Santa Cruz, California Colleges: Costs & Earnings (2026 stats)
Executive Summary (TL;DR)
Colleges in Santa Cruz, California: median public in-state tuition $16,585 (+191.0% vs national median) median 10-year earnings $73,362 (+23.5% vs U.S.) employment-outcome proxy 92.2% working & not enrolled at 8 years median graduate debt $15,000 (+11.1% vs U.S.) 17,940 students enrolled statewide.
Overview
Colleges and universities in Santa Cruz serve students across California with associate, bachelor's, and graduate pathways. 2 reporting campuses in this city profile, with about 17,940 students enrolled in federal data, and median in-state tuition near $16,585. Tables below compare costs, completion, earnings, and standout institutions against Santa Cruz, California and U.S. medians from the College Scorecard.
Santa Cruz vs California & national benchmarks
Medians aggregate institution-level College Scorecard fields unless noted. Enrollment is total undergraduate headcount summed across reporting campuses.
| Geography | In-state tuition | Net price | Median debt | Completion rate | Enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Cruz, California | $16,585 | $18,549 | $15,000 | 73.7% | 17,940 |
| California (state median) | $1,334 | $7,373 | $11,888 | 57.0% | 2,131,219 |
| United States | $5,700 | $9,912 | $13,500 | 49.3% | 14,465,291 |
Earnings & employment outcomes: Santa Cruz, California vs benchmarks
Scorecard does not publish formal job-placement rates. We use the share of the 8-year cohort reported as working and not enrolled (working ÷ working + not working) as a federal employment-outcome proxy. 2-yr and 3-yr default rates are federal cohort default shares (0–1 scale). We show 2-yr default as the primary benchmark; 3-yr default appears only when enough campuses report non-suppressed values (otherwise —). 3-yr repayment progress is the share of completers making progress on loans after 3 years. Sample: bachelor's-predominant institutions with enrollment ≥ 200. Medians pool campus-level values.
| Geography | Median earnings (10 yr) | Working & not enrolled (8 yr) | Retention (FT yr 1) | 2-yr default | 3-yr default | 3-yr repayment progress | Debt ÷ earnings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Cruz, California | $73,362 | 92.2% | 87.9% | 4.3% | — | 79.3% | 0.20 |
| California (state median) | $72,184 | 92.4% | 83.9% | 3.8% | — | 74.5% | 0.26 |
| United States | $59,401 | 93.0% | 76.4% | 5.0% | — | 73.8% | 0.36 |
Other cities in California (3+ campuses)
Other cities in the same state with at least three reporting campuses.
| City | In-state tuition | Net price | Median debt | Completion | Enrollment | Earnings (10 yr) | Working (8 yr) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Cruz, California | $16,585 | $18,549 | $15,000 | 73.7% | 17,940 | $73,362 | 92.2% |
| Los Angeles | $19,196 | $26,276 | $19,151 | 70.2% | 120,534 | $78,572 | 92.3% |
| San Diego | $14,032 | $26,450 | $13,677 | 53.1% | 95,661 | $73,741 | 93.6% |
| Sacramento | $1,288 | $20,089 | $11,462 | 46.9% | 94,048 | $69,014 | 92.6% |
| Long Beach | $4,949 | $26,539 | $12,000 | 70.3% | 60,761 | $69,554 | 92.8% |
| Fullerton | $5,831 | $4,132 | $13,594 | 53.2% | 56,299 | $60,134 | 92.1% |
| Fresno | $8,224 | $21,108 | $11,411 | 53.1% | 54,532 | $64,448 | 92.7% |
| Riverside | $16,103 | $24,129 | $12,125 | 55.9% | 53,903 | $67,633 | 91.9% |
| Pasadena | $27,670 | $27,036 | $9,500 | 41.4% | 49,021 | $64,912 | 91.1% |
| United States | $5,700 | $9,912 | $13,500 | 49.3% | 14,465,291 | $59,401 | 93.0% |
Top college in Santa Cruz, California by graduation rate (150% time)
Ranked by 150% time completion rate (4-year bachelor's-predominant institutions, enrollment ≥ 500). Higher rate = more students finishing within 150% of normal time.
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Rank 1, Graduation Rate, 73.7%, University of California-Santa Cruz
University of California-Santa Cruz
Top college in Santa Cruz, California by employment outcome (8 yrs after entry, working & not enrolled)
Ranked by share of the 8-year cohort reported as working and not enrolled — a federal outcome proxy, not a verified job-placement rate. Enrollment ≥ 500.
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Rank 1, Employment Outcome, 92.2%, University of California-Santa Cruz
University of California-Santa Cruz
Most selective college in Santa Cruz, California (lowest admission rate)
Ranked by lowest admission rate (most selective first). Bachelor's-predominant four-year institutions with enrollment ≥ 500 and a reported admission rate.
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Rank 1, Admission Rate, 65.8%, University of California-Santa Cruz
University of California-Santa Cruz
Top college in Santa Cruz, California by entry-level earnings (1 yr post-completion, program)
Ranked by median program-level earnings one year after completion (highest first). Enrollment ≥ 300; reflects completers in reported CIP programs, not all entrants.
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Rank 1, Entry-Level Earnings, $103,729, University of California-Santa Cruz
University of California-Santa Cruz
Top college in Santa Cruz, California by early-career earnings (4 yr post-completion, program)
Ranked by median program-level earnings four years after completion (highest first). Enrollment ≥ 300; program cohort, not institution-wide median.
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Rank 1, Early-Career Earnings, $124,641, University of California-Santa Cruz
University of California-Santa Cruz
Top college in Santa Cruz, California by mid-career earnings (6 yrs after entry)
Ranked by median earnings six years after entry (highest first). Bachelor's-predominant institutions with enrollment ≥ 500.
