Admit rate has ranged 26%–37% over the last 5 years — notably volatile. Source: IPEDS via Urban Institute.
Acceptance & SAT from Common Data Set / IPEDS; net price, earnings & graduation from the U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard. Figures lag ~1–2 years — verify with the school.
UC Santa Barbara is a sun-drenched powerhouse where rigorous STEM programs collide with a laid-back beach culture. Known for its top-ranked engineering and physics departments, UCSB balances academic intensity with a vibrant, inclusive social scene—think surfboards and research grants in equal measure. With a ~30% acceptance rate and strong post-grad outcomes, it’s a UC that delivers both prestige and California cool.
Admission requirements
Test-blind — scores not considered
Required
High school transcript
Grade point average
College-prep program
TOEFL (non-native English)
Source: IPEDS Admissions survey (2022) via Urban Institute. Covers formal factors only — it does not reflect essays, extracurriculars, or other holistic criteria.
More details
Undergrad enrollment
23,113
In-state tuition
$16,414
Out-of-state tuition
$50,614
Notable Fact
5 Nobel laureates on faculty
Acceptance Rate
25-33%
4-Year Grad Rate
70%
6-Year Median Salary
$56,852
Student-Faculty Ratio
17:1
Outcomes & value
Outcomes & value
Median earnings (10 yr)
$74,915
Value (earnings ÷ net price)
4.7×
Median debt at graduation
$13,993
Graduation rate
83%
First-year retention
93%
Reducing loan balance (3 yr)
75%
Pell (lower-income) share
73%
First-generation share
42%
Endowment / student
$19,212
Top-earning majors
Median earnings by field of study (highest credential), ~2 years after completion.
Computer Science$81,554
Computer Engineering$76,773
Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering$72,134
Economics$60,790
Mechanical Engineering$60,452
Applied Mathematics$59,536
Chemical Engineering
Campus & location
Campus safety
On-campus violent crimes (2024)
58
Per 1,000 students
2.51
On-campus criminal offenses classed as violent (murder/non-negligent manslaughter, rape, robbery, aggravated assault) for the most recent reported year. Source: U.S. Dept. of Education Campus Safety and Security (Clery Act). Counts reflect what’s reported to the school, and urban campuses often report more partly due to non-student incidents nearby — read alongside campus size and setting, not as a standalone safety verdict.
Climate
Pleasant days / yr
246
Summer high
81°F
Winter low
47°F
Annual rain
23.1"
Natural-hazard risk
Relatively High
Pleasant days counts days per year with a mean temperature of 55–75°F, a high at or below 90°F, a low at or above 45°F, and little precipitation — a transparent comfort measure, not a weighting we invented. Computed from Open-Meteo ERA5 daily history (2019–2023). Natural-hazard risk is the county’s composite rating from the FEMA National Risk Index.
Deep dive — research, future-scholar output & economic mobility▾
Research output
Institutional h-index
1,120
Scholarly works
139,945
Institutional research volume and impact from OpenAlex. The h-index reflects large research universities and will be low for teaching-focused liberal-arts colleges — not a measure of undergraduate quality.
Future-scholar output
Science & engineering PhDstop 37 nationally
Humanities & social-science PhDstop 43 nationally
Share of this school’s graduates who go on to earn research doctorates (2010–20), by national rank and per-capita yield (NSF institutional-yield ratio). A signal of a research-oriented student culture — not a causal promise, since it partly reflects who enrolls. Only top producers appear. Source: NSF NCSES, Baccalaureate Origins of U.S. Research Doctorate Recipients.
Economic mobility
Mobility rate
Quick answers
What is the acceptance rate at University of California-Santa Barbara?
University of California-Santa Barbara's acceptance rate is approximately 33% (Santa Barbara, CA), based on the most recent figures we compiled from public and primary sources.
How much does University of California-Santa Barbara cost?
At University of California-Santa Barbara, the average net price (after aid) is about $16,109 per year. Actual cost varies with financial aid and residency.
How many undergraduates attend University of California-Santa Barbara?
University of California-Santa Barbara enrolls approximately 23,113 undergraduate students.
