Public · University

University of California-Santa Barbara

Santa Barbara, California · Midsize suburb

33.0%
Admit rate
$16,109
Avg net price
83%
Graduation rate
$74,915
Median earnings

University of California-Santa Barbara is a public bachelor's-granting institution in Santa Barbara, California (midsize suburb setting), enrolling 23,113 undergraduates. It is a Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI).

PublicLarge · 23,113 undergradsMidsize suburbVery selective · 33% admitNCAA Division I without footballNear the coast

About Santa Barbara, California

Santa Barbara is a coastal city in Santa Barbara County, California, of which it is also the county seat. Evidence of human habitation of the area begins at least 13,000 years ago. Santa Barbara contains numerous performing art venues, including the 2,000-seat Arlington Theatre, which is the largest indoor performance venue in Santa Barbara and the site of the annual Santa Barbara International Film Festival. (Wikipedia)

Setting
Midsize suburb
Highest degree offered
Graduate
To the ocean
< 1 mile
Nearest airport
1 mile to Santa Barbara (SBA)

How University of California-Santa Barbara compares

View 111 more ranking appearances
#16 · Large Universities with the Lowest Debt Relative to Earnings #16 · Hispanic-Serving Colleges with the Highest Former-Student Earnings #8 · Hispanic-Serving Colleges with the Highest Graduation Rates #6 · Hispanic-Serving Colleges with the Highest Retention Rates #39 · Hispanic-Serving Colleges with the Lowest Student Debt #18 · Hispanic-Serving Colleges with the Lowest Debt Relative to Earnings #37 · Public Universities with the Highest Graduation Rates #30 · Public Universities with the Highest Retention Rates #36 · Public Universities with the Lowest Student Debt #24 · Public Universities with the Lowest Debt Relative to Earnings #19 · Test-Blind Colleges with the Highest Former-Student Earnings #12 · Test-Blind Colleges with the Highest Graduation Rates #9 · Test-Blind Colleges with the Highest Retention Rates #88 · Test-Blind Colleges with the Lowest Net Price #28 · Test-Blind Colleges with the Lowest Student Debt #14 · Test-Blind Colleges with the Lowest Debt Relative to Earnings #56 · Colleges with the Lowest Debt Relative to Earnings #100 · Colleges with the Lowest Share of Federal Loan Borrowers #69 · Most Racially Diverse Colleges #67 · Colleges with the Most International Freshmen #75 · Largest Campus-Based Universities #10 · College Campuses with the Mildest Summers #28 · College Campuses with the Least Snowfall #1 · Colleges Closest to Commercial Airports #31 · Colleges with the Highest Former-Student Earnings in California #32 · Colleges with the Lowest Net Price in California #18 · Colleges with the Highest Graduation Rates in California #13 · Colleges with the Lowest Student Debt in California #18 · Colleges with the Highest Retention Rates in California #34 · Best Colleges in the West #66 · Colleges with the Lowest Net Price in the West #20 · Colleges with the Highest Graduation Rates in the West #17 · Colleges with the Highest Retention Rates in the West #20 · Colleges with the Lowest Student Debt in the West #38 · Colleges with the Highest Earnings Relative to Net Price in the West #12 · Best Public Universities in the West #31 · Best Colleges on the West Coast #38 · Colleges with the Lowest Net Price on the West Coast #17 · Colleges with the Highest Graduation Rates on the West Coast #15 · Colleges with the Highest Retention Rates on the West Coast #13 · Colleges with the Lowest Student Debt on the West Coast #31 · Colleges with the Highest Earnings Relative to Net Price on the West Coast #11 · Best Public Universities on the West Coast #31 · Best Colleges in the Pacific Region #43 · Colleges with the Lowest Net Price in the Pacific Region #17 · Colleges with the Highest Graduation Rates in the Pacific Region #15 · Colleges with the Highest Retention Rates in the Pacific Region #14 · Colleges with the Lowest Student Debt in the Pacific Region #32 · Colleges with the Highest Earnings Relative to Net Price in the Pacific Region #11 · Best Public Universities in the Pacific Region #1 · Colleges with the Highest Former-Student Earnings Near Santa Barbara, CA #63 · Bachelor's Biology, General Programs with the Highest Five-Year Earnings #50 · Bachelor's Biology, General Programs with the Lowest Student Debt #14 · Bachelor's Biology, General Programs with the Lowest Debt Relative to Earnings #34 · Bachelor's Communication and Media Studies Programs with the Highest First-Year Earnings #24 · Bachelor's Communication and Media Studies Programs with the Highest Five-Year Earnings #13 · Bachelor's Communication and Media Studies Programs with the Lowest Student Debt #5 · Bachelor's Communication and Media Studies