University of California-Santa Cruz: A Parent's Guide to Admissions, Cost & Outcomes
Santa Cruz, California · Public · Moderately selective · CDS 2024-2025
Or open University of California-Santa Cruz in College Search to compare programs, costs and outcomes side by side.
University of California-Santa Cruz is a public university in Santa Cruz, California that admits about 66% of applicants, making it a moderately selective school. The average family pays about $17,890 a year after financial aid, which matters more than the published sticker price. It is best known for Computer Science, Psychology, General and Business/Managerial Economics, its largest undergraduate programs by number of graduates. About 74% of students graduate within six years. Its most recent Clery Act report shows roughly 5.6 criminal offenses per 1,000 students.
University of California-Santa Cruz is a public institution located in Santa Cruz, California with a moderately selective admissions profile. For the most recent reporting cycle, University of California-Santa Cruz admits about half to three-quarters of applicants, with an overall admission rate of 66%. The average net price after grants and scholarships is $17,890 per year, which is the figure most families actually pay rather than the published sticker price.
What parents should know about University of California-Santa Cruz right now
UC Santa Cruz, founded in 1965, enrolls roughly 17,940 undergraduates and 1,998 graduate students as of fall 2024 and is the most accessible of the original UC research campuses, with a fall 2025 first-year acceptance rate of 72.7 percent and a transfer acceptance rate of 70.4 percent. Admitted first-year students in fall 2024 had an average high school GPA of 3.92 (middle 50 percent: 3.87 to 4.22). UCSC operates a distinctive ten-college residential system modeled on Oxford and Cambridge: students choose a college upon admission, take a mandatory themed core course, and remain affiliated with that college for advising, dining, and housing throughout their undergraduate years, which can be reassuring for parents worried about a student getting lost in a large research university. Academically, the campus is strong in computer science, physics, earth sciences, and space science (ranked 13th globally), and it administers both Lick Observatory and the Keck Observatory and hosts the UCSC Genome Browser. The campus has confronted real housing pressure, with a 2022 city lawsuit citing concerns that enrollment growth has outpaced the university's promise to double on-campus housing capacity, so families should pay close attention to housing application deadlines. New first-year students are eligible for a one-year housing guarantee if they indicate housing preferences when accepting admission and meet posted application deadlines, with college and housing assignment instructions sent in mid-May.
What GPA does my child need for University of California-Santa Cruz?
79% of enrolled students at University of California-Santa Cruz had a high school GPA of 3.75 or above, and the average was 3.92, according to its 2024-2025 Common Data Set.
What does University of California-Santa Cruz weight in admissions?
University of California-Santa Cruz reports these factor weights in its Common Data Set (2024-2025). What the weights mean
- • Rigor of secondary school record
- • Academic GPA
- • Application essay
- • State residency
- • Extracurricular activities
- • Talent/ability
- • Character/personal qualities
- • First generation status
- • Geographical residence
SAT and ACT scores University of California-Santa Cruz typically admits
Many applicants to schools in this tier submit test scores, though the policy varies by year — check the latest test-optional status before deciding.
- • Test-blind: University of California-Santa Cruz does not consider SAT or ACT scores in admission decisions, even if submitted.
- • Policy detail: Not considered
How much does University of California-Santa Cruz actually cost?
Published tuition is $16,005 for in-state students and $50,205 for out-of-state, before grants and scholarships. Room and board adds roughly $19,948 annually. After need-based and merit aid, the average family pays a net price of $17,890 per year — the number that actually matters for budgeting. Roughly 32% of students receive Pell Grants.
| In-state tuition | $13,602 |
| Out-of-state tuition | $51,204 |
| Room and board | $20,929 |
| Average net price (after aid) | $17,890 |
| Application fee | $80 (waivers available) |
Application deadlines and early decision data for University of California-Santa Cruz
| Notification date | 03-31 |
| Reply deadline | 05-01 |
Will my child graduate from University of California-Santa Cruz?
