University of California-Santa Cruz

www.ucsc.edu/

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2021 Undergraduate Tuition

$11,442

2021 Average Net Price

$19,615

After Financial Aid

2019 Student Loan

1.31%

Default Rate

2021 Acceptance Rate

58.6%

61,695 Applicants

2021 Enrolled Students

19,841

95.8% Full-Time

2021 Graduation Rate

78.1%

2,815 Graduates

About

University of California-Santa Cruz is a higher education institution located in Santa Cruz County, CA. In 2021, the most popular Bachelors Degree concentrations at University of California-Santa Cruz were Computer Science (670 degrees awarded), General Psychology (510 degrees), and Cellular & Molecular Biology (297 degrees).

In 2021, 6,014 degrees were awarded across all undergraduate and graduate programs at University of California-Santa Cruz. 51% of these degrees were awarded to women, and 49% awarded men. The most common race/ethnicity group of degree recipients was white (1,932 degrees), 1.2 times more than then the next closest race/ethnicity group, hispanic or latino (1,616 degrees).

The median undergraduate tuition at University of California-Santa Cruz is $11,442, which is $−17,550 less than the national average for Doctoral Universities ($28,992).

Doctoral Universities: Highest Research Activity Doctoral Universities

Costs

In 2021, the median undergraduate tuition at University of California-Santa Cruz is $11,442, which is $−17,550 less than the national average for Doctoral Universities ($28,992).

After taking grants and loans into account, the average net price for students is $19,615.

In 2021, 62% of undergraduate students attending University of California-Santa Cruz received financial aid through grants. Comparatively, 23% of undergraduate students received financial aid through loans.

Tuition Costs

$11,442

2021 Undergraduate Tuition

In 2021, the cost of tuition at University of California-Santa Cruz was $11,442. The cost of tuition at University of California-Santa Cruz is $−17,550 less than than the overall (public and private) national average for Doctoral Universities ($28,992).

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

Average Net Price

$19,615

2021 Value

9.94%

1 Year Growth

In 2021 University of California-Santa Cruz had an average net price — the price paid after factoring in grants and loans — of $19,615. Between 2020 and 2021, the average net price of University of California-Santa Cruz grew by 9.94%.

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.

Other Student Expenses

$16,660

Room and Board

$1,162

Books and Supplies

The average yearly cost of room and board at University of California-Santa Cruz was of $16,660 in 2021. The cost of room and board increased by 10.4% between 2020 and 2021.

During the same period, the average yearly cost of books and supplies was $1,162. The cost of books and supplies increased by 7.1% during the same period.

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

Financial Aid by Income Level

62%

Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Grants

23%

Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Loans

62% of undergraduate students at University of California-Santa Cruz received financial aid through grants or loans in 2021. This represents a decline of 10.1% with respect to 2020, when 69% 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.

Student Loan Default Rate

Cohort default rates only account for borrowers who default in the first three years, and some schools only have a small proportion of borrowers entering repayment. These rates should be interpreted with caution, as they may not be reflective of the entire school population.

1.31%

2019 Default Rate

Number of Defaults

In 2019 the default rate for borrower's at University of California-Santa Cruz was 1.31%, which represents 45 out of the 3444 total borrowers.

A cohort default rate is the percentage of a school's borrowers who enter repayment on certain Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL) Program or William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan (Direct Loan) Program loans during a particular federal fiscal year (FY), October 1 to September 30, and default or meet other specified conditions prior to the end of the second following fiscal year.

Admissions

University of California-Santa Cruz received 61,695 undergraduate applications in 2021, which represents a 12.2% annual growth. Out of those 61,695 applicants, 36,177 students were accepted for enrollment, representing a 58.6% acceptance rate.

There were 19,841 students enrolled at University of California-Santa Cruz in 2021. 89% of first-time enrollees submitted SAT scores with their applications.

University of California-Santa Cruz has an overall enrollment yield of 11.6%, which represents the number of admitted students who ended up enrolling.

