College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
Back to Colleges

University of California-Santa Cruz

Santa Cruz, CA 17,940 Undergrads 79.4% Grad Rate
School Website|Financial Calculator
Share
Total Cost
$43,867
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$18,549
After Aid
Median Earnings
$70,121
5yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$18,549
Peer Midpoint: $19,969
Earnings (5yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$70,121
Peer Midpoint: $61,632
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$73,362
Peer Midpoint: $58,891
Graduation Rate79.4%
Peer Midpoint: 58.9%
Average Starting Age20.5
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients33.0%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time97.1%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS74.0%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
65.8%
SAT Avg
-
SAT Reading
25th: --75th: -
SAT Math
25th: --75th: -
ACT Composite
25th: --75th: -

ROI Sensitivity Analysis
Assuming 4 Years to Graduation

This analysis tests three cost scenarios (Scholarship, Average Net Price, Full Sticker Price) to show how college costs impact your long-term return compared to the average student and a high school graduate.

Lifetime Value Added (NPV)

Institution Lifetime NPV
Vs Median Peer
Vs HS Grad
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
+$608k
+$138k
+$122k
Median Cost$19k/yr
+$541k
+$71k
+$55k
Full Cost$44k/yr
+$450k
-$20k
-$36k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
31
∞
Median Cost$19k/yr
42
82%
Full Cost$44k/yr
Never
-23%
Analysis Assumptions:
  • Starting Salary: Estimated from the median earnings five years after graduating, with four years of 2% raises taken out.
  • Comparisons: "Vs Median Peer" compares to the median student nationwide in a similar level program. "Vs HS Grad" compares to a median high school graduate.
  • Break-Even: The age at which the college investment net income exceeds the median high school graduate's lifetime earnings.
  • NPV: Net Present Value of all future earnings minus costs and taxes, discounted at 7.8%.

Social Impact ROINew

Measures the societal return on a donor's investment. Calculated as the incremental pre-tax lifetime earnings vs. HS grad, divided by the tax-adjusted donation cost.

Donor Return48%

Gov. Pell Grant ROINew

Measures the government's return on Pell Grants via increased tax revenue. Calculated as the portion of incremental lifetime taxes (discounted at 5.4%) attributed to the Pell Grant investment.

Taxpayer Return-48%

Program ROI Analysis

These figures are medians for past graduates who received federal aid. Your cost and pay will differ. Run your own numbers in the Guided ROI Interview →

