186
Accepted Out of 71,722

In 2024, the undergraduate acceptance rate of University of California-Santa Cruz was 65.8% (47,186 admissions from 71,722 applications). This is higher than the acceptance rate of 2023, which was 62.5%. Between 2023 and 2024, the number of applicants grew by 4.18%, while admissions grew by 9.6%.

This chart compares the acceptance rate of University of California-Santa Cruz (in red) with that of other similar universities, and the chart below shows the acceptance rate by gender.

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SAT Scores

89%
Submission Percentage (2020)
3,726
Scores Submitted (2020)

89% of enrolled first-time students at University of California-Santa Cruz in 2020 submitted SAT scores with their applications.

The following chart shows the average SAT scores for the 25th, 50th, and 75th percentile of applicants for each section of the test that they are evaluated on.

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Enrollment

University of California-Santa Cruz had a total enrollment of 19,938 students in 2024. The full-time enrollment at University of California-Santa Cruz is 19,362 students and the part-time enrollment is 576. This means that 97.1% of students enrolled at University of California-Santa Cruz are enrolled full-time.

The enrolled student population at University of California-Santa Cruz, both undergraduate and graduate, is 30.8% White, 27.2% Hispanic or Latino, 23.1% Asian, 8.38% Two or More Races, 2.05% Black or African American, 0.155% American Indian or Alaska Native, and 0.115% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders.

Students enrolled at University of California-Santa Cruz in full-time Undergraduate programs are most commonly Hispanic or Latino Female (17.6%), followed by White Female (16%) and White Male (14.5%). Students enrolled in full-time Graduate programs are most commonly White Male (16.4%), followed by White Female (16.2%) and Hispanic or Latino Male (7.21%).

Full-Time vs Part-Time Enrollment

97.1%
Full-Time Enrollment

The total enrollment at University of California-Santa Cruz in 2024, both undergraduate and graduate, is 19,938 students. The full-time enrollment at University of California-Santa Cruz is 19,362 and the part-time enrollment is 576. This means that 97.1% of students enrolled at University of California-Santa Cruz are enrolled full-time compared with 78.1% at similar Doctoral Universities.

This chart shows the full-time vs part-time enrollment status at University of California-Santa Cruz (in red) compares to similar universities.

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Retention Rate over Time

88%
2024 Retention Rate

Retention rate measures the number of first-time students who began their studies the previous fall and returned to school the following fall. The retention rate for full-time undergraduates at University of California-Santa Cruz was 88%. Compared with the full-time retention rate at similar Doctoral Universities (84%), University of California-Santa Cruz had a retention rate higher than its peers.

This chart shows the retention rate over time at University of California-Santa Cruz (highlighted in red) compares to similar universities.

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Enrollment by Race & Ethnicity

Most Common Race or Ethnicity (2024)
  1. White
    6,133 enrolled students
  2. Hispanic or Latino
    5,415 enrolled students
  3. Asian
    4,607 enrolled students

The enrolled student population at University of California-Santa Cruz is 30.8% White, 27.2% Hispanic or Latino, 23.1% Asian, 8.38% Two or More Races, 2.05% Black or African American, 0.155% American Indian or Alaska Native, and 0.115% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders. This includes both full-time and part-time students as well as graduate and undergraduates. By comparison, enrollment for all Doctoral Universities is 45.5% White, 16.4% Hispanic or Latino, and 10% Black or African American.

Any student who is studying in the United States on a temporary basis is categorized as a "Non-Resident Alien", and the share of those students are shown in the chart below. Additionally, 463 students (2.32%) did not report their race.

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Graduates

In 2024, 11 more women than men received degrees from University of California-Santa Cruz. The most common race/ethnicity group of degree recipients at University of California-Santa Cruz is white (1,833 degrees awarded). There were 1.26 times more white recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, hispanic or latino (1,451 degrees).

The most common Bachelor's Degree concentration at University of California-Santa Cruz is Computer Science (655 degrees awarded), followed by General Psychology (507 degrees) and Business & Managerial Economics (306 degrees).

In 2024,  the most specialized majors across all degree types at University of California-Santa Cruz, meaning they have significantly more degrees awarded in that concentration than the national average across all institutions, are Language & Linguistics (239 degrees awarded), Cultural & Gender Studies (122 degrees), and Physical Sciences (310 degrees).

Common Jobs by Major

Physicians
Most Common Job

The most common jobs for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at University of California-Santa Cruz are Physicians (469,566 people), Other managers (220,115 people), Postsecondary teachers (212,556 people), Other Physical Scientists (190,082 people), and Elementary & middle school teachers (120,892 people).

The most specialized majors at University of California-Santa Cruz in 2024 are Language & Linguistics (239 degrees awarded), Cultural & Gender Studies (122 degrees), Physical Sciences (310 degrees), Natural Resources & Conservation (178 degrees), and Biology (758 degrees) (as of 2024).

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Highest Paying Jobs by Major

Surgeons
Highest Paying Job

The highest paying jobs for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at University of California-Santa Cruz are Surgeons, Diagnostic medical sonographers, Logisticians, Economists, and Securities, commodities, & financial services sales agents

The most specialized majors at University of California-Santa Cruz are Language & Linguistics (239 degrees awarded), Cultural & Gender Studies (122 degrees), Physical Sciences (310 degrees), Natural Resources & Conservation (178 degrees), and Biology (758 degrees) (as of 2024).

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Common Industries by Major

General medical and surgical hospitals, and specialty (except psychiatric and substance abuse) hospitals
Most Common Industry

The most common industries for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at University of California-Santa Cruz are General medical and surgical hospitals, and specialty (except psychiatric and substance abuse) hospitals (573,517 people), Colleges, universities & professional schools, including junior colleges (473,698 people), Elementary & secondary schools (320,522 people), Scientific research & development services (228,175 people), and Offices of physicians (216,652 people).

