UCSC vs. SCU

Deciding between University of California Santa Cruz and Santa Clara University? The table below shows tuition, aid, admissions, and outcomes side by side. Data comes from public sources across more than 3,000 U.S. colleges and universities. No account is required.

University of California Santa Cruz
Santa Clara University

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

  • Overview

  • Location
  • UCSC Santa Cruz, CA
  • SCU Santa Clara, CA
  • Setting
  • UCSC Small City
  • SCU Midsize City
  • Total enrollment
  • UCSC 19,938
  • SCU 9,728
  • Type
  • UCSC Public 4 Year
  • SCU Private 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • UCSC #255
  • SCU #61
  • Religious Affiliation
  • UCSC -
  • SCU Roman Catholic
  • Status
  • UCSC Non-profit
  • SCU Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • UCSC
  • SCU

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • UCSC $16,005
  • SCU $61,293
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • UCSC $50,205
  • SCU $61,293
  • Room & Board
  • UCSC $19,948
  • SCU $19,893
  • Average Net Price
  • UCSC $18,059
  • SCU $53,883
  • Average Grant Aid
  • UCSC $22,774
  • SCU $28,368
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • UCSC 57%
  • SCU 71%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • UCSC 71,722
  • SCU 18,970
  • Admitted
  • UCSC 47,186
  • SCU 9,105
  • Acceptance Rate
  • UCSC 65.8%
  • SCU 48%
  • Enrolled
  • UCSC 9.3%
  • SCU 17.7%
  • Typical SAT score
  • UCSC 1260
  • SCU 1420
  • Typical ACT score
  • UCSC 29
  • SCU 32
  • Average High School GPA
  • UCSC 3.63
  • SCU 3.67
  • Typical High School Grades
  • UCSC A-
  • SCU A-
  • Admissions Standards
  • UCSC Very High
  • SCU Exceptional
  • Applicant Competition
  • UCSC Low
  • SCU Low
  • ACT Range
  • UCSC 25/33
  • SCU 31/33
  • SAT Range
  • UCSC 1160/1360
  • SCU 1350/1490
  • Submit Test Scores
  • UCSC Test-free
  • SCU Test optional
  • Application Deadline
  • UCSC Nov 30, 2026
  • SCU Jan 7, 2027

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • UCSC 22:1
  • SCU 11:1
  • Popular Majors
  • UCSC
    • Social Sciences (17%)
    • Biology (14%)
    • Psychology (11%)
    • Visual and Performing Arts (10%)
    • Business (9%)
  • SCU
    • Business (33%)
    • Social Sciences (13%)
    • Engineering (11%)
    • Communication (7%)
    • Psychology (6%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • UCSC 73%
  • SCU 85%
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • UCSC $50,400
  • SCU $81,900
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • UCSC 74%
  • SCU 84%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • UCSC $19,959
  • SCU $21,500
  • Median Loan Payment
  • UCSC $206
  • SCU $222

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • UCSC 48%
  • SCU 49%
  • % Women
  • UCSC 52%
  • SCU 51%
  • Racial Diversity
  • UCSC Very High
  • SCU High
  • HBCU
  • UCSC No
  • SCU No
  • % White
  • UCSC 33%
  • SCU 49%
  • % Asian
  • UCSC 21%
  • SCU 16%
  • % Black
  • UCSC 2%
  • SCU 3%
  • % Hispanic
  • UCSC 31%
  • SCU 17%
  • % Native American
  • UCSC 0%
  • SCU 0%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • UCSC 0%
  • SCU 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • UCSC 7%
  • SCU 7%
  • % International
  • UCSC 4%
  • SCU 3%
  • % Unknown Race
  • UCSC 2%
  • SCU 4%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • UCSC 92%
  • SCU 55%
  • % Out-of-State
  • UCSC 5%
  • SCU 36%

  • Campus

  • Campus Housing
  • UCSC Yes
  • SCU Yes
  • Freshman Dorm Required
  • UCSC No
  • SCU No
  • Meal Plan
  • UCSC Yes
  • SCU Yes
  • Weekend/Evening Classes
  • UCSC No
  • SCU No
  • Daycare Facility
  • UCSC Yes
  • SCU Yes

Comparable Facts

Compare University of California Santa Cruz in Santa Cruz, CA with Santa Clara University in Santa Clara, CA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

University of California Santa Cruz is larger than SCU based on total student enrollment (19,938 students vs. 9,728 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • University of California Santa Cruz is located in Santa Cruz, CA (Small City setting); Santa Clara University is in Santa Clara, CA (Midsize City setting).
  • University of California Santa Cruz is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. Santa Clara University is a private, non-profit 4-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: University of California Santa Cruz 22:1; Santa Clara University 11:1.

UCSC vs. SCU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UCSC or SCU? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of California Santa Cruz than SCU ($18,059 vs. $53,883).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Santa Clara University are 0.3% lower than at University of California Santa Cruz ($19,893 vs. $19,948).
  • Santa Clara University is 283% more expensive for in-state tuition than UCSC (about $45,288 more per year; $61,293.00 vs. $16,005.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 22.1% higher at SCU than at University of California Santa Cruz (about $11,088 more per year; $61,293.00 vs. $50,205.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at Santa Clara University than at University of California Santa Cruz (71% vs. 57%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Santa Clara University students is 24.6% larger than aid received by University of California Santa Cruz students ($28,368 vs. $22,774).

UCSC vs. SCU Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, UCSC or SCU? Typical SAT and ACT scores (same estimates as in the table above), middle 50% test ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between SCU and UCSC.

  • The typical SAT score (median estimate) at Santa Clara University (1420) is 160 points higher than at UCSC (1260).
  • Incoming SCU students have a 3 point higher typical ACT composite (median estimate) (32 vs. 29 at UCSC).
  • Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: University of California Santa Cruz 1160/1360; Santa Clara University 1350/1490.
  • Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: University of California Santa Cruz 25/33; Santa Clara University 31/33.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: UCSC - Test-free; SCU - Test optional.
  • Typical fall application deadline: UCSC Nov 30, 2026; SCU Jan 7, 2027.
  • Accepted freshman SCU students have a 0.04 point higher average high school GPA (3.67) than students at UCSC (3.63).
  • UCSC has a higher acceptance rate (65.8%) than SCU (48%).
  • The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 9.3% at UCSC vs. 17.7% at SCU.

UCSC vs. SCU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for UCSC and SCU? Graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt are common indicators. The bullets below summarize the same federal outcomes fields as the comparison table (College Scorecard / IPEDS where applicable).

  • Santa Clara University's six-year graduation rate (85%) is higher than University of California Santa Cruz's (73%).
  • Graduates from Santa Clara University earn a median of about $31,500 more per year than UCSC graduates about ten years after starting college ($81,900 vs. $50,400), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, University of California Santa Cruz graduates have a $1,541 lower median loan debt than SCU graduates ($19,959 vs. $21,500).
  • Among borrowers, UCSC graduates have an estimated $16 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than SCU graduates ($206 vs. $222).
  • More SCU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UCSC students, three years after graduation. (84% vs. 74%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.