How much does University of California-Santa Cruz tuition cost per year?
The 2025 tuition & fees of University of California-Santa Cruz is $15,035 for in-state and $46,923 for out-of-state students. Its tuition & fees is a little bit higher than the average tuition for R1 Universities' tuition of $39,763 based on out-of-state tuition rate.
Based on the last year increase rate, The 2026 estimated tuition & fees at UC Santa Cruz is $15,525 for California residents and $48,564 for out-of-state students, a 3.5% increase compared to 2025's rate.
UC Santa Cruz 2025 Tuition & Fees
| Year | In-State | Out-of-State | R1 Universities' Average |
|---|
| 2023-2024 | $14,560 |
$45,337 | $38,374 |
| 2024-2025 | $15,035 | $46,923 | $39,763 |
| Change % 2024-2025 | 3.26% | 3.50% | 3.62% |
| 2025-2026 Estimate | $15,525 | $48,564 | $41,202 |
How much do you actually pay at UC Santa Cruz?
The living costs at UC Santa Cruz is $26,850 when living on campus. The on-campus living costs increased by 9.90% compared to the previous year. The off-campus living costs increased by 19.32%.
The UC Santa Cruz's 2025 COA is $43,077 for in-state and $74,965 for out-of-state students for living on campus. The off-campus COA is $43,625 for in-state and $75,513 for out-of-state students.
61% of enrolled students have received grants or scholarships, and the average aid amount is $21,866. It could cover 46.60% of the full tuition amount.
After receiving the financial aid, the net price is $21,211 for in-state and $53,099 for out-of-state students..
University of California-Santa Cruz 2025 Cost of Attendance (COA) | On-Campus | Off-Campus |
|---|
| In-State | Out-State | In-State | Out-State |
|---|
| Tuition & Fees | $15,035 | $46,923 | $15,035 | $46,923 |
|---|
| Room & Board | $19,948 | $19,560 |
|---|
| Personal Expenses | $6,902 | $7,838 |
|---|
| Books & Supplies | $1,192 | $1,192 |
|---|
| COA | $43,077 | $74,965 | $43,625 | $75,513 |
|---|
| COA with Financial Aid | $21,211 | $53,099 | $21,759 | $53,647 |
|---|
UC Santa Cruz 4-Years Tuition
How Much is UC Santa Cruz tuition for 4 years?
UC Santa Cruz's 4-years tuition is $61,337 for in-state and $191,691 for out-of-state students, based on current tuition and change rate.
Since the tuition & fees at University of California-Santa Cruz have risen very slightly (very lower than national average) over the last 4 years, the actual costs may differ from the estimation based on the school or University system's new tuition policy.
UC Santa Cruz 4 Years Tuition & Fees Estimates
| Residency | Freshmen | Sophomore | Junior | Senior | 4 Years Total |
|---|
| Class of 2029 (Entering Fall 2025) | In-State | $15,154 | $15,273 | $15,394 | $15,516 | $61,337 |
|---|
| Out-of-State | $47,320 | $47,719 | $48,123 | $48,529 | $191,691 |
| Class of 2030 (Entering Fall 2026) | In-State | $15,273 | $15,394 | $15,516 | $15,638 | $61,821 |
|---|
| Out-of-State | $47,719 | $48,123 | $48,529 | $48,939 | $193,310 |
| Class of 2031 (Entering Fall 2027) | In-State | $15,394 | $15,516 | $15,638 | $15,762 | $62,310 |
|---|
| Out-of-State | $48,123 | $48,529 | $48,939 | $49,353 | $194,944 |
| Class of 2032 (Entering Fall 2028) | In-State | $15,516 | $15,638 | $15,762 | $15,886 | $62,802 |
|---|
| Out-of-State | $48,529 | $48,939 | $49,353 | $49,770 | $196,591 |
| Class of 2033 (Entering Fall 2029) | In-State | $15,638 | $15,762 | $15,886 | $16,012 | $63,298 |
|---|
| Out-of-State | $48,939 | $49,353 | $49,770 | $50,190 | $198,252 |
Net Price for 4 Years at UC Santa Cruz
Based on recent tuition increase rate, for the students who were admitted in Fall 2025, the estimated 4-years COA is $179,390 for California residents and $309,744 for out-of-state students.
UC Santa Cruz 4 Years COA
| Residency | Freshmen | Sophomore | Junior | Senior | 4 Years Total |
|---|
| Class of 2029 (Entering Fall 2025) | In-State | $43,770 | $44,478 | $45,231 | $45,999 | $179,390 |
|---|
| Out-of-State | $75,936 | $76,924 | $77,930 | $78,955 | $309,744 |
| Class of 2030 (Entering Fall 2026) | In-State | $44,478 | $45,202 | $45,970 | $46,753 | $182,318 |
|---|
| Out-of-State | $76,924 | $77,930 | $78,955 | $79,998 | $313,807 |
| Class of 2031 (Entering Fall 2027) | In-State | $45,202 | $45,941 | $46,725 | $47,524 | $185,310 |
|---|
| Out-of-State | $77,930 | $78,955 | $79,998 | $81,061 | $317,944 |
| Class of 2032 (Entering Fall 2028) | In-State | $45,941 | $46,697 | $47,497 | $48,312 | $188,368 |
|---|
| Out-of-State | $78,955 | $79,998 | $81,061 | $82,143 | $322,157 |
| Class of 2033 (Entering Fall 2029) | In-State | $46,697 | $47,470 | $48,285 | $49,118 | $191,492 |
|---|
| Out-of-State | $79,998 | $81,061 | $82,143 | $83,245 | $326,447 |
Actual COA after Receiving Financial Aid
After receiving the financial aid, the net price for 4 years of attending the school is $91,926 for California residents and $222,280 for out-of-state students.