Acceptance Rate

58.6%

Acceptance Rate in 2021

36,177

Accepted Out of 61,695

In 2021, the undergraduate acceptance rate of University of California-Santa Cruz was 58.6% (36,177 admissions from 61,695 applications). This is lower than the acceptance rate of 2020, which was 64.7%. Between 2020 and 2021, the number of applicants grew by 12.2%, while admissions grew by 1.65%..

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.

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.

This chart shows the SAT scores for the 25th and 75th percentile of applicants broken out into each section of the test that their are evaluated on.

Enrollment

University of California-Santa Cruz had a total enrollment of 19,841 students in 2021. The full-time enrollment at University of California-Santa Cruz is 19,004 students and the part-time enrollment is 837. This means that 95.8% 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 32.3% White, 26.3% Hispanic or Latino, 21.4% Asian, 7.8% Two or More Races, 1.95% Black or African American, 0.136% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders, and 0.0958% American Indian or Alaska Native.

Students enrolled at University of California-Santa Cruz in full-time Undergraduate programs are most commonly White Male (16.5%), followed by Hispanic or Latino Female (16%) and White Female (14.8%). Students enrolled in full-time Graduate programs are most commonly White Male (20.2%), followed by White Female (19.2%) and Hispanic or Latino Male (6.42%).

Full-Time vs Part-Time Enrollment

95.8%

Full-Time Enrollment

The total enrollment at University of California-Santa Cruz in 2021, both undergraduate and graduate, is 19,841 students. The full-time enrollment at University of California-Santa Cruz is 19,004 and the part-time enrollment is 837. This means that 95.8% of students enrolled at University of California-Santa Cruz are enrolled full-time compared with 76.6% 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.

Retention Rate over Time

89%

2021 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 89%. 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.

Enrollment by Race & Ethnicity

Most Common Race or Ethnicity (2021)

White
6,410 enrolled students
Hispanic or Latino
5,222 enrolled students
Asian
4,245 enrolled students

The enrolled student population at University of California-Santa Cruz is 32.3% White, 26.3% Hispanic or Latino, 21.4% Asian, 7.8% Two or More Races, 1.95% Black or African American, 0.136% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders, and 0.0958% American Indian or Alaska Native. This includes both full-time and part-time students as well as graduate and undergraduates. By comparison, enrollment for all Doctoral Universities is 48.9% White, 15.1% Hispanic or Latino, and 9.56% 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, 394 students (1.99%) did not report their race.

Graduates

In 2021, 118 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 (1,932 degrees awarded). There were 1.2 times more white recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, hispanic or latino (1616 degrees).

The most common Bachelor's Degree concentration at University of California-Santa Cruz is Computer Science (670 degrees awarded), followed by General Psychology (510 degrees) and Cellular & Molecular Biology (297 degrees).

In 2021, 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 Cultural & Gender Studies (171 degrees awarded), Language & Linguistics (256 degrees), and Natural Resources & Conservation (227 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 (448,438 people), Postsecondary teachers (215,569 people), Other managers (192,609 people), Other Physical Scientists (154,429 people), and Elementary & middle school teachers (125,208 people).

The most specialized majors at University of California-Santa Cruz in 2021 are Cultural & Gender Studies (171 degrees awarded), Language & Linguistics (256 degrees), Natural Resources & Conservation (227 degrees), Physical Sciences (343 degrees), and Biology (862 degrees) (as of 2021).

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, Media and communication workers, all other, Securities, commodities, & financial services sales agents, Physicians, and Sales engineers

The most specialized majors at University of California-Santa Cruz are Cultural & Gender Studies (171 degrees awarded), Language & Linguistics (256 degrees), Natural Resources & Conservation (227 degrees), Physical Sciences (343 degrees), and Biology (862 degrees) (as of 2021).

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 (515,566 people), Colleges, universities & professional schools, including junior colleges (443,643 people), Elementary & secondary schools (294,641 people), Offices of physicians (211,665 people), and Scientific research & development services (191,124 people).

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 (2021)

Computer Science
670 degree-majors awarded
General Psychology
510 degree-majors awarded
Cellular & Molecular Biology
297 degree-majors awarded

In 2021, the most common bachelors degree concentration at University of California-Santa Cruz was Computer Science with 670 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.

