College comparison

UC San Diego vs UC Santa Barbara

A side-by-side of acceptance rate, test scores, and cost — source-cited estimates, not guarantees. Want the number that actually matters for your student? Model your admit odds at each.

Metric	UC San Diego La Jolla, CA	UC Santa Barbara Santa Barbara, CA
Acceptance rateUniversity of California-San Diego is more selective	27%	33%
SAT (25–75)	—	—
ACT (25–75)	—	—
Undergrad enrollment	34,948	23,113
Avg net price	$12,470	$16,109
Median earnings (10 yr)UC San Diego reports higher median earnings	$84,943	$74,915
Graduation rate	86%	83%
Median debt	$15,500	$13,993
Economic mobility	4.8%	3.1%
Test policy	—	—
Type	Public	Public

Quick answers

Is University of California-San Diego or University of California-Santa Barbara harder to get into?

University of California-San Diego is more selective: University of California-San Diego's acceptance rate is approximately 27% and University of California-Santa Barbara's is approximately 33% (estimates from public and primary sources).

What SAT score do you need for University of California-San Diego vs University of California-Santa Barbara?

The middle-50% SAT range is — at University of California-San Diego and — at University of California-Santa Barbara. Scores outside these bands are still admitted, especially with strong applications.

Figures are estimates compiled from public datasets (College Scorecard / IPEDS) and primary sources; verify with each institution before relying on them.

These outputs are estimates from a baseline model — not guarantees of admission, cost, or outcome.