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Rank 1, Mid-Career Earnings, $57,492, University of California-Santa Cruz
University of California-Santa Cruz
Top college in Santa Cruz, California by 8-year earnings (8 yrs after entry)
Ranked by median earnings eight years after entry (highest first). Bachelor's-predominant institutions with enrollment ≥ 500.
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Rank 1, 8-Yr Earnings, $64,441, University of California-Santa Cruz
University of California-Santa Cruz
Top college in Santa Cruz, California by long-term earnings (10 yrs after entry)
Ranked by median earnings ten years after entry (highest first). Bachelor's-predominant institutions with enrollment ≥ 500.
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Rank 1, 10-Yr Earnings, $73,362, University of California-Santa Cruz
University of California-Santa Cruz
Top college in Santa Cruz, California by 10-year ROI
Ranked by 10-year return on investment (highest first). Bachelor's-predominant institutions with enrollment ≥ 200 and a computed ROI in the EDsmart dataset.
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Rank 1, 10-Yr ROI, $232,418, University of California-Santa Cruz
University of California-Santa Cruz
Most affordable college in Santa Cruz, California (net price)
Ranked by lowest average net price (most affordable first). Uses overall net price, or mid-income bracket net price for public schools when available. Enrollment ≥ 300.
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Rank 1, Net Price, $18,549, University of California-Santa Cruz
University of California-Santa Cruz
Top college in Santa Cruz, California by first-year retention (full-time)
Ranked by first-year, full-time retention rate (highest first). Bachelor's-predominant four-year institutions with enrollment ≥ 500.
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Rank 1, First-Year Retention, 87.9%, University of California-Santa Cruz
University of California-Santa Cruz
In-state tuition: Santa Cruz, California vs benchmarks
Sticker price
Santa Cruz, California median in-state tuition is $16,585, +191.0% vs the U.S. median.
Student debt: Santa Cruz, California vs benchmarks
Borrowing
Median debt at graduation in Santa Cruz, California is $15,000 (+11.1% vs U.S. median $13,500). Regional median: $11,888.
Median earnings (10 years out): Santa Cruz, California vs benchmarks
Payoff
Median earnings 10 years after entry for bachelor's-predominant campuses in Santa Cruz, California center around $73,362 (+23.5% vs U.S.).
Median institution-level 10-year earnings. Source: College Scorecard.
Employment outcome proxy: Santa Cruz, California vs benchmarks
Working & not enrolled
The share of the 8-year cohort reported as working and not enrolled—our Scorecard employment proxy—is 92.2% at the median Santa Cruz, California campus (-0.8 pp vs U.S.).
Percent of 8-year cohort working and not enrolled (not a formal placement rate).
Analysis & insights
EDsmart Data aggregates institution-level College Scorecard data for this profile. Highlights below compare local medians to U.S. and regional benchmarks.
Costs & borrowing
Santa Cruz, California median public in-state tuition is $16,585, about +191.0% vs the national median. Versus the Far West region, tuition is +405.0%.
Median graduate debt is $15,000 (+11.1% above the U.S. median of $13,500). Low sticker prices do not always mean low borrowing—living costs, time-to-degree, and aid mix matter.
Earnings, employment & retention
Among bachelor's-predominant campuses with ≥200 students, median 10-year earnings in Santa Cruz, California are $73,362, about +23.5% vs the U.S. campus median ($59,401).
The median campus reports 92.2% of its 8-year cohort as working and not enrolled—our closest federal proxy to a placement rate. The U.S. campus median is 93.0% (-0.8 pp). Formal job-placement statistics are not published in Scorecard; treat this as a comparative outcome indicator, not a hire guarantee.
First-year, full-time retention at the median campus is 87.9% vs a U.S. median of 76.4%—a leading indicator for completion and time-to-degree.
Loan repayment indicators at the median campus: 2-yr default 4.3% (U.S. 5.0%); 3-yr repayment progress 79.3% (U.S. 73.8%). 3-yr default is omitted when most campuses report suppressed zeros.
Top employment-outcome campuses in this extract include University of California-Santa Cruz (92.2%)—useful anchors for local reporting on where graduates are most often working rather than still enrolled.
Completion & workforce context
Average institution-level completion rate across all sectors in Santa Cruz, California is 73.7% (national institution average about 49.3%).
Frequently Asked Questions
How many colleges are in Santa Cruz?
This city profile covers 2 campuses in Santa Cruz, California with College Scorecard cost or outcomes data.
How much does college cost in Santa Cruz?
Median in-state tuition in Santa Cruz is $16,585 and median net price is $18,549. For California overall, medians are $1,334 and $7,373; U.S. medians are $5,700 and $9,912.
What do graduates earn in Santa Cruz?
Median 10-year earnings for campuses in Santa Cruz is $73,362 vs $72,184 for California and $59,401 nationally.
What is student debt like for Santa Cruz colleges?
Median completer debt in Santa Cruz is $15,000 vs $11,888 for California and $13,500 nationally.
What are the best colleges in Santa Cruz?
Top campuses on this page include University of California-Santa Cruz (graduation) and University of California-Santa Cruz (10-yr earnings). See Top 10 lists for admission, affordability, and employment metrics.
Are there HBCUs, Hispanic-serving, tribal, or religious colleges in Santa Cruz?
Among 2 campuses in Santa Cruz, California, 1 campus reports at least 25% Hispanic undergraduate enrollment in U.S. Department of Education data; examples include University of California-Santa Cruz.
Sources & related
- California college profile
- All college profiles
- National benchmarks
- U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard
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