Programs with the Lowest Debt Relative to Earnings #26 · Bachelor's Computer Science Programs with the Highest First-Year Earnings #34 · Bachelor's Computer Science Programs with the Highest Five-Year Earnings #8 · Bachelor's Computer Science Programs with the Lowest Student Debt #10 · Bachelor's Computer Science Programs with the Lowest Debt Relative to Earnings #92 · Bachelor's Political Science and Government Programs with the Highest Five-Year Earnings #51 · Bachelor's Political Science and Government Programs with the Lowest Student Debt #42 · Bachelor's Political Science and Government Programs with the Lowest Debt Relative to Earnings #60 · Bachelor's Economics Programs with the Highest First-Year Earnings #43 · Bachelor's Economics Programs with the Highest Five-Year Earnings #28 · Bachelor's Economics Programs with the Lowest Student Debt #22 · Bachelor's Economics Programs with the Lowest Debt Relative to Earnings #16 · Bachelor's Mechanical Engineering Programs with the Highest First-Year Earnings #40 · Bachelor's Mechanical Engineering Programs with the Highest Five-Year Earnings #22 · Bachelor's Mechanical Engineering Programs with the Lowest Student Debt #19 · Bachelor's Mechanical Engineering Programs with the Lowest Debt Relative to Earnings #68 · Bachelor's Fine and Studio Arts Programs with the Highest Five-Year Earnings #43 · Bachelor's Fine and Studio Arts Programs with the Lowest Student Debt #28 · Bachelor's Fine and Studio Arts Programs with the Lowest Debt Relative to Earnings #91 · Bachelor's Sociology Programs with the Highest Five-Year Earnings #21 · Bachelor's Sociology Programs with the Lowest Student Debt #20 · Bachelor's Sociology Programs with the Lowest Debt Relative to Earnings #71 · Bachelor's English Language and Literature, General Programs with the Highest Five-Year Earnings #63 · Bachelor's English Language and Literature, General Programs with the Lowest Student Debt #46 · Bachelor's English Language and Literature, General Programs with the Lowest Debt Relative to Earnings #99 · Bachelor's History Programs with the Highest Five-Year Earnings #17 · Bachelor's History Programs with the Lowest Student Debt #21 · Bachelor's History Programs with the Lowest Debt Relative to Earnings #96 · Bachelor's Mathematics Programs with the Highest Five-Year Earnings #48 · Bachelor's Mathematics Programs with the Lowest Student Debt #39 · Bachelor's Mathematics Programs with the Lowest Debt Relative to Earnings #31 · Bachelor's Natural Resources Conservation and Research Programs with the Highest Five-Year Earnings #24 · Bachelor's Natural Resources Conservation and Research Programs with the Lowest Student Debt #16 · Bachelor's Natural Resources Conservation and Research Programs with the Lowest Debt Relative to Earnings #46 · Bachelor's Research and Experimental Psychology Programs with the Highest First-Year Earnings #8 · Bachelor's Research and Experimental Psychology Programs with the Highest Five-Year Earnings #9 · Bachelor's Research and Experimental Psychology Programs with the Lowest Student Debt #6 · Bachelor's Research and Experimental Psychology Programs with the Lowest Debt Relative to Earnings #37 · Bachelor's Film/Video and Photographic Arts Programs with the Highest First-Year Earnings #15 · Bachelor's Film/Video and Photographic Arts Programs with the Highest Five-Year Earnings #5 · Bachelor's Film/Video and Photographic Arts Programs with the Lowest Student Debt #4 · Bachelor's Film/Video and Photographic Arts Programs with the Lowest Debt Relative to Earnings #35 · Bachelor's Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering Programs with the Highest Five-Year Earnings #17 · Bachelor's Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering Programs with the Lowest Student Debt #14 · Bachelor's Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering Programs with the Lowest Debt Relative to Earnings #19 · Bachelor's Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft Programs with the Lowest Student Debt #43 · Bachelor's Chemistry Programs with the Highest First-Year Earnings #26 · Bachelor's Chemistry Programs with the Highest Five-Year Earnings #30 · Bachelor's Chemistry Programs with the Lowest Student Debt #13 · Bachelor's Chemistry Programs with the Lowest Debt Relative to Earnings #48 · Bachelor's Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods Programs with the Highest First-Year Earnings #23 · Bachelor's Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods Programs with the Highest Five-Year Earnings #2 · Bachelor's Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods Programs with the Lowest Student Debt #2 · Bachelor's Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods Programs with the Lowest Debt Relative to Earnings
Selectivity33.0%

