University of California-Santa Cruz

Santa Cruz, California · Public

Of 40 assessed programs, 38 leave graduates out-earning a typical California high-school graduate (about $36,976/yr) and 2 fall short. Another 95 could not be assessed.

What would this cost you?

My family earns and I expect to take

Family income	Net price per year
Under $30k	$8,717
$30k to $48k	$10,613
$48k to $75k	$14,418
$75k to $110k	$18,986
$110k and up	$33,323
All families (average)	$17,890

Net price is the yearly cost after grants and scholarships, by family income (College Scorecard). It reflects students who received federal aid.

Program earnings vs a high-school graduate

Earnings are measured four years after completion when available. Where four-year earnings are suppressed, one-year earnings are shown and marked 1-year earnings. One-year and four-year figures reflect different career stages and should not be compared as if measured at the same time.

40 of 135 programs could be assessed 30% have an earnings verdict

Programs by earnings versus a typical California high-school graduate.
Program	Degree	Median earnings	vs a high-school grad	Verdict	Median debt	Years to repay	Recent completers
Computer Science	Bachelor's Degree	$123,422	+$86,446	clears the bar	$16,499	0.2 yrs	607
Psychology	Bachelor's Degree	$59,948	+$22,972	clears the bar	$18,902	0.8 yrs	431
Business/Managerial Economics	Bachelor's Degree	$82,064	+$45,088	clears the bar	$16,519	0.4 yrs	287
Cell/Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences	Bachelor's Degree	$69,849	+$32,873	clears the bar	$18,534	0.6 yrs	237
Sociology	Bachelor's Degree	$55,338	+$18,362	clears the bar	$15,679	0.9 yrs	223
Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services	Bachelor's Degree	$49,763	+$12,787	clears the bar	$16,740	1.3 yrs	192
Biology	Bachelor's Degree	$65,036	+$28,060	clears the bar	$20,500	0.7 yrs	184
Political Science	Bachelor's Degree	$65,890	+$28,914	clears the bar	$16,703	0.6 yrs	172
Film and Photography	Bachelor's Degree	$45,815	+$8,839	clears the bar	$15,692	1.8 yrs	172
Economics	Bachelor's Degree	$76,382	+$39,406	clears the bar	$18,017	0.5 yrs	162
Natural Resources and Conservation	Bachelor's Degree	$55,240	+$18,264	clears the bar	$18,487	1.0 yrs	153
Computer Engineering	Bachelor's Degree	$124,641	+$87,665	clears the bar	$23,434	0.3 yrs	132
Non-Professional Legal Studies	Bachelor's Degree	$66,244	+$29,268	clears the bar	$17,883	0.6 yrs	131
Cognitive Science	Bachelor's Degree	$72,125	+$35,149	clears the bar	$18,981	0.5 yrs	129
Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology	Bachelor's Degree	$49,821	+$12,845	clears the bar	$17,589	1.4 yrs	124
Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies	Bachelor's Degree	$55,798	+$18,822	clears the bar	$19,500	1.0 yrs	122
Mathematics	Bachelor's Degree	$59,214	+$22,238	clears the bar	$19,050	0.9 yrs	116
Design	Bachelor's Degree	$66,333	+$29,357	clears the bar	insufficient data	insufficient data	114
Anthropology	Bachelor's Degree	$52,315	+$15,339	clears the bar	$16,035	1.0 yrs	110
Fine Arts	Bachelor's Degree	$40,156	+$3,180	clears the bar	$19,500	6.1 yrs	101
IT Administration and Management	Bachelor's Degree	$94,589	+$57,613	clears the bar	$20,020	0.3 yrs	98
History	Bachelor's Degree	$60,519	+$23,543	clears the bar	$18,100	0.8 yrs	93
Educational Assessment, Evaluation, and Research	Master's Degree	$73,343	+$36,367	clears the bar	$30,726	0.8 yrs	62
Neuroscience	Bachelor's Degree	$69,027	+$32,051	clears the bar	$19,000	0.6 yrs	62
Philosophy	Bachelor's Degree	$51,398	+$14,422	clears the bar	$15,000	1.0 yrs	60
Chemistry	Bachelor's Degree	$71,348	+$34,372	clears the bar	$15,000	0.4 yrs	54
Astronomy and Astrophysics	Bachelor's Degree	$35,171 1-year earnings	-$1,805	falls short	$20,400	insufficient data	50
Biochemistry and Molecular Biology	Bachelor's Degree	$88,305	+$51,329	clears the bar	$18,959	0.4 yrs	49
Physics	Bachelor's Degree	$37,859 1-year earnings	+$883	clears the bar	$16,250	18.4 yrs	44
Geology and Earth Science	Bachelor's Degree	$64,499	+$27,523	clears the bar	$20,833	0.8 yrs	42
Electrical Engineering	Bachelor's Degree	$118,290	+$81,314	clears the bar	$16,796	0.2 yrs	40
Community Organization and Advocacy	Bachelor's Degree	$56,620	+$19,644	clears the bar	$15,862	0.8 yrs	31
Theatre	Bachelor's Degree	$30,524	-$6,452	falls short	$19,500	insufficient data	31
Economics	Master's Degree	$110,425	+$73,449	clears the bar	insufficient data	insufficient data	27
Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics	Bachelor's Degree	$51,519	+$14,543	clears the bar	$15,124	1.0 yrs	14
Computer Engineering	Master's Degree	$120,756 1-year earnings	+$83,780	clears the bar	insufficient data	insufficient data	12
Biomedical Engineering	Bachelor's Degree	$98,567	+$61,591	clears the bar	$23,000	0.4 yrs	11
Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology	Doctoral Degree	$70,373	+$33,397	clears the bar	insufficient data	insufficient data	10
Graphic Communications	Bachelor's Degree	$58,163	+$21,187	clears the bar	$20,411	1.0 yrs	insufficient data
Behavioral Sciences	Bachelor's Degree	$54,606	+$17,630	clears the bar	$17,000	1.0 yrs	insufficient data
Social and Philosophical Foundations of Education	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	58
Biomathematics, Bioinformatics, and Computational Biology	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	46
Computer Science	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	38
Computer Software and Media Applications	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	36
Electrical Engineering	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	25
Physical Sciences, General	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	25
Computer and Information Science	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	21
Chemistry	Doctoral Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	16
Mathematics	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	15
Music	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	15
Plant Sciences	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	13
Computer Science	Doctoral Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	13
Computer Engineering	Doctoral Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	13
Biomathematics, Bioinformatics, and Computational Biology	Doctoral Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	12
Cell/Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences	Doctoral Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	11
Economics	Doctoral Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	11
Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services	Doctoral Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	10
Physics	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	10