Sex Breakdown for Common Majors

2,948

Degrees Awarded to Men

in 2021

3,066

Degrees Awarded to Women

in 2021

In 2021, 2,948 degrees were awarded to men at University of California-Santa Cruz, which is 0.962 times less than the number of degrees awarded to females (3,066).

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

Most Common Male Majors

In 2021, 585 degrees were awarded to men at University of California-Santa Cruz in Computer Science, which is 4.06 times more than the 144 female recipients with that same degree.

Most Common Female Majors

In 2021, 389 degrees were awarded to men at University of California-Santa Cruz in General Psychology, which is 2.97 times more than the 131 male recipients with that same degree.

Time to Complete

52%

100% Completion Time

75%

150% Completion Time

In 2021, 52% 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, 75% completed their degrees within 150% of the normal time, and 77% 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.

Graduation Rate by Race and Sex

Showing demographic groups with ≥ 5 graduating students.

Asian Female

Highest Graduation Rate (87.4%)

The student demographic with the highest graduation rate in 2021 at University of California-Santa Cruz is Female and Asian (87.4% graduation rate). Across all Doctoral Universities, Asian Female students have the highest graduation rate (72.9%).

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 (49 students) did not report their race.

Race & Ethnicity by Share

Most Common Student Race or Ethnicity (2021)

White
1,932 degrees awarded
Hispanic or Latino
1,616 degrees awarded
Asian
1,174 degrees awarded

The most common race/ethnicity at University of California-Santa Cruz is white (1,932 degrees awarded). There were 1.2 times more white recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, hispanic or latino (1616 degrees).

1.98% of degree recipients (119 students) did not report their race.

Race & Ethnicity by Sex

Most Common Sex Demographic (2021)

White Female
977 degrees awarded
White Male
955 degrees awarded
Hispanic or Latino Female
943 degrees awarded

The most common race/ethnicity and sex grouping at University of California-Santa Cruz is white female (977 degrees awarded). There were 1.02 times more white female recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, white male (955 degrees).

Operations

University of California-Santa Cruz employs 286 Professors, 149 Assistant professors and 136 Associate professors. Most academics at University of California-Santa Cruz are Male Professor (180), Female Professor (106), and Female Assistant professor (79).

The most common positions for non-instructional staff at University of California-Santa Cruz are: Business and Financial Operations, with 437 employees, Office and Administrative Support, with 387 employees, and Computer, Engineering, and Science with 387 employees.

Government Grants and Contracts

Grants & Contracts

$91.7M - Federal
$5.57M - State
$1.56M - Local

As of 2021, University of California-Santa Cruz received $91.7M in grants and contracts from the federal government, $5.57M from state grants and contracts, and $1.56M from local grants and contracts.

Salary Expenditure

$384M

2021 Salaries

3.4%

decline from 2020

In 2021, University of California-Santa Cruz paid a median of $384M in salaries, a 3.4% decline from the previous year.

The median for similar Doctoral Universities is 234M (42.8% of overall expenditures).

Instructional Salaries

$97.6M

Instructional Salaries

696

Number of Employees

In 2021, University of California-Santa Cruz paid a total of $97.6M to 696 employees working as instructors, which represents 25.4% of all salaries paid.

This is compared to a median of $71M (30.3%) for similar Doctoral Universities.

Occupations by Share

Professor

Most Common Instructor

286 Employees

Business and Financial Operations

Most Common Non-Instructional Employee

437 Employees

In 2021, the most common positions for instructional staff at University of California-Santa Cruz were Professor with 286 employees, Assistant professor with 149 employees, and Associate professor with 136 employees.

In 2021, the most common positions for non-instructional staff at University of California-Santa Cruz were Business and Financial Operations with 437 employees, Office and Administrative Support with 387 employees, and Computer, Engineering, and Science with 387 employees.

Instructors by Academic Rank and Sex

Most Common Demographic (2021)

Male Professor
Female Professor
Female Assistant professor

In 2021, the most common demographic for instructional staff at University of California-Santa Cruz was Male Professor with 180 employees, Female Professor with 106 employees, and Female Assistant professor with 79 employees.

This chart shows the sex split between each academic rank present at University of California-Santa Cruz.