Bachelor's Degrees

Anthropology
BachCIP: 4502
Median Debt
$15,000
Earnings (4yr)
$52,315
Natl Median: $46,676
Lifetime Value Added
-$78k
Try this program with your own numbers →
Archeology
BachCIP: 4503
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $41,748
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Area Studies
BachCIP: 0501
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $56,625
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$17,273
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $68,333
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Behavioral Sciences
BachCIP: 3017
Median Debt
$13,000
Earnings (4yr)
$54,606
Natl Median: $48,673
Lifetime Value Added
-$59k
Try this program with your own numbers →
Median Debt
$15,000
Earnings (4yr)
$88,305
Natl Median: $65,466
Lifetime Value Added
+$205k
Try this program with your own numbers →
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$15,000
Earnings (4yr)
$65,036
Natl Median: $57,214
Lifetime Value Added
+$26k
Try this program with your own numbers →
Median Debt
$18,211
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $86,713
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$98,567
Natl Median: $93,451
Lifetime Value Added
+$283k
Try this program with your own numbers →
Median Debt
$13,500
Earnings (4yr)
$82,064
Natl Median: $77,981
Lifetime Value Added
+$157k
Try this program with your own numbers →
Median Debt
$15,000
Earnings (4yr)
$69,849
Natl Median: $66,697
Lifetime Value Added
+$64k
Try this program with your own numbers →
Chemistry
BachCIP: 4005
Median Debt
$13,850
Earnings (4yr)
$71,348
Natl Median: $65,120
Lifetime Value Added
+$75k
Try this program with your own numbers →
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $49,429
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Cognitive Science
BachCIP: 3025
Median Debt
$12,000
Earnings (4yr)
$72,125
Natl Median: $81,496
Lifetime Value Added
+$81k
Try this program with your own numbers →
Median Debt
$13,000
Earnings (4yr)
$56,620
Natl Median: $51,936
Lifetime Value Added
-$42k
Try this program with your own numbers →
Median Debt
$18,146
Earnings (4yr)
$124,641
Natl Median: $109,015
Lifetime Value Added
+$481k
Try this program with your own numbers →
Computer Science
BachCIP: 1107
Median Debt
$15,482
Earnings (4yr)
$123,422
Natl Median: $107,009
Lifetime Value Added
+$472k
Try this program with your own numbers →
Median Debt
$14,083
Earnings (4yr)
$94,589
Natl Median: $85,063
Lifetime Value Added
+$253k
Try this program with your own numbers →
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$66,333
Natl Median: $51,490
Lifetime Value Added
+$36k
Try this program with your own numbers →
Median Debt
$17,500
Earnings (4yr)
$30,524
Natl Median: $39,775
Lifetime Value Added
-$266k
Try this program with your own numbers →
Median Debt
$14,000
Earnings (4yr)
$49,821
Natl Median: $48,842
Lifetime Value Added
-$99k
Try this program with your own numbers →
Economics
BachCIP: 4506
Median Debt
$14,500
Earnings (4yr)
$76,382
Natl Median: $82,686
Lifetime Value Added
+$114k
Try this program with your own numbers →
Median Debt
$20,999
Earnings (4yr)
$118,290
Natl Median: $100,647
Lifetime Value Added
+$433k
Try this program with your own numbers →
Median Debt
$14,006
Earnings (4yr)
$55,798
Natl Median: $51,710
Lifetime Value Added
-$49k
Try this program with your own numbers →
Median Debt
$15,000
Earnings (4yr)
$45,815
Natl Median: $43,765
Lifetime Value Added
-$133k
Try this program with your own numbers →
Median Debt
$15,117
Earnings (4yr)
$40,156
Natl Median: $41,367
Lifetime Value Added
-$182k
Try this program with your own numbers →
Median Debt
$15,000
Earnings (4yr)
$64,499
Natl Median: $60,190
Lifetime Value Added
+$22k
Try this program with your own numbers →
Median Debt
$18,278
Earnings (4yr)
$58,163
Natl Median: $43,283
Lifetime Value Added
-$30k
Try this program with your own numbers →
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
$15,000
Earnings (4yr)
$60,519
Natl Median: $50,680
Lifetime Value Added
-$10k
Try this program with your own numbers →
Median Debt
$15,543
Earnings (4yr)
$49,763
Natl Median: $49,984
Lifetime Value Added
-$100k
Try this program with your own numbers →
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
$14,250
Earnings (4yr)
$59,214
Natl Median: $69,562
Lifetime Value Added
-$21k
Try this program with your own numbers →
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$47,260
Natl Median: $55,693
Lifetime Value Added
-$105k
Try this program with your own numbers →
Music
BachCIP: 5009
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$26,353
Natl Median: $42,892
Lifetime Value Added
-$293k
Try this program with your own numbers →
Median Debt
$14,020
Earnings (4yr)
$55,240
Natl Median: $55,012
Lifetime Value Added
-$54k
Try this program with your own numbers →
Natural Sciences
BachCIP: 3018
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $57,935
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$18,032
Earnings (4yr)
$69,027
Natl Median: $62,451
Lifetime Value Added
+$57k
Try this program with your own numbers →
Non-Professional Legal Studies
BachCIP: 2200
Median Debt
$13,803
Earnings (4yr)
$66,244
Natl Median: $61,959
Lifetime Value Added
+$35k
Try this program with your own numbers →
Philosophy
BachCIP: 3801
Median Debt
$15,000
Earnings (4yr)
$51,398
Natl Median: $54,455
Lifetime Value Added
-$86k
Try this program with your own numbers →
Physics
BachCIP: 4008
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$131,315
Natl Median: $76,786
Lifetime Value Added
+$512k
Try this program with your own numbers →
Plant Sciences
BachCIP: 0111
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$26,353
Natl Median: $56,567
Lifetime Value Added
-$293k
Try this program with your own numbers →
Median Debt
$14,500
Earnings (4yr)
$65,890
Natl Median: $63,293
Lifetime Value Added
+$33k
Try this program with your own numbers →
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$59,948
Natl Median: $50,706
Lifetime Value Added
-$15k
Try this program with your own numbers →
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $41,390
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$51,519
Natl Median: $55,000
Lifetime Value Added
-$85k
Try this program with your own numbers →
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
$13,500
Earnings (4yr)
$55,338
Natl Median: $52,657
Lifetime Value Added
-$53k
Try this program with your own numbers →

