UC Davis vs UC Santa Cruz: A Data-Driven Comparison
Admission Difficulty: UC Davis is more selective with a 37.34% acceptance rate compared to UC Santa Cruz's 46.92%, making Davis roughly 20% harder to enter.
Cost and Value: Both schools offer similar tuition costs, with Davis charging $15,247 in-state versus Santa Cruz's $14,560. However, Davis provides better financial value with an average net price of $15,288 compared to Santa Cruz's $16,607. Davis graduates earn significantly more, with median 10-year earnings of $80,838 versus $68,396 at Santa Cruz. Davis students also graduate with less debt ($13,000 vs $16,666).
Academic Environment: Davis operates with a 21:1 student-faculty ratio compared to Santa Cruz's 22:1, offering slightly more faculty access. Davis excels in agricultural sciences, veterinary medicine, and engineering, while Santa Cruz is known for computer science, marine biology, and environmental studies.
Campus Experience: Davis houses 31,777 students in a college town atmosphere, while Santa Cruz's 17,812 students enjoy a smaller community near coastal redwoods. Davis competes in NCAA Division I athletics versus Santa Cruz's Division III level.
Outcomes: Davis demonstrates superior retention (93.37% vs 89.67%) and graduation rates (85.10% vs 74.50%), indicating stronger student success metrics.
Students seeking competitive academics, strong alumni networks, and higher earning potential should consider Davis, while those preferring a smaller, more intimate campus with environmental focus may find Santa Cruz more appealing.
Admission Difficulty: UC Davis is more selective with a 37.34% acceptance rate compared to UC Santa Cruz's 46.92%, making Davis roughly 20% harder to enter.
Cost and Value: Both schools offer similar tuition costs, with Davis charging $15,247 in-state versus Santa Cruz's $14,560. However, Davis provides better financial value with an average net price of $15,288 compared to Santa Cruz's $16,607. Davis graduates earn significantly more, with median 10-year earnings of $80,838 versus $68,396 at Santa Cruz. Davis students also graduate with less debt ($13,000 vs $16,666).
Academic Environment: Davis operates with a 21:1 student-faculty ratio compared to Santa Cruz's 22:1, offering slightly more faculty access. Davis excels in agricultural sciences, veterinary medicine, and engineering, while Santa Cruz is known for computer science, marine biology, and environmental studies.
Campus Experience: Davis houses 31,777 students in a college town atmosphere, while Santa Cruz's 17,812 students enjoy a smaller community near coastal redwoods. Davis competes in NCAA Division I athletics versus Santa Cruz's Division III level.
Outcomes: Davis demonstrates superior retention (93.37% vs 89.67%) and graduation rates (85.10% vs 74.50%), indicating stronger student success metrics.
Students seeking competitive academics, strong alumni networks, and higher earning potential should consider Davis, while those preferring a smaller, more intimate campus with environmental focus may find Santa Cruz more appealing.
Head-to-Head Comparison
| University of California-Davis | University of California-Santa Cruz | |
|---|---|---|
| Acceptance Rate | 37.3% | 46.9% |
| Enrollment | 31,777 | 17,812 |
| In-State Tuition | $15,247 | $14,560 |
| Out-of-State Tuition | $46,024 | $45,337 |
| Net Price | $15,288 | $16,607 |
| Graduation Rate (6-year) | 85.1% | 74.5% |
| Retention Rate | 93.4% | 89.7% |
| Median Earnings (10yr) | $80,838 | $68,396 |
| Median Debt | $13,000 | $16,666 |
Top Programs by Earnings
Top 5 bachelor's programs at each school, ranked by median graduate earnings.
| University of California-Davis | University of California-Santa Cruz | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Program | Earnings | Program | Earnings |
| Computer Engineering. | $82,440 | Computer Engineering. | $79,150 |
| Computer and Information Sciences, General. | $81,609 | Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering. | $69,338 |
| Engineering, General. | $70,370 | Computer Science. | $63,530 |
| Civil Engineering. | $67,516 | Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management. | $60,185 |
| Mechanical Engineering. | $67,324 | Business/Managerial Economics. | $51,607 |