Payback
EarningsPlus
Economic score
University of California, Santa Barbara is a public national university located in Santa Barbara, California. UC Santa Barbara is selective in their admissions.
Return on educational investment at UC Santa Barbara is in the top 10% of all ranked schools. The median student earns $66,491 10 years after enrolling, 29th in California, and in the top 25% nationally. When adjusted for earning differences by major, UC Santa Barbara bachelor students earn 13% more than the national average. UC Santa Barbara is ranked 20th in California.
University of California, Santa Barbara’s median net annual cost of $16,252 and average years to graduate of 4.3 are reported only at the school level. We assume these same costs and graduation time for all programs.
The top 6 programs at UC Santa Barbara sorted by number of graduates - Economics, Sociology, Research&Experimental Psych, Comms & Media Studies, Biology, Natural Resource Conservation - are shown below. To see more programs, click on "see additional programs".
Annual net cost
$16,252
Average years to graduate
4.3
Computer Science
Rank: #37
Economic score: 0.91
Applied Mathematics
Rank: #9
Economic score: 1.39
Statistics
Rank: #13
Economic score: 1.6
Physics
Rank: #12
Economic score: 1.61
Mathematics
Rank: #80
Economic score: 2.42
Poli Sci/Government
Rank: #66
Economic score: 2.79
FIlm, Video & Photography
Rank: #6
Economic score: 3.18
International studies
Rank: #13
Economic score: 3.44
Anthropology
Rank: #18
Economic score: 4.14
English Language & Lit
Rank: #140
Economic score: 5.68
EarningPlus compares the three-year post graduate earnings to the median earnings of the same graduating class, with the same graduate degree. These 2 metrics, debt-to-earnings and EarningsPlus, are combined into an economic score. The lower the economic score the better.
The most popular 1 graduate programs at UC Santa Barbara - Natural Resource Conservation - are shown below.
The average full-time graduate completes their degree in 4.3 years. 86% of all students graduate within 8 years including part-time students. The graduation rate at UC Santa Barbara is 18% higher than the state average, and 18% above the average for all national universities in the country.
At UC Santa Barbara, Pell Grant recipients represent 32% of the measured graduating class, 3% lower than the national average of 35%. The average Pell Grant recipient at UC Santa Barbara graduates within 4.5 years.
UC Santa Barbara is in the top 25% of schools for graduating Pell recipients.
We calculate this performance by adjusting the graduation rate of Pell students by their percentage of the student body. This adjustment is made to prevent schools with large numbers of Pell students from underperforming in comparison to schools with few Pell students but high graduation rates.
University of California, Santa Barbara’s economic mobility score of 29.26 is calculated by adjusting the 1.08 economic score of lower-income students by the 32% pell grant recipients within the student body. UC Santa Barbara’s EMS of 29.26 ranks in the top 25% nationally.false
Economic Mobility
To calculate economic mobility of low-income (household earnings below $30,000) students, we adjust each institution’s economic score by their percentage of Pell Grant students. The logic of this Pell-adjusted calculation is derived from Third Way’s Economic Mobility Index (EMI).
Top 25%
The average Title IV recipient at University of California, Santa Barbara pays $16,252 a year, $20,697 less than the $36,949 advertised. See below the cost breakdown for students who receive Title IV grants, broken down by income level.
Average net price
The average net price shown by income level for all students that receive Title IV aid. Calculated by deducting the average grant and scholarship aid from tuition, fees, books, and room and board. Limited to first-time, full-time students. Public institution figures are calculated using in-state tuition figures.
Median net price $16,252
Much of the gap between net price and sticker price is filled by institutional and government grants. At UC Santa Barbara, 53% of students receive some grants and scholarships, compared to the national average of 87% for all colleges and universities. The average amount of federal, state, and institutional grants that students receive is shown on the right.
This leaves a total of $16,252 on average to be covered by the student – be it through loans or out of pocket. In total, 12% of students take out loans, federal or private, at an average amount of $7,024. This is 42% less than the national average.
Federal grants
$4,576
Pell grants
$5,573
State grants
$10,813
Institutional grants
$7,687
University of California, Santa Barbara's selective admissions are indicated by their 29% acceptance rate. In 2021, the school had 105,641 applicants, of which 30,824 were admitted and 4,900 enrolled. UC Santa Barbara doesn't have a rolling admissions policy, which means applications are reviewed after a hard admissions deadline.
Full time
99%
83%
Female
58%
59%
First time
75%
59%
In-state
83%
68%
1st generation
42%
35%
White
30%
52%
Black
2%
14%
Hispanic
25%
15%
Asian
18%
5%
American Indian
N/A
1.6%
Pacific Islander
N/A
0.3%
Other
24%
12%