Santa Cruz, CA · Public · 17,940 undergraduates · urban
University of California-Santa Cruz
Moderately selective
UC Santa Cruz overlays a major research university with ten residential colleges that shape advising, community, and first-year experience separately from major.
Institutional profile
Highly regarded Strong in mobility, and strong in affordability.- Admission
- 62.5% admitted
- Price by income
- Resident and nonresident prices differ
- Completion
- 80.4%
68,845 applicants in the reported year
Compare recent average annual costs by household income
$68,396 median earnings 10 years after enrollment
What sets University of California-Santa Cruz apart
Academic design
Strong sciences, computing, environmental studies, humanities, arts, and social sciences operate separately from college affiliation.
Campus pattern
Forested hillside campus above Monterey Bay combines redwood groves, coastal climate, and physically dispersed academic areas.
Career & value signal
Silicon Valley proximity supports computing and technology access; Santa Cruz adds environmental and marine opportunities.
Can I get in?
62.5% admitted
Applicants rank residential college preferences separately from their intended major.
Recent applicant pool
68,845About 63 in every 100 applicants were admitted.
Record over scores
No score range is published for the entering class, so the transcript, the course rigor, and the required materials carry the file.
Admission by residency
Harder for residents
Undergraduate first-year applicants and admits · Fall 2025
University of California-Santa Cruz admitted 71.2% of California applicants and 86.4% of applicants from other states. Out-of-state applicants were admitted at 1.2 times the resident rate.
37,428 admitted from 52,562 applicants
5,980 admitted from 6,922 applicants
4,836 admitted from 6,694 applicants
In the season card
Where your GPA sits in the entering class
The full entering-class GPA distribution for University of California-Santa Cruz, in nine bands from 4.0 down, with your own record marked on it.
See where I landIn the season card
What University of California-Santa Cruz weighs when it reads a file
See how this college describes the role of grades, testing, essays, recommendations, activities, and demonstrated interest.
- Course rigor
- GPA
- Test scores
- Essay
- Recommendations
- Extracurriculars
- Demonstrated interest
What moves the application
The evidence that separates a strong file
Show preparation for this curriculum
Strong sciences, computing, environmental studies, humanities, arts, and social sciences operate separately from college affiliation.
Make institutional fit specific
UC Santa Cruz overlays a major research university with ten residential colleges that shape advising, community, and first-year experience separately from major.
Use the application route carefully
Applicants rank residential college preferences separately from their intended major.
How to apply
Rounds, route, and required materials
Applicants rank residential college preferences separately from their intended major.
$80 application fee
Can I afford it?
Compare annual cost by household income.
Start with the average net price for your income range, then set that estimate beside your other realistic options.
In the season card
Average annual cost by household income at University of California-Santa Cruz
Compare recent average net prices across five federal income ranges and estimate a 4-year cost for yours.
- $0–30k
- $30–48k
- $48–75k
- $75–110k
- $110k+
Is it worth it?
Completion, debt, and earnings
Read completion, borrowing, field mix, and earnings together. One university-wide earnings figure does not describe every student path.
Degree completion across the reported entering cohort
First-year students who return for year two
And what that comes to against what they earn.
Reported 10 years after enrollment
Academic portfolio
Largest bachelor’s fields
How many students finish in each field, and median earnings four years after completing the program.
Computer Science
Psychology, General
Business/Managerial Economics
Biology, General
Sociology
What is campus life like?
University of California-Santa Cruz beyond the classroom
Forested hillside campus above Monterey Bay combines redwood groves, coastal climate, and physically dispersed academic areas.
A defining academic feature
Strong sciences, computing, environmental studies, humanities, arts, and social sciences operate separately from college affiliation.
What shapes an ordinary week
Forested hillside campus above Monterey Bay combines redwood groves, coastal climate, and physically dispersed academic areas.
Where the degree can lead
Silicon Valley proximity supports computing and technology access; Santa Cruz adds environmental and marine opportunities.