More selective than 93% · #19 most selective of 107 in California

Graduation rate83%

Higher than 91% · #26 of 122 in California

First-year retention93%

Higher than 91%

Earnings, 10 years after entry$74,915

Higher than 87% · #42 of 130 in California

Average net price$16,109

Cheaper than 68% · #39 cheapest of 118 in California

Median debt at graduation$13,993

Lower than 93%

Student–faculty ratio17 : 1

Lower than 23%

Undergraduate enrollment23,113

Larger than 96%

Percentiles compare University of California-Santa Barbara with the nation's 2,196 four-year colleges, among schools reporting each statistic. State ranks count four-year colleges in California.

Student body

Undergraduate vs. graduate

26,065students
  • Undergraduate23,11389%
  • Graduate2,95211%

Undergraduates by gender

23,113undergrads
  • Women13,35758%
  • Men9,75642%

Undergraduates by race / ethnicity

  • White32%
  • Black2.0%
  • Hispanic27%
  • Asian18%
  • Other or multiracial21%

Graduate gender splits aren't published in this data, so the gender chart covers undergraduates only.

By the numbers

Undergraduate enrollment
23,113
Graduate enrollment
2,952
Student–faculty ratio
17 : 1
Pell Grant recipients
28%
First-generation students
42%
Students over 25
2%
Median family income
$36,166
Avg faculty salary (academic year)
$186,093
Endowment
$444,044,000

Colleges don't publish true class-size data; student–faculty ratio (IPEDS) is the closest public measure of it.

Where students come from

Home state of the 5,043 first-year students who entered in fall 2023.

  • From California80%
  • Other U.S. states9.2%
  • International11%

Most first-years stay in state — University of California-Santa Barbara draws overwhelmingly from California.

11% came from outside the U.S. Out-of-state students usually pay a higher tuition rate at public schools — check the cost card above for your bracket. Source: IPEDS residence & migration, fall 2023 entering class.

Admissions

Admission rate
33.0%
Test scores
Not considered
SAT range (25th–75th %)
—
SAT average
—
SAT reading
—
SAT math
—
ACT composite
—
Average GPA
4.30weighted

Cost

In-state tuition
$16,414
Out-of-state tuition
$50,614
Room & board
$20,279
Books & supplies
$1,381
Total cost of attendance
$41,573
Average net price
$16,109

Net price is the total cost minus grants and scholarships — what students actually pay. It varies sharply by family income; see the breakdown below.

Outcomes

Graduated (within 6 years)
83%
Graduated on time (4 years)
70%
First-year retention
93%
Transferred to another college
0%
Median earnings, 6 years after entry
$56,852
Median earnings, 10 years after entry
$74,915
Median debt at graduation
$13,993
Students with federal loans
18%
Paying down their loans (1 year in)
70%

About 13% of students who finish here need more than four years — each extra year adds roughly another year of tuition and living costs.

Graduating on time

By student background (4 years)

All students
70%
Low-income (Pell)
54%
First-generation
53%

When these bars run close together, students from every background tend to finish at similar rates — a sign the school supports the ~30% who are first-gen or low-income.

Campus life & athletics

On-campus housing
Yes
Dorm capacity
11,432
Dorm capacity vs undergrads
49%
Application fee
$80
Athletics
NCAA Division I without football
Varsity athletes
579 (294 men · 285 women)

Housing and fees: IPEDS 2023–24. Athletics rosters: Equity in Athletics data, 2024–25. Dorm capacity can include graduate and family housing, so the share of undergrads can top 100%.

