How educated is Santa Cruz?
The share of adults in Santa Cruz, CA with a bachelor's degree or higher, how that has shifted since 2015, and how it compares with the county, the state and the United States.
U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B15003.
This story was assembled using AI and public data sources.
How far did Santa Cruz go in school?
Adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher: 51.5% — U.S.: 35.0%
Highest degree held, adults 25+ (2023)
- Bachelor's: 438
- Graduate or professional: 668
- No bachelor's degree: 1043
Share with a bachelor's degree or higher
- Santa Cruz: 51.5
- Santa Cruz County: 43.6
- CA: 36.5
- U.S.: 35
Bachelor's degree or higher, 2015 to 2023
- 2015: 48.6
- 2023: 51.5
What it means
Santa Cruz's college-degree share is far higher than the national figure — 51.5% here versus 35.0% nationally.
Since 2015 the share has risen by about 2.9 percentage points.
Educational attainment tracks adults 25 and older who live here now — it does not say where they went to school.
Sources
- U.S. Census Bureau — American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates — Population, income, housing, education, commuting and poverty figures
- Census Bureau API — ACS Detailed Tables — The endpoint these pages are generated from
- data.census.gov — Look up the same tables for any place yourself
- ACS accuracy statement — Estimates carry margins of error; small places vary the most
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