These predict outcomes at University of California-Santa Cruz better than its acceptance rate does. How to read retention and graduation rates
Most popular majors at University of California-Santa Cruz
The most popular undergraduate programs at University of California-Santa Cruz, measured by the number of students who actually graduate each year, are Computer Science, Psychology, General and Business/Managerial Economics. Across all programs, University of California-Santa Cruz confers roughly 2,333 bachelor's degrees a year. Graduates of its Computer Science program report a median income of about $120,928 five years after entering college. What these figures mean
| Major | Graduates / year | Median earnings (5 yrs out) |
|---|---|---|
| Computer Science | 607 | $120,928 |
| Psychology, General | 431 | $59,093 |
| Business/Managerial Economics | 287 | $89,932 |
| Cell/Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences | 237 | $79,429 |
| Sociology | 223 | $56,389 |
| Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services | 192 | $41,829 |
| Biology, General | 184 | $70,452 |
| Political Science and Government | 172 | $63,776 |
Is University of California-Santa Cruz safe? Campus crime & safety
In its most recent Clery Act report (2024), University of California-Santa Cruz disclosed 100 total criminal offenses across its campus and surrounding public property, about 5.6 per 1,000 students. That figure includes 6 violent offenses and 65 reported sexual assaults or VAWA offenses. Why per-1,000 rates, not counts
What is campus life like at University of California-Santa Cruz?
About 49% of undergraduates at University of California-Santa Cruz live in campus housing, so a meaningful share of students commute or live off campus. In Greek life, 3% of men join a fraternity and 4% of women join a sorority. Residential rate and Greek participation shape day-to-day social life and are worth weighing alongside academics and cost.
Other colleges in California parents ask about
- University of California-Riverside76% acceptance
- University of California-Merced91% acceptance
- California Institute of Technology3% acceptance
- San Diego State University36% acceptance
- San Jose State University85% acceptance
- San Francisco State University96% acceptance
- California State University-Long Beach46% acceptance
- California State University-Fullerton91% acceptance
Next steps for University of California-Santa Cruz
Common questions parents ask about University of California-Santa Cruz
What GPA do I need for University of California-Santa Cruz?
79% of enrolled students at University of California-Santa Cruz had a high school GPA of 3.75 or above, and the average was 3.92, according to its 2024-2025 Common Data Set.
What SAT or ACT score does University of California-Santa Cruz typically admit?
University of California-Santa Cruz is test-blind: SAT and ACT scores are not considered in admission decisions, even if you submit them. There is no score range because scores are not read.
How much does University of California-Santa Cruz actually cost after financial aid?
The average net price at University of California-Santa Cruz after grants and scholarships is $17,890 per year, against a published in-state tuition of $16,005 and $50,205 out of state. Budget against the net figure.
Is University of California-Santa Cruz realistic for my child?
University of California-Santa Cruz admits 66% of applicants, so the transcript and course rigour carry the decision, with no published score band to place against. Then check the $17,890 average net price against what your family can carry.
What is the acceptance rate at University of California-Santa Cruz?
University of California-Santa Cruz accepts about 66% of applicants out of roughly 71,696 who apply each year. That makes it a moderately selective school.
Is University of California-Santa Cruz test-optional?
University of California-Santa Cruz is test-blind: it does not consider SAT or ACT scores in admission decisions, even if you submit them.
What is the graduation rate at University of California-Santa Cruz?
About 74% of students at University of California-Santa Cruz graduate within six years. 88% of freshmen return for sophomore year. Graduation rate predicts real outcomes better than acceptance rate.
What does University of California-Santa Cruz look for in applicants?
University of California-Santa Cruz rates course rigor, GPA, the application essay and state residency as "very important" in its Common Data Set. These are the factors the admissions committee weighs most heavily when reviewing an application.
Is University of California-Santa Cruz a public or private school, and where is it located?
University of California-Santa Cruz is a public institution located in Santa Cruz, California.
What are the most popular majors at University of California-Santa Cruz?
The largest undergraduate majors at University of California-Santa Cruz by annual graduates are Computer Science, Psychology, General and Business/Managerial Economics. The school awards about 2,333 bachelor's degrees a year in total. These figures come from federal IPEDS completion data.
Is University of California-Santa Cruz safe? What is its campus crime rate?
University of California-Santa Cruz reported 100 total criminal offenses in its most recent Clery Act disclosure (2024), roughly 5.6 per 1,000 students. Compare the per-1,000 rate rather than the raw total, since larger schools report more incidents.
What is campus life like at University of California-Santa Cruz?
At University of California-Santa Cruz, 49% of undergraduates live on campus, 3% of men are in fraternities, 4% of women are in sororities, according to its most recent Common Data Set.
Sources: the 2024-2025 Common Data Set submitted by University of California-Santa Cruz, the College Scorecard and IPEDS, and Clery Act disclosures. What each source covers