UCSC vs. PUC

Should I go to University of California Santa Cruz or Pacific Union College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if UCSC or PUC is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.
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University of California Santa Cruz vs. Pacific Union College comparison
University of California Santa Cruz Pacific Union College College 3 College 4
University of California Santa Cruz Pacific Union College
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Overview

 UCSC PUC
Location Santa Cruz, CA Angwin, CA
Setting Small City Rural Fringe
Enrollment 19,764 938
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #251
Religious Affiliation - Seventh Day Adventists - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website ucsc.edu puc.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 UCSC PUC
Tuition (In State) $11,834 $34,191
Tuition (Out of State) $42,611 $34,191
Room & Board $18,785 $9,471
Avg Net Price $16,526 $22,799
Avg Grant Aid $21,564 $24,423
% Receiving Grant Aid 65% 100%

Admission

 UCSC PUC
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 68,845 1,323
Admitted 43,054 562
Acceptance Rate 62.5% 42.5%
Enrolled % 10.2% 24.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.63 3.24
Typical High School Grades B+ B
Admissions Standards Very High Easy
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 25/33 20/24
SAT Range 1160/1360 930/1190
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Nov 30, 2025

Academics

 UCSC PUC
Student to Faculty Ratio 22:1 11:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (17%)
  • Biology (14%)
  • Psychology (11%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (10%)
  • Business (9%)
  • Health Professions (41%)
  • Business (12%)
  • Biology (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)
  • Education (5%)

Outcomes

 UCSC PUC
Graduation Rate 73% 45%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $50,400 $59,200
Making Student Loan Payments 74% 57%
Median Student Loan Debt $19,959 $30,000
Median Loan Payment $206 $310

Diversity

 UCSC PUC
% Men 5% 1%
% Women 5% 2%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 33% 26%
% Black 2% 9%
% Hispanic 31% 28%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 2%
% Two or More Races 7% 7%
% International 4% 3%
% Unknown Race 2% 5%

Students

 UCSC PUC
% In-State 91% 77%
% Out-of-State 7% 21%

Campus

 UCSC PUC
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No Yes
Daycare Facility Yes No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • University of California Santa Cruz is larger than than PUC based on total student enrollment (19,764 students vs. 938 students)

UCSC vs. PUC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UCSC or PUC?

  • Pacific Union College is 188.9% more expensive to attend than UCSC for in-state tuition ($34,191.00 vs. $11,834.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 24.6% higher at UCSC than Pacific Union College ($42,611.00 vs. $34,191.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of California Santa Cruz than PUC ($16,526 vs. $22,799)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Pacific Union College are 98.3% lower than costs at University of California Santa Cruz ($9,471 vs. $18,785)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Pacific Union College than University of California Santa Cruz (100% vs. 65%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Pacific Union College students is 13.3% larger than aid received University of California Santa Cruz ($24,423 vs. $21,564)

UCSC vs. PUC Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, UCSC or PUC? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between PUC or UCSC .

  • The average SAT score at University of California Santa Cruz (1201) is 217 points higher than at PUC (984)
  • Incoming UCSC students have a 7 point higher average ACT score (28) than students at PUC (21)
  • Accepted freshman UCSC students have a 0.39 point higher average high school GPA (3.63) than students at PUC (3.24)
  • UCSC has a higher acceptance rate (62.5%) than PUC (42.5%)

UCSC vs. PUC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, UCSC or PUC? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between PUC and UCSC.

  • The graduation rate at UCSC is higher than Pacific Union College (73% vs. 45%)
  • Graduates from Pacific Union College earn on average $8,800 more per year than UCSC graduates after ten years. ($59,200 vs. $50,400)
  • University of California Santa Cruz students graduate with a $10,041 lower median federal student loan debt than PUC graduates. ($19,959 vs. $30,000)
  • UCSC graduates are paying $104 less per month on federal student loans than PUC graduates. ($206 vs. $310)
  • More UCSC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former PUC students, three years after graduation. (74% vs. 57%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/