Verified College DataA Doctoral University (which undergraduates attend) with very high research activityNCAA Division III

University of California-Santa Cruz

Santa Cruz, CA, United States

59% admit rate78% graduationpublic

Rankings and recognition

Verified Data

CollegesRef does not invent magazine-style ranks. This section surfaces verified classification data and editorial context only.

Carnegie classification

A Doctoral University (which undergraduates attend) with very high research activity

Institutional classification used for academic peer grouping.

Athletics

NCAA Division III

NCAA division where available from verified imports.

Editorial spotlight

College profile: University of California-Santa Cruz

University of California-Santa Cruz is a public institution in Santa Cruz, CA. IPEDS-reported enrollment is approximately 4,155 students. The published admit rate is 59%. Out-of-state tuition is listed at $58,903 before aid. The graduation rate in federal outcomes data is 78%. CollegesRef separates verified metrics from this editorial overview — confirm figures on the admissions, financial, and outcomes tabs before making decisions.

Similar schools

Related colleges

Explainable similarity scores based on admissions, cost, outcomes, and campus profile.

View all matches

Your Journey

Follow this simple process to seamlessly manage and share your college search.

Search Colleges

Add to Backpack

Email The Backpack

Next Steps

Keep Your College Search Organized.

Save this institution to your personal Backpack to easily compare tuition, acceptance rates, and outcomes side-by-side with your other top choices.

Find More Colleges

AI Matchmaker

See editor-curated and algorithm-ranked colleges similar to University of California-Santa Cruz.

View colleges like this →

Compare Stats

Use the comparison tool to view financial aid packages and graduation outcomes side-by-side.