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University of California-Santa Barbara

Santa Barbara, CA · Public

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27.8%
Acceptance Rate
N/A
Median SAT
$74,915
Median Earnings
110,871
Applicants

Acceptance Rate Trend

Down 4.4 percentage points since 2018

Applications & Admissions

Yield Rate Trend

Percentage of admitted students who enroll

Most Popular Majors (2023)

Degrees awarded in latest year

Major Popularity Over Time

How top majors have grown or declined

Earnings by Major

This school vs. national range (2yr after graduation)

Computer Science $81,554
$20,140 $160,116
Computer Engineering $76,773
$20,140 $160,116
Electrical, Electronics and Co... $72,134
$20,140 $160,116
Economics $60,790
$20,140 $160,116
Mechanical Engineering $60,452
$20,140 $160,116
Applied Mathematics $59,536
$20,140 $160,116
Chemical Engineering $59,485
$20,140 $160,116
Physics $52,107
$20,140 $160,116
This school National avg

Historical Admissions Data

Each row shows the admissions cycle for that academic year. Applicants is the total number of students who applied for freshman admission. Admitted shows how many received acceptance letters. Rate is the acceptance rate (admitted ÷ applicants) — lower percentages indicate more selective schools. Yield measures the percentage of admitted students who actually enrolled — a high yield (above 50%) suggests the school is a top choice for admitted students, while lower yields indicate students often choose other options. SAT shows the 25th-75th percentile range, meaning the middle 50% of enrolled students scored within this range. Data is sourced from IPEDS, the federal database where all US colleges report annually.

Year Applicants Admitted Rate Yield
2023 110,871 30,804 27.8% 16.4%
2022 110,995 28,688 25.9% 17.3%
2021 105,641 30,824 29.2% 15.9%
2020 90,961 33,384 36.7% 14.5%
2019 93,446 27,626 29.6% 17.9%
2018 92,306 29,726 32.2% 17.1%
2017 81,824 26,846 32.8% 16.9%
2016 77,112 27,581 35.8% 18.1%
2015 70,536 23,026 32.6% 19.4%

Graduate Outcomes

Median Earnings (10 years)
$74,915
Median Earnings (6 years)
$56,852
Median Debt
$13,993
6-Year Graduation Rate
85.3%

Tuition & Costs (2023)

In-State Tuition
$11,442
Out-of-State Tuition
$41,196
Fees
$2,964
Room & Board
$15,903
Total Cost of Attendance
$60,063

What You'll Actually Pay

Net price after grants/scholarships by family income

$0-30k income $7,745
$30-48k income $8,910
$48-75k income $11,398
$75-110k income $16,839
$110k+ income $30,085

Popular Majors

  • 1 Economics
  • 2 Sociology
  • 3 Communication and Media Studies
  • 4 Research and Experimental Psychology
  • 5 Biology, General

Highest Earning Majors

  • Computer Science $81,554
  • Computer Engineering $76,773
  • Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering $72,134
  • Economics $60,790
  • Mechanical Engineering $60,452

Student Demographics (2023)

Total Enrollment 26,068
International 12%
Women 56%
Race/Ethnicity
White 32%
Hispanic 25%
Asian 18%
Black 2%

Financial Aid (2023)

Grants are free money; loans must be repaid

Receive Grants 57%
Avg: $19,022 free money/year
Pell Grant Recipients 28%
Federal aid for <$60k income families
Have Federal Loans 20%
Low debt burden
School's Own Grants 44%
Avg: $10,142 from school funds

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