Santa Cruz, CA · Public · Graduate degree · College Scorecard data · Updated September 10, 2026
| Tuition | Difference | |
|---|---|---|
| University of California-Santa Cruz (in-state) | $16,005 | — |
| CA average | $16,639 | -4% |
| National average | $18,082 | -11% |
| Per year | Four years | |
|---|---|---|
| In-state | $16,005 | $64,020 |
| Out-of-state | $50,205 | $200,820 |
Tuition only. Housing, books and living costs are not included — most colleges publish a fuller cost-of-attendance figure.
University of California-Santa Cruz ranks 192 by in-state tuition among the 288 CA colleges that report a rate — lower is cheaper. Out-of-state students pay 214% more than in-state students.
| Colleges with a similar price to University of California-Santa Cruz | In-state tuition |
|---|---|
| University of California-Irvine | $15,722 |
| University of California-Berkeley | $16,347 |
| University of California-Merced | $15,623 |
| University of California-Riverside | $15,606 |
In-state tuition at University of California-Santa Cruz is $16,005 per year; out-of-state students pay $50,205.
University of California-Santa Cruz in-state tuition is 4% below the CA average of $16,639.
National average in-state tuition is $18,082; University of California-Santa Cruz is 11% below that.
$16,005 is the official in-state tuition published by College Scorecard for the most recent cohort year.
Four years of tuition at University of California-Santa Cruz comes to about $64,020 for an in-state student and $200,820 for an out-of-state student at current rates. That is tuition only — it excludes housing, books and living costs.
By in-state tuition, University of California-Santa Cruz ranks 192 out of the 288 CA colleges that report a rate — lower numbers are cheaper. The five cheapest and five most expensive colleges in the state are listed above.