Master's Degrees

Applied Mathematics
MastCIP: 2703
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $116,060
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $76,398
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $110,121
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $76,837
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Chemistry
MastCIP: 4005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $82,937
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $136,736
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Computer Science
MastCIP: 1107
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $145,571
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $120,083
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$21,508
Natl Median: $49,978
Lifetime Value Added
-$518k
Try this program with your own numbers →
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $82,527
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Economics
MastCIP: 4506
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$110,425
Natl Median: $100,743
Lifetime Value Added
+$298k
Try this program with your own numbers →
Median Debt
$29,851
Earnings (4yr)
$73,343
Natl Median: $66,232
Lifetime Value Added
-$27k
Try this program with your own numbers →
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $133,654
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $62,705
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $51,486
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$29,593
Natl Median: $49,079
Lifetime Value Added
-$433k
Try this program with your own numbers →
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $79,463
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
History
MastCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,360
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $58,093
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Mathematics
MastCIP: 2701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $72,654
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Music
MastCIP: 5009
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $48,285
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $74,607
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $92,305
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Philosophy
MastCIP: 3801
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $60,272
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Physics
MastCIP: 4008
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $96,478
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $78,850
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $75,972
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Statistics
MastCIP: 2705
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $123,816
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Doctoral Degrees

Anthropology
DocCIP: 4502
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $77,473
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $123,729
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $92,233
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $153,586
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $99,578
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Chemistry
DocCIP: 4005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $115,386
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $167,302
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Computer Science
DocCIP: 1107
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $178,476
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$70,373
Natl Median: $97,173
Lifetime Value Added
-$193k
Try this program with your own numbers →
Economics
DocCIP: 4506
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $135,560
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $99,550
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $157,305
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $81,271
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $73,797
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $92,039
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
History
DocCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $70,550
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $77,285
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Mathematics
DocCIP: 2701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $89,656
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $86,341
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Music
DocCIP: 5009
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $59,592
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $87,076
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $108,943
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Philosophy
DocCIP: 3801
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $70,449
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Physics
DocCIP: 4008
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $130,153
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $90,908
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $98,707
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Sociology
DocCIP: 4511
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $88,618
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Statistics
DocCIP: 2705
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $156,733
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $162,438
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $68,034
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Note: Lifetime Value Added is the Net Present Value (NPV) of estimated career earnings relative to a median high school graduate (for undergraduate programs) or a median bachelor's degree holder (for graduate programs), accounting for this institution's average cost and taxes. Computed over a career to retirement age.

For graduate programs (Master's, Doctoral, etc.), the calculation assumes a starting age of 22 (after undergraduate completion) and does not include the sunk costs of prior degrees. It represents the value added of the graduate decision moving forward. Note that the institution's average undergraduate net price is used as a proxy for annual cost, which may differ from actual graduate tuition. These Lifetime Value Added results for graduate degrees should not be compared with those for Undergraduate Certificates, Associates or Bachelors.

Completers Only: Federal median earnings data strictly reflects outcomes for students who successfully graduated. Students who do not complete their degree typically earn significantly less and face higher risks of debt default.