Environmental/Natural Resources Management and Policy	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	9
Fine Arts	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	9
Public Relations and Advertising	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	8
Applied Mathematics	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	8
Astronomy and Astrophysics	Doctoral Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	8
Physics	Doctoral Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	8
Psychology	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	8
Film and Photography	Doctoral Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	8
Film and Photography	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	8
Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies	Doctoral Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	7
Pharmacology and Toxicology	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	7
Geology and Earth Science	Doctoral Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	7
Psychology	Doctoral Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	7
Agricultural Production Operations	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	6
Electrical Engineering	Doctoral Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	6
Applied Mathematics	Doctoral Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	6
Geology and Earth Science	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	6
History	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	6
Computer Software and Media Applications	Doctoral Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	5
Educational Assessment, Evaluation, and Research	Doctoral Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	5
Chemistry	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	5
Anthropology	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	5
Political Science	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	5
Natural Resources and Conservation	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	4
Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	4
Pharmacology and Toxicology	Doctoral Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	4
Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	4
Mathematics	Doctoral Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	4
Statistics	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	4
Philosophy	Doctoral Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	4
Astronomy and Astrophysics	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	4
Natural Resources and Conservation	Doctoral Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	3
Teacher Education (by subject)	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	3
Cell/Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	3
Statistics	Doctoral Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	3
Interdisciplinary Studies	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	3
Philosophy	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	3
Anthropology	Doctoral Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	3
Archeology	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	3
Political Science	Doctoral Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	3
Theatre	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	3
Music	Doctoral Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	3
Visual and Performing Arts, Other	Doctoral Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	3
Visual and Performing Arts, Other	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	3
Systems Engineering	Doctoral Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	2
Classics and Classical Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	2
Applied Mathematics	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	2
Interdisciplinary Studies	Doctoral Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	2
Sociology	Doctoral Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	2
Sociology	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	2
Music	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	2
History	Doctoral Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	2
Area Studies	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	1
Systems Engineering	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	1
Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	1
Research Psychology	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	1
Computer and Information Science	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	0
Computer and Information Science	Doctoral Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	0
Computer Software and Media Applications	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	0
Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services, Other	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	0
Education	Doctoral Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	0
Education	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	0
English Language and Literature/Letters, Other	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	0
English Language and Literature/Letters, Other	Doctoral Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	0
English Language and Literature/Letters, Other	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	0
Biomathematics, Bioinformatics, and Computational Biology	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	0
Biotechnology	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	0
Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Other	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	0
Cognitive Science	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	0
Interdisciplinary Studies	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	0
Religion/Religious Studies	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	0
Social Sciences, Other	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	0
Communications and Media	Graduate/Professional Certificate	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data
Radio, TV and Digital Media	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data
Architectural Engineering Technologies/Technicians	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data
Natural Sciences	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data
Human Computer Interaction	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data

Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, release 2026-06-10. Earnings are medians measured four years after completion where available (programs shown with a 1-year figure are marked), compared with the state high-school-graduate benchmark ($36,976/yr). Debt is federal loans only. Suppressed values are shown as insufficient data, never imputed. Figures describe past graduates and are never a promise.