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Is University of California-Santa Cruz worth it?
A first pass affordability and outcome read for University of California-Santa Cruz, using national average inputs. Run your own numbers for a personalized score.
Worth-It Score
Affordable
University of California-Santa Cruz lands in the affordable band for a typical family. Graduates earn a median of $73,362 ten years after enrolling, and that makes the median debt of $15,000 more manageable than it looks at first glance. For context, University of California-Santa Cruz's net price runs about 26% above the typical 4-year, public school. On the numbers alone, this school clears the bar comfortably.
Is the price fair?
Compared to 774 similar 4-year, public schools
This school
$16,526
/yrAverage school like this
$13,155
/yrThis weighs on your Worth-It Score
You'd pay about $3,372 more per year than the typical student at a similar school. Over 4 years that's roughly $13,000 in extra cost.
Score breakdown
The public version of the score weighs affordability, after graduation outcomes, and repayment burden.
Affordability
40% weight
The yearly net price sits in a range that leaves more room for family cash flow and lower borrowing.
Outcome
40% weight
The outcome data is workable, but not so strong that it erases financing risk.
Repayment
20% weight
Median debt stays in a more comfortable repayment range for a typical graduate.
The numbers behind the score
Median net price per year
$18,549
Median earnings 10 years out
$73,362
Median debt at graduation
$15,000
Graduation rate
74%
At University of California-Santa Cruz, a typical graduate carries about $15,000 in student debt and earns roughly $73,362 ten years after enrolling. On a standard 10-year repayment plan, that works out to about $171 per month, or 3% of pre-tax income. That sits inside a borrower comfort range for many graduates.
How earnings compare to a high school diploma
Graduates earn $40,886 more than the typical working high school graduate in California ($32,476) ten years after entering this school. A federal rule finalized in July 2026 ties each undergraduate program's federal loan eligibility to a comparison like this one, with the first calculations expected in 2027.
The national figure is $31,269. The Department of Education uses it instead of the state figure when fewer than half of a school's students come from its state.
84% of former students here earned more than the typical high school graduate ten years after entry, by College Scorecard's own measure.
Context, not a federal determination. The benchmarks are the Department of Education's published thresholds (2024 notice, based on 2022 Census data); thresholds under the 2026 rule have not been released yet. The official test looks at each program's graduates four years after completion; our figure is College Scorecard's median for the whole school, ten years after entry. How this works
Program earnings vs. the federal benchmark
Median earnings of working graduates four years after finishing each undergraduate program, next to the benchmark the federal earnings test uses: the typical working high school graduate aged 25–34 in California ($32,476).
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft
Bachelor's degree · 25 working graduates counted
$30,524
$1,952 below the benchmark
Fine and Studio Arts
Bachelor's degree · 106 working graduates counted
$40,156
$7,680 above the benchmark
Film/Video and Photographic Arts
Bachelor's degree · 142 working graduates counted
$45,815
$13,339 above the benchmark
Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services
Bachelor's degree · 174 working graduates counted
$49,763
$17,287 above the benchmark
Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology
Bachelor's degree · 131 working graduates counted
$49,821
$17,345 above the benchmark
Philosophy
Bachelor's degree · 46 working graduates counted
$51,398
$18,922 above the benchmark
Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics
Bachelor's degree · 35 working graduates counted
$51,519
$19,043 above the benchmark
Anthropology
Bachelor's degree · 121 working graduates counted
$52,315
$19,839 above the benchmark
Behavioral Sciences
Bachelor's degree · 159 working graduates counted
$54,606
$22,130 above the benchmark
Natural Resources Conservation and Research
Bachelor's degree · 238 working graduates counted
$55,240
$22,764 above the benchmark
26 other undergraduate programs here have no four-year earnings figure, usually because too few graduates were counted to publish one. That says nothing about how those programs do. See every program on College Scorecard
An estimate, not an official determination. Under a federal rule taking effect July 1, 2027, programs below this benchmark in official results may face limits on federal student loans; Pell Grants are not affected. The official test uses finer program categories, different graduating classes and the Department's own records; its first results are expected in 2027. Programs that train for tipped jobs, such as cosmetology and massage, won't be rated on 2025 earnings, and the Department decides which programs qualify. Earnings: College Scorecard field-of-study data (released Oct 15, 2026). Benchmark: Department of Education published thresholds (2024 notice).
Represent University of California-Santa Cruz and think a figure here is wrong? Request a correction and we'll check it against the latest College Scorecard release.
What this means for your family
University of California-Santa Cruz is a public four year school in Santa Cruz, CA. For many families, the key question is whether the published value here beats cheaper in state or regional alternatives once your real aid offer arrives.
Similar schools worth comparing
These schools share a similar sector, geography, or price range.
Public 4-year
California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo
San Luis Obispo, CA
Worth-It Score: 93/100
Median net price: $18,832
Public 4-year
Cal Poly Maritime Academy
Vallejo, CA
Worth-It Score: 82/100
Median net price: $17,793
Public 4-year
University of California-Santa Barbara
Santa Barbara, CA
Worth-It Score: 88/100
Median net price: $16,807
Public 4-year
University of California-San Diego
La Jolla, CA
Worth-It Score: 92/100
Median net price: $14,794
Public 4-year
University of California-Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA
Worth-It Score: 93/100
Median net price: $14,659
Common questions about University of California-Santa Cruz
The median net price at University of California-Santa Cruz is $18,549 per year. That is the average yearly price after typical grant aid for students in the public federal data, not the published sticker price.
Get your personalized Worth-It score
National averages are a starting point. Plug in your actual aid offer, intended major, and family situation to get a score that reflects your specific picture.
Looking at public universities options in California? See the most affordable public universities in California →
The Worth-It Score weighs affordability (40%), after graduation outcomes (40%), and repayment burden (20%). Underlying data points come from publicly available federal higher education reporting. See full methodology →
What families actually paid
The published price is rarely what anyone pays. Pick a household income range to see what students at University of California-Santa Cruz in that range paid on average, after grants and scholarships.
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All students who received aid
$18,549a year, on average
Average for first-time, full-time students who received federal financial aid, 2024-25. It does not include transfer or part-time students, and it is an average rather than a quote — what you pay depends on your own circumstances and the aid this school offers you. Source: U.S. Department of Education, IPEDS.
Now work out how to pay for it, cheapest money first.
A Worth-It Score tells you whether the price is justified. The 2026-27 funding guide covers the borrowing order, what changed on July 1, 2026, and the current limits.
Open the 2026-27 funding guide →