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University of California-Santa Cruz

Honest, data-backed view of how admissions actually work here.

Santa Cruz, CA17,812 students
Acceptance Rate
61%
moderate
Median SAT
Net Price After Aid
$16.6k
Sticker $45.3k
Graduation Rate
74%
6-year, full-time

University of California-Santa Cruz is a public institution in Santa Cruz, CA with an acceptance rate of 61% and 17,812 students. The average net price after financial aid is $16,607 per year.

About University of California-Santa Cruz

A public 4-year urban university in Santa Cruz, CA.

University of California-Santa Cruz is a college in Santa Cruz, CA. It enrolls roughly 17,812 students. The most recent acceptance rate is 61%.

Far WestUrbanPublic4-yearComputer
Acceptance Rate
61%
Moderate
Total Enrollment
17,812
Large
Retention
90%
First-years returning
Graduation Rate
74%
6-year, full-time

Your chances at this school

A clear-eyed view of how your profile compares to admitted students — and the things that would move your odds the most.

Acceptance Rate
61%
61 of every 100 applicants admitted
Your Chances
Sign in to see your personalized probability.
Admitted Student GPA
3.81
Average across admitted students

Honest, data-backed view of how admissions actually work here. Here is what would make your application as competitive as possible.

Things that would move your odds the most

  1. Maintain a GPA of 3.81 or higher
    Admitted students typically present grades at or above this level.
  2. Build a single deep extracurricular peak
    Depth beats breadth at selective schools — one nationally-visible accomplishment outperforms ten clubs.
  3. Strengthen one teacher recommendation
    A specific, personal letter from a teacher who knows your work moves the needle.

Probability is based on a model trained on historical admissions data. It is a guide, not a guarantee. Admissions decisions weigh essays, recommendations, and fit factors that aren't in the data.

Admissions

What it actually takes to get into University of California-Santa Cruz. Test scores, GPA, application requirements, and deadlines.

Cost & financial aid

Published costs can be misleading. Here's what families actually pay at University of California-Santa Cruz after grants and scholarships.

Sticker price
Tuition $45,337
Average net price after aid
$16,607
After grants and scholarships

Net price by family income

Average amount paid out of pocket — tuition, fees, and room & board minus all grant aid.

$0 – $30,000
$9,472
$30,001 – $48,000
$10,114
$48,001 – $75,000
$13,001
$75,001 – $110,000
N/A
$110,001 +
$32,674

Net price represents the average cost after grants and scholarships for students receiving federal financial aid.

Pell Grant Recipients
32%
Need-based federal grant
Take Federal Loans
29%
Avg loan $14,334 / year
Avg Grant Aid
Per receiving student / year

Academics & majors

Where students at University of California-Santa Cruz concentrate, and how the classroom experience scales.

Student : Faculty
Class-size proxy
Primary Focus
Computer
16% of degrees awarded
Retention
90%
First-years returning
A breakdown of the top majors by share of degrees awarded ships once we finish backfilling per-school program data.

Student body

Who attends University of California-Santa Cruz. Enrollment, diversity, and where students come from.

Race & ethnicity

  • White35%
  • Asian28%
  • Hispanic31%
  • Black2%
  • International3%

Gender

  • Female54%
  • Male46%
International
3%
Of total enrollment
Live on Campus
Undergraduate residential rate
Total Enrollment
17,812

Outcomes after graduation

What University of California-Santa Cruz graduates do next — and what they earn.

Median Earnings
$68.4k
10 years after enrollment
Employed at 2 yrs
Working or in grad school
Pursue Grad School
Within 5 years
Graduation Rate
74%
6-year, full-time

What this means

$68k is near the national bachelor's-graduate median at the 10-year mark, and a 74% graduation rate is above the national average.

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