Solid graduate outcomes with earnings above the peer average.
What graduates earn 10 years after enrollment.
Annual salary at 10 years
Lower quartile earnings
Upper quartile earnings
How graduate earnings grow in the decade after enrollment.
UC Santa Cruz graduates experience steady earnings progression throughout their early to mid-career period. Earnings rise from $49,716 six years after enrollment to $59,302 at eight years and reach $68,396 at ten years, demonstrating 37.6% growth from the six-year to ten-year mark.
How outcomes compare to similar institutions.
Graduate earnings exceed the peer average, indicating above-typical outcomes for this institution type.
Financial justification for the investment.
Excellent affordability. Median debt of $16,666 is well under annual earnings, enabling comfortable repayment.
UC Santa Cruz graduates carry a median debt of $16,666, below the peer median of $20,000 by $3,334. Graduate debt ranges from $8,900 at the 25th percentile to $25,512 at the 75th percentile, showing variation in borrowing patterns across students and programs.
UC Santa Cruz delivers above-average return on educational investment, ranking at the 74.5th percentile nationally for return performance. Graduates earn $1,681 above expectations compared to similar students at peer institutions, placing the university in the 62.5th percentile for earnings beyond what demographics would predict.
Approximately 25.3% of UC Santa Cruz graduates continue to graduate or professional study, based on program mix analysis with high confidence. This c...
Program mix explains much of the earnings story.
Computer Science drives the strongest earnings outcomes at $101,953 with the largest enrollment of 667 graduates, followed by Computer Support Specialist at $86,880 and Business/Managerial Economics at $78,567. These high-earning programs contrast with humanities and arts programs like Art History at $33,474 and Cinematography at $34,586, reflecting different industry patterns and career trajectories.
The diversity of program earnings supports students with varied interests while ensuring that technology and business-focused students achieve competitive outcomes in California's job market. Programs like Anatomy ranking #1 nationally with earnings of $60,883 demonstrate specialized strength in pre-health preparation, while Applied Economics and Mathematics programs both exceed $70,000 in median earnings, contributing to the institution's overall return performance.
See which programs drive the strongest earnings and career trajectories
Earnings outcomes show meaningful variation across career paths, with the range from $41,808 at the 25th percentile to $102,779 at the 75th percentile representing a 2.5:1 ratio. This spread reflects diverse program offerings and career trajectories, from public service and creative fields to technology and business sectors.
