2015
- Ranked one of Men’s Health Top 10 “Coolest College Radio Stations”
2014
- Good Times Weekly: “Best Radio Station”
2013
- Good Times Weekly: “Best Radio Station”
- Santa Cruz Weekly Gold Award
2010
- Top 5 Huffington Post’s College Radio Station designation
- Radio Locator’s no. 1 (!) Most-Listened-To College Radio Station
2009
- Metro Santa Cruz Goldie Award: Silver Reader’s Choice Award
2008
- Metro Santa Cruz Goldie Award: “Best Radio Station”
2007
- Metro Santa Cruz Goldie Award: “Best Radio Station”
2006
- Metro Santa Cruz Goldie Award: “Best Radio Station”
2005
- Democratic Media Award
- Good Times Best of Award: “Best Radio Station”
- Metro Santa Cruz Goldie Award: “Best Radio Station”
2004
- Democratic Media Award
- Metro Santa Cruz Goldie Award: “Best Radio Station”
2003
- Democratic Media Award
- Metro Santa Cruz Goldie Award: “Best Radio Station”
- The 2003 Princeton Review of the nation’s “Top College Radio Stations” (voted by the students themselves) placed KZSC as the only college radio station from the West Coast in the top 20.
2002
- Democratic Media Award
- Metro Santa Cruz Goldie Award: Silver Reader’s Choice Award