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University of California-Santa Barbara
Admission here is competitive but not lottery-odds: 27.8% got in from a pool of 110,871 (Fall 2023 cycle).
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University of California-Santa Barbara occupies suburban Santa Barbara, CA — a public campus quieter than a downtown one, closer to one than a rural seat. It carries a land-grant charter — the 1862 mandate that ties it to agricultural and practical education.
Its highest-earning path is Computer Science, where graduates median $149,190 four years out. 27.9% of undergraduates carry Pell grants — a plain read on who the campus actually serves. With 23,113 undergraduates and a residential core, weekends happen on campus — and 93% of first-years come back for a second year.
University of California-Santa Barbara won't look at test scores — here the GPA calculator is the tool that matters. Bring your saved semester numbers and see what they average.
Admissions
In the Fall 2023 cycle, University of California-Santa Barbara received 110,871 applications and admitted 30,804 (27.8%), with 5,043 enrolling.
Leave the SAT prep out of this one — test scores are disregarded entirely. University of California-Santa Barbara's 33% admission rate turned on grades and application strength.
How University of California-Santa Barbara compares
| University of California-Santa Barbara | California median | National median | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Acceptance rate | 33% | 75.7% | 77.2% |
| Tuition (in-state) | $16,414 | $23,000 | $19,591 |
| Median earnings (10 yr) | $74,915 | $64,778 | $53,781 |
Earnings data favors University of California-Santa Barbara: $74,915 median at year ten, versus $64,778 across California institutions.
Cost, size & completion
In-state students pay $16,414 in tuition; crossing a state border raises that to $50,614. For non-residents, University of California-Santa Barbara's $50,614 is the number to weigh against private options before assuming public means cheaper.
University of California-Santa Barbara is a big school: 23,113 undergraduates at last count.
83% of University of California-Santa Barbara students finish a bachelor's within six years — 28.2 points above the national 54.9% — and the single best predictor that the $16,414 price above buys a degree, not just enrollment.
Top majors by earnings at University of California-Santa Barbara
| Bachelor's program | Median earnings, 4 yrs after completion |
|---|---|
| Computer Science | $149,190 |
| Computer Engineering | $144,703 |
| Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering | $117,215 |
| Chemical Engineering | $113,317 |
| Applied Mathematics | $109,360 |
| Mechanical Engineering | $104,336 |
| Pharmacology and Toxicology | $98,462 |
| Economics | $98,178 |
| Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods | $96,078 |
| Statistics | $90,778 |
| Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology | $90,694 |
| Microbiological Sciences and Immunology | $90,061 |
| Mathematics | $85,391 |
| Physics | $85,219 |
| Chemistry | $74,713 |
| Communication and Media Studies | $72,976 |
| Philosophy | $71,796 |
| Political Science and Government | $70,384 |
| Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | $68,496 |
| Geography and Cartography | $67,521 |
| Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences | $66,788 |
| Research and Experimental Psychology | $66,171 |
| International/Globalization Studies | $66,127 |
| Biology, General | $64,520 |
| Natural Resources Conservation and Research | $63,628 |
| Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services | $61,580 |
| Sociology | $60,013 |
| History | $59,342 |
| English Language and Literature, General | $59,334 |
| Area Studies | $59,042 |
| Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies | $59,004 |
| Anthropology | $56,238 |
| Zoology/Animal Biology | $53,727 |
| Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology | $50,694 |
| Film/Video and Photographic Arts | $49,893 |
| Fine and Studio Arts | $46,428 |
| Dance | $44,858 |
| Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft | $44,106 |
| Religion/Religious Studies | $43,377 |
| Music | $33,825 |
Median earnings for these 40 University of California-Santa Barbara programs come from a different federal cohort than the campus-wide $74,915 above — compare rows to each other, not to that 10-year figure. 13 additional University of California-Santa Barbara programs have earnings withheld under federal privacy rules.
Frequently asked questions
What GPA and test scores do you need for University of California-Santa Barbara?
University of California-Santa Barbara doesn't look at test scores; its 33% admission rate turned on transcripts, coursework rigor and the application itself.
What is University of California-Santa Barbara's acceptance rate?
27.8% in the Fall 2023 cycle — 30,804 admitted from 110,871 applicants.
How much does University of California-Santa Barbara cost?
In-state tuition is $16,414; out-of-state students pay $50,614. Fees, housing and aid move the real total in both directions.
What do University of California-Santa Barbara graduates earn?
Federal data puts median earnings at $74,915 ten years after enrolling. The table above breaks this down by major.
Similar colleges in California
- University of California-San Diego — 26.7% admitted
- University of California-Irvine — 28.6% admitted
- California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo — 31.3% admitted
- California Institute of the Arts — 32.3% admitted
Run your own numbers
Data: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard (Jun 2026), IPEDS ADM2023/HD2024. Retrieved 2026-09-01. Figures reflect the latest federal cohorts, which lag the current admissions cycle.