Where is University of California-Santa Barbara located?
University of California-Santa Barbara is located in Santa Barbara, CA.
Admissions
UCSB’s admissions are competitive but not cutthroat, with an Acceptance rateThe share of applicants a college admits in a given year. A 10% acceptance rate means it admits about 1 in 10 applicants. hovering around 25-33% (sources vary by year). The middle 50% of admitted freshmen boast SAT scores of 1280-1520 (EBRW: 630-730, Math: 650-790) and ACT composites of 26-31. GPA is king: nearly all admits have a 4.0 or higher, per UC system data. The university emphasizes academic rigor (especially STEM coursework) and extracurricular impact over test scores, which are now test-blind for California applicants. Transfers make up ~30% of new students, many from California community colleges.
Earnings = median of students working ~10 years after entry; debt = median of graduates. Value divides 10-yr earnings by one year’s net price — read it as earnings per dollar of annual cost, not a full lifetime ROI; it favors lower-cost schools. Source: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard. Figures lag ~2 years and reflect all students, not your intended major.
$59,485
Physics$52,107
Source: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard (field-of-study earnings). Figures cover graduates who received federal aid and lag ~2 years; not all programs report data.
3.1%
Bottom → top quintile
50%
From bottom quintile
6%
Mobility rate = the share of students who both start in the bottom household-income quintile and reach the top quintile; bottom → top is that chance conditional on starting at the bottom. Source: Opportunity Insights Mobility Report Cards (Chetty, Friedman, Saez, Turner & Yagan). Reflects 1980–82 birth cohorts, so it’s directional, not current.
Academics
UCSB’s academic identity is STEM-forward but eclectic, with 200+ majors across three colleges (Letters & Science, Engineering, Creative Studies). Standouts include:
Engineering: Mechanical and chemical engineering programs are "highly ranked" (Princeton Review), with strong ties to Silicon Valley.
Physics: A global reputation, partly due to its proximity to the Kavli Institute for Theoretical Physics.
Social Sciences: Sociology, economics, and communications are among the most popular majors (27% of graduates).
The vibe is collaborative but demanding—students describe "problem sets with ocean views" and a culture where undergrads actively participate in cutting-edge research (think: clean energy, marine biology).
Life at UCSB is a paradox of intensity and relaxation. The campus straddles a bluff overlooking the Pacific, with students biking to class in flip-flops between research labs. Key traits:
Inclusivity: 500+ clubs and five Cultural Resource Centers (African diasporic, Chicanx/Latinx, etc.) foster community.
Party rep, but nuanced: Yes, Isla Vista’s infamous parties exist, but Reddit threads emphasize "so many niche groups"—from surfing clubs to hackathons.
Outdoor obsession: Beach volleyball, ocean kayaking, and hiking the nearby Santa Ynez Mountains are de facto PE classes.
Housing is tight (many juniors/seniors move off-campus), but the dorms’ ocean views soften the blow.
At $42,795 annual sticker price (tuition + fees), UCSB is pricey but 46% of students receive grants/scholarships, bringing the average Net priceWhat a family actually pays after grants and scholarships are subtracted from the sticker price — usually far less than the published cost. to $16,874. The UC system’s calculator estimates aid based on:
Family income: Significant Need-based aidFinancial aid awarded based on your family's ability to pay, as measured by forms like the FAFSA, rather than on achievements. for households under $80k.
Residency: Out-of-state students pay nearly triple ($44k vs. $16k tuition).
Work-study and UC-specific scholarships (e.g., Blue and Gold Opportunity Plan) help offset costs, but off-campus housing in pricey Santa Barbara strains budgets.
UCSB is uniquely Californian: a top-tier research university where Nobel laureates and surf instructors might share a coffee cart. Its location is curriculum—marine biology students study in the Channel Islands, while environmental policy majors intern with local NGOs. The blend of STEM prestige (5 Nobel winners on faculty) and chill vibes (campus-wide "Floatopia" raft parties) defies Ivy League stuffiness. For students who want rigor without rigidity, it’s a golden ticket.
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