Acceptance rate
65.8%
University of California-Santa Cruz
Admission Chances & Acceptance Rate
UC Santa Cruz is a public university in Santa Cruz, California, with an enrollment of about 19,500 students and a 65.8% acceptance rate. Computer Science and Biology are the most popular majors, together accounting for 31% of degrees awarded. The school has a 75% six-year graduation rate and a first-year retention rate of 88%. Graduates earn a median of $68,396 ten years after entry, with typical federal debt at graduation around $16,666.
Enrollment
19,478
Test policy
blind
Grad rate (6-yr)
75%
Will you get into University of California-Santa Cruz?
Enter your GPA, SAT & ACT and get your personal admission probability — free, no credit card.
Calculate my chances →◴ Admitted Student Profile
The middle 50% of admitted students (25th–75th percentile), self-reported by the school.
SAT (combined)
Not published
ACT (composite)
Not published
GPA
Not published
$ What You'll Actually Pay
Average yearly net price after grants & scholarships, by family income (federal cohort averages — not a personal quote).
$0–30k
$8,717
family income
$30–48k
$10,613
family income
$48–75k
$14,418
family income
$75–110k
$18,986
family income
$110k+
$33,323
family income
32% receive Pell grants
28% take federal loans
✦ Strongest Programs
The fields University of California-Santa Cruz graduates the most students in — a signal of depth, faculty, and alumni networks.
Computer Science
16.3%
Biology
14.9%
Social Sciences
10.2%
Visual & Performing Arts
10.1%
Psychology
9.6%
↗ Outcomes
School-level averages across all students who enrolled (College Scorecard). Not a personal forecast.
Earnings (10 yr)
$68,396
Earnings (6 yr)
$49,716
Completion
75%
Retention
88%
Median debt
$16,666
? Frequently Asked Questions
What is the acceptance rate at University of California-Santa Cruz?
University of California-Santa Cruz has an acceptance rate of 65.8%, making it relatively accessible.
How much does University of California-Santa Cruz actually cost?
After grants and scholarships, the average net price for the lowest income band is $8,717 per year, rising to $33,323 for families earning $110k+. These are federal cohort averages, not a personal quote.
What are my chances of getting into University of California-Santa Cruz?
Your odds depend on how your GPA and test scores compare to admitted students, plus factors like major, residency, and early decision. UniversityOdds calculates a personalized probability for free — enter your stats to see yours.
See your real odds at University of California-Santa Cruz and ~50 top schools
UniversityOdds compares your profile to real admissions data — and tells you honestly when it's guessing.
Get my free odds →Data sourced from IPEDS, the Common Data Set, and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Acceptance probabilities calculated by UniversityOdds are estimates based on published academic data and are not a guarantee of admission. Net price figures are federal cohort averages, not personalized quotes — run the school's official net price calculator for your own estimate.