UC Santa Cruz 4 Years COA after Receiving Financial Aid
| Residency | Freshmen | Sophomore | Junior | Senior | 4 Years Total |
|---|
| Class of 2029 (Entering Fall 2025) | In-State | $21,904 | $22,612 | $23,365 | $24,133 | $91,926 |
|---|
| Out-of-State | $54,070 | $55,058 | $56,064 | $57,089 | $222,280 |
| Class of 2030 (Entering Fall 2026) | In-State | $22,612 | $23,336 | $24,104 | $24,887 | $94,854 |
|---|
| Out-of-State | $55,058 | $56,064 | $57,089 | $58,132 | $226,343 |
| Class of 2031 (Entering Fall 2027) | In-State | $23,336 | $24,075 | $24,859 | $25,658 | $97,846 |
|---|
| Out-of-State | $56,064 | $57,089 | $58,132 | $59,195 | $230,480 |
| Class of 2032 (Entering Fall 2028) | In-State | $24,075 | $24,831 | $25,631 | $26,446 | $100,904 |
|---|
| Out-of-State | $57,089 | $58,132 | $59,195 | $60,277 | $234,693 |
| Class of 2033 (Entering Fall 2029) | In-State | $24,831 | $25,604 | $26,419 | $27,252 | $104,028 |
|---|
| Out-of-State | $58,132 | $59,195 | $60,277 | $61,379 | $238,983 |
UC Santa Cruz's Graduate Tuition
The graduate school tuition at University of California-Santa Cruz is $15,410 for in-state and $30,512 for out-of-state students. Detailed graduate program tuition and majors can be found at UC Santa Cruz graduate program page.
UC Santa Cruz Graduate Tuition & Fees
| Year | In-State | Out-of-State |
|---|
| 2023-2024 | $14,855 |
$29,957 |
| 2024-2025 | $15,410 | $30,512 |
| Change % 2024-2025 | 3.74% | 1.85% |
|---|
| 2025-2026 | $15,986 | $31,077 |
UC Santa Cruz Tuition Charts
The following charts visualize tuition, fees, living costs, and other expenses at UC Santa Cruz. You can enlarge the chart to view detailed information.
Compare Tuition with Similar Colleges
The following table compares tuition & fees between University of California-Santa Cruz and its similar schools.
Tuition Comparison between UC Santa Cruz and Similar Colleges
| In-State | Out-of-State |
|---|
| University of California-Santa Cruz | $15,035 | $46,923 |
|---|
| University of California-Los Angeles | $14,233 | $46,121 |
|---|
| University of California-Berkeley | $15,377 | $47,265 |
|---|
| University of California-San Diego | $15,788 | $47,676 |
|---|
| California State University-Fullerton | $7,470 | $20,070 |
|---|
| California State University-Long Beach | $7,374 | $19,974 |
|---|
UC Santa Cruz Tuition Frequently Asked Questions
For the academic year 2024-2025, the undergraduate tuition & fees at UC Santa Cruz are $15,035 for California residents and $46,923 for out-of-state students.
The total cost of attendance (COA) at UC Santa Cruz for the academic year 2024-2025 includes tuition & fees, books & supplies, and living expenses. For in-state students, the estimated COA is $43,077 and $74,965 for out-of-state students. Actual costs may vary depending on housing choices and personal expenses.
It has been risen by 3.26% for California residents and increased by 3.50% for out-of-state rates compared to the previous year. The graduate tuition has been risen by 3.74% for California residents and increased by 1.85% for out-of-state rates compared to the previous year.
61% of UC Santa Cruz undergraduates receive grants or scholarships, with an average aid amount of $21,866 per student. Additional financial aid options are available through UC Santa Cruz's financial aid office.
In-State (California Residents): The projected 4-year cost for a degree is approximately $179,390, including tuition, fees, room and board, books, supplies, and other expenses. The tuition and fees alone are approximately $15,516 per year, which would total around $61,337 over four years. Out-of-State: The projected 4-year cost for a degree is approximately $309,744. The tuition and fees are around $48,529 per year, totaling about $191,691 over four years.
Per credit hour cost information is not available for UC Santa Cruz.
The in-state undergraduate tuition at UC Santa Cruz is a little bit higher than the average for similar schools ($12,338 - public Research University (very high research activity)).The out-of-state undergraduate tuition at UC Santa Cruz is much higher than the average for similar schools ($31,723 - public Research University (very high research activity)).The in-state graduate tuition at UC Santa Cruz is a little bit higher than the average for similar schools ($14,181 - public Research University (very high research activity)).The out-of-state graduate tuition at UC Santa Cruz is about the same as the average for similar schools ($29,952 - public Research University (very high research activity)).