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Programs & majors brief

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# University of California-Santa Cruz Majors & Programs

Updated September 30, 2026

[Overview](/school/university-of-california-santa-cruz/)[Cost & aid](/school/university-of-california-santa-cruz/cost/)[Outcomes](/school/university-of-california-santa-cruz/outcomes/)[Admissions](/school/university-of-california-santa-cruz/admissions/)Majors[Similar schools](/school/university-of-california-santa-cruz/similar/)

**On this page**+

## Which majors earn the most at UC Santa Cruz?

Computer Science pairs the largest degree output with high earnings, making field choice especially consequential at University of California-Santa Cruz. Its completers have median earnings of $123,422 four years after completion across 607 degrees awarded, and Azimuth places the field at #45 nationally within its field.

Business/Managerial Economics posts $82,064 from 287 degrees awarded, with an Azimuth national field rank of #10. At more moderate earnings levels, Cell/Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences records $69,849 and 237 degrees awarded; [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) the field #6 nationally.

Sociology has median earnings of $55,338 across 223 degrees awarded and holds an Azimuth national field rank of #63. The contrast between these fields shows that four-year earnings differ substantially across the university's larger programs.

### Major mix · each dot ≈ 1% of completions

Share of reported completions in the bachelor’s programs included here. Each dot represents approximately 1% of those completions. Counts are credentials, not unique students; excluded programs are not zero activity.

-   Computer science**705 · 14.9%**
-   Biological sciences**702 · 14.8%**
-   Social sciences**667 · 14.1%**
-   Visual and performing arts**433 · 9.1%**
-   Psychology**431 · 9.1%**
-   Other**1,803 · 38.0%**

Find a field

Sort programsLargest programsHighest four-year earningsBest national field rankProgram name

40 of 40 programs shown

Four-year earnings · first six matching programs

**Computer Engineering 132 degrees awarded**
$124,641

**Computer Science 607 degrees awarded**
$123,422

**Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering 40 degrees awarded**
$118,290

**Biomedical/Medical Engineering 11 degrees awarded**
$98,567

**Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management 98 degrees awarded**
$94,589

**Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology 49 degrees awarded**
$88,305

Each bar is a field’s median. Program size counts degrees awarded, not unique people or the earnings sample.

Compare all matching programs

Reported bachelor’s programs · earnings, program size and field ranks

| Program | Degrees awarded | 4-yr earnings | Field rank |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Computer Engineering | 132 | $124,641 | #27 |
| Computer Science | 607 | $123,422 | #45 |
| Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering | 40 | $118,290 | #17 |
| Biomedical/Medical Engineering small degree count | 11 | $98,567 | — |
| Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management | 98 | $94,589 | #12 |
| Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology | 49 | $88,305 | #3 |
| Business/Managerial Economics | 287 | $82,064 | #10 |
| Economics | 162 | $76,382 | #103 |
| Cognitive Science | 129 | $72,125 | #12 |
| Chemistry | 54 | $71,348 | #34 |
| Cell/Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences | 237 | $69,849 | #6 |
| Neurobiology and Neurosciences | 62 | $69,027 | #19 |
| Design and Applied Arts | 114 | $66,333 | — |
| Non-Professional Legal Studies | 131 | $66,244 | #7 |
| Political Science and Government | 172 | $65,890 | #80 |
| Biology, General | 184 | $65,036 | #83 |
| Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences | 42 | $64,499 | #26 |
| History | 93 | $60,519 | #40 |
| Psychology, General | 431 | $59,948 | #37 |
| Mathematics | 116 | $59,214 | #141 |
| Community Organization and Advocacy | 31 | $56,620 | #3 |
| Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies | 122 | $55,798 | #14 |
| Sociology | 223 | $55,338 | #63 |
| Natural Resources Conservation and Research | 153 | $55,240 | #60 |
| Anthropology | 110 | $52,315 | #17 |
| Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics small degree count | 14 | $51,519 | — |
| Philosophy | 60 | $51,398 | #32 |
| Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology | 124 | $49,821 | #18 |
| Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services | 192 | $49,763 | #19 |
| Film/Video and Photographic Arts | 172 | $45,815 | #26 |
| Fine and Studio Arts | 101 | $40,156 | #129 |
| Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft | 31 | $30,524 | #133 |
| Plant Sciences small degree count | 13 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Agricultural Production Operations small degree count | 6 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Social and Philosophical Foundations of Education | 58 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Biomathematics, Bioinformatics, and Computational Biology | 46 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Astronomy and Astrophysics | 50 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Physics | 44 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Physical Sciences, General | 25 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Music small degree count | 15 | Too few graduates to report | — |

[Program data and definitions](#page-sources) · [How to evaluate program rankings](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/)

## What are the largest programs at UC Santa Cruz?

Ten largest programs by degrees awarded

**Computer Science**
607

**Psychology, General**
431

**Business/Managerial Economics**
287

**Cell/Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences**
237

**Sociology**
223

**Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services**
192

**Biology, General**
184

**Political Science and Government**
172

**Film/Video and Photographic Arts**
172

**Economics**
162

Counts describe degrees awarded in the reporting period, not current enrollment. [Program data and definitions](#page-sources)

## How do UC Santa Cruz majors rank nationally?

### National program rankings

1.  Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology**#3**
2.  Community Organization and Advocacy**#3**
3.  Cell/Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences**#6**
4.  Non-Professional Legal Studies**#7**
5.  Business/Managerial Economics**#10**
6.  Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management**#12**
7.  Cognitive Science**#12**
8.  Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies**#14**
9.  Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering**#17**
10.  Anthropology**#17**
11.  Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology**#18**
12.  Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services**#19**
13.  Neurobiology and Neurosciences**#19**
14.  Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences**#26**
15.  Film/Video and Photographic Arts**#26**
16.  Computer Engineering**#27**
17.  Philosophy**#32**
18.  Chemistry**#34**
19.  Psychology, General**#37**
20.  History**#40**
21.  Computer Science**#45**

Programs ranked in the national top 50, supplemented by the largest ranked programs when needed to show ten. Fewer appear when fewer ranks are reported. Each rank compares bachelor’s programs in the same field; field sizes differ.

[How Azimuth compares programs across colleges](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/)

## Further analysis

Outcomes at University of California-Santa Cruz vary sharply by field, and [Azimuth's program ranking](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/)s evaluate what graduates earn rather than reputation. The rankings assess four-year earnings among federally aided completers, median debt, and cohort size.

The university has 32 programs with published earnings data, 29 of which carry an Azimuth national rank. Award counts here are degrees conferred in one academic year, not a count of students.

The degree mix is spread across three large families: Computer & Information Sciences accounts for 14.9% of bachelor's degrees awarded, Biological Sciences for 14.8%, and Social Sciences for 14.1%. The largest single program is Computer Science, at 607 degrees awarded and a median of $123,422 four years after completion, which Azimuth ranks #45 nationally.

A smaller program, Computer Engineering, posts the highest earnings at $124,641 from 132 degrees awarded. Among the best-ranked programs, Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology sits at #3 nationally with earnings of $88,305, while Community Organization and Advocacy ranks #3 and graduates earn $56,620.

## Data & methodology

Sources and reporting periods: [methodology](/methodology/).

Analysis and methodology by [Daniel Rogers](/about/#founder), founder of College Azimuth.

Explanatory text is AI-assisted drafting checked against those figures; it is not an additional data source.

Figure notes link to sources and limitations. [About College Azimuth](/about/).