Varsity sports (12)

Track and Field (Outdoor)111
Soccer84
Baseball52
Track and Field (Indoor)52
Water Polo52
Swimming51
Cross Country44
Volleyball44
Basketball37
Softball21
Tennis21
Golf10

Athlete counts per sport, Equity in Athletics data, 2024–25.

Campus safety

Safety grade
D
Reported offenses per 1,000 students
5.6 / year
Violent offenses (2022–2024)
168
Property offenses (2022–2024)
274

On-campus criminal offenses reported under the Clery Act, 2022–2024, across 1 campus (26,133 students). Counts reflect reports, not convictions — schools with strong reporting cultures often show more, so a higher count doesn't simply mean a more dangerous campus.

Reported offenses in an average year

The same 2022–2024 Clery Act reports, divided down to one year.

147reported offenses a year
56 violent a year91 property a year

By offense type, per year

Motor vehicle theft
46
Burglary
34
Rape
29
Aggravated assault
14
Arson
12
Fondling
11
Robbery
2.3

Averages, not a forecast — a single year can run well above or below this. Bars are scaled against this campus's most-reported offense, so they compare types here rather than against other schools.

What you'll actually pay, by family income

Average net price (total cost minus grants and scholarships) paid by aided students in each family-income band.

< $30k
$9,231
$30–48k
$9,992
$48–75k
$12,588
$75–110k
$17,136
$110k+
$31,863

College Scorecard / IPEDS, most recent year. Family income is total household income; net price covers tuition, fees, room, board and supplies after grant aid, for students receiving federal aid.

Four-year (or more) true cost

Net price for your family's income, projected across the time it actually takes students here to graduate.

Est. total to a degree
$53,315

$12,588/year × about 4.2 years — most students here don't finish in exactly four, and each extra term adds cost. A planning estimate from net-price and graduation-timing data, not a bill.

Does the school pay you to attend?

Grant aid from the school's own funds — the discount off sticker, on top of any federal or state help.

44%
of first-years get a grant from the school
$10,142
average award, among those who get one

A meaningful share of freshmen — 44% — get grant money from University of California-Santa Barbara itself, averaging $10,142, which softens the sticker price.

Blends need-based and merit aid — IPEDS doesn't split the two, so a high number can mean generous merit scholarships, deep need-based aid, or both. Figures cover 4,944 full-time first-year undergraduates, 2022–23. Source: IPEDS Student Financial Aid.

Is it worth it?

A rough return-on-investment read from what graduates earn versus what they borrow.

Median earnings (10 years)
$74,915
Typical debt at graduation
$13,993
Debt vs. one year's pay
19%
Out-earn a HS grad
67%

Typical debt would take roughly 1.9 years to repay at about a tenth of median earnings.

Strong value

Graduates here tend to earn well relative to what they borrow — typical debt pays back fast, and most out-earn a high-school graduate.

Earnings are the College Scorecard median for former students (working, not enrolled) 10 years after entry — not a guarantee, and they vary a lot by major. Debt is the median federal loan balance at graduation.

The pay gap here

Median earnings 10 years after entry, split by gender.

Women
$70,400
Men
$81,117

Men out-earn women by $10,717 (15%) a decade out.

Federal figures for former students working and not enrolled, 10 years after they first entered. A gap this wide usually reflects which majors men and women here tend to choose — not different pay for the same job.

Campus climate

Summer high
74°F
Winter low
40°F
Annual rain
17.2″

Average temperature

HighLow
30°60°80°JFMAMJJASOND

Average precipitation (inches)

0.01.93.9JFMAMJJASOND

NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals, Santa Barbara Muni AP, CA US station (0.7 mi from campus).

Median earnings of this school's own graduates 1 and 5 years after finishing each program, and median federal-loan debt at completion (College Scorecard). Small programs are privacy-suppressed (—). Click a major to compare colleges nationally.

Colleges similar to University of California-Santa Barbara

Schools with a comparable profile — size, selectivity, cost, and graduate outcomes. Compare University of California-Santa Barbara side by side →

Colleges near University of California-Santa Barbara

Source: US Department of Education College Scorecard (most recent cohorts), IPEDS institutional characteristics, Equity in Athletics (EADA) data, Clery Act Campus Safety and Security data, and NOAA US Climate Normals. Distances are straight-line from campus coordinates. Percentiles compare schools of the same level (four-year vs. two-year) that report each statistic.