The most specialized majors at University of California-Santa Cruz are Language & Linguistics (239 degrees awarded), Cultural & Gender Studies (122 degrees), Physical Sciences (310 degrees), Natural Resources & Conservation (178 degrees), and Biology (758 degrees) (as of 2024).

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Majors Awarded

IPEDS uses the Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) standard, so the categories may not match the exact concentrations offered by University of California-Santa Cruz.
Most Common (2024)
  1. Computer Science
    655 degrees awarded
  2. General Psychology
    507 degrees awarded
  3. Business & Managerial Economics
    306 degrees awarded

In 2024, the most common bachelors degree concentration at University of California-Santa Cruz was Computer Science with 655 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of degree-majors recipients from bachelors degree programs at University of California-Santa Cruz according to their major.

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Sex Breakdown for Common Majors

2,777
Degrees Awarded to Men
in 2024
2,788
Degrees Awarded to Women
in 2024

In 2024, 2,777 degrees were awarded to men at University of California-Santa Cruz, which is 0.996 times less than the number of degrees awarded to females (2,788).

This chart displays the sex disparity between the top 5 majors at University of California-Santa Cruz by degrees awarded.

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Most Common Male Majors

In 2024, 573 degrees were awarded to men at University of California-Santa Cruz in Computer Science, which is 3.92 times more than the 146 female recipients with that same degree.

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Most Common Female Majors

In 2024, 375 degrees were awarded to men at University of California-Santa Cruz in General Psychology, which is 2.52 times more than the 149 male recipients with that same degree.

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Time to Complete

62%
100% Completion Time
77%
150% Completion Time

In 2024, 62% of students graduating from University of California-Santa Cruz completed their program within 100% "normal time" (i.e. 4 years for a 4-year degree). Comparatively, 77% completed their degrees within 150% of the normal time, and 78% within 200%.

The following chart shows these completion rates over time compared to the average for the Doctoral Universities Carnegie Classification group.

Graduation rate is defined as the percentage of full-time, first-time students who received a degree or award within a specific percentage of "normal time" to completion for their program.

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Graduation Rate by Race and Sex

Showing demographic groups with ≥ 5 graduating students.
Asian Female
Highest Graduation Rate (80.4%)

The student demographic with the highest graduation rate in 2024 at University of California-Santa Cruz is Female and Asian (80.4% graduation rate). Across all Doctoral Universities, Asian Female students have the highest graduation rate (75.5%).

The department of education defines graduation rate as the percentage of full-time, first-time students who received a degree or award within 150% of "normal time" to completion.

The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) categorizes any student who is studying in the United States on a temporary basis as a "Non-Resident Alien", and the graduation rate of those students is shown in the chart below. Additionally, 1.74% of graduates (48 students) did not report their race.

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Race & Ethnicity by Share

Most Common Student Race or Ethnicity (2024)
  1. White
    1,833 degrees awarded
  2. Hispanic or Latino
    1,451 degrees awarded
  3. Asian
    1,255 degrees awarded

The most common race/ethnicity at University of California-Santa Cruz is white (1,833 degrees awarded). There were 1.26 times more white recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, hispanic or latino (1,451 degrees).

2.16% of degree recipients (120 students) did not report their race.

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Race & Ethnicity by Sex

Most Common Sex Demographic (2024)
  1. White Female
    918 degrees awarded
  2. White Male
    915 degrees awarded
  3. Hispanic or Latino Female
    850 degrees awarded

The most common race/ethnicity and sex grouping at University of California-Santa Cruz is white female (918 degrees awarded). There were 1 times more white female recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, white male (915 degrees).

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Operations

University of California-Santa Cruz has an endowment valued at nearly $165M, as of the end of the 2024 fiscal year. The return on its endowment was of 24.7M (15%) compared to the 7.99% average return (38.5M on 482M) across all Doctoral Universities.

false University of California-Santa Cruz employs 329 Professors, 185 Assistant professors and 172 Associate professors. Most academics at University of California-Santa Cruz are Male Professor (195), Female Professor (134), and Female Assistant professor (101).

The most common positions for non-instructional staff at University of California-Santa Cruz are: Business and Financial Operations, with 510 employees, Community, Social Service, Legal, Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports and Media, with 466 employees, and Service with 465 employees.

Endowment

$165M
2024 Endowment
9.06%
growth from 2023

University of California-Santa Cruz has an endowment valued at about $165M, as of the end of the 2024 fiscal year. The endowment of University of California-Santa Cruz grew 9.06% from the previous year. The value of their endowment was $317M lower than than the median endowment of Doctoral Universities according to the Carnegie Classification grouping.

This line chart shows how the endowment at University of California-Santa Cruz (in red) compares to that of some similar universities.

The small bar chart below shows the endowment quintiles for all universities in the Doctoral Universities: Highest Research Activity Carnegie Classification grouping.

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Government Grants and Contracts

Grants & Contracts
  1. $107M - Federal
  2. $13.6M - State
  3. $2.33M - Local

As of 2024, University of California-Santa Cruz received $107M in grants and contracts from the federal government, $13.6M from state grants and contracts, and $2.33M from local grants and contracts.

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Instructional Salaries

$136M
Instructional Salaries
837
Number of Employees

In 2024, University of California-Santa Cruz paid a total of $136M to 837 employees working as instructors, which represents 26.3% of all salaries paid.

This is compared to a median of $6.16M (2.17%) for similar Doctoral Universities.

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Occupations by Share

In 2024, the most common positions for non-instructional staff at University of California-Santa Cruz were Business and Financial Operations with 510 employees, Community, Social Service, Legal, Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports and Media with 466 employees, and Service with 465 employees.

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