University of California-Santa Barbara
Tuition, net price, acceptance rate, graduation rate, and graduate salary · Santa Barbara, California
Net price / year
$16,109
after grants & scholarships
higher than 70% of public 4-year colleges
Acceptance rate
33%
Graduation rate
84%
within 150% of normal time
higher than 96% of public 4-year colleges
Median earnings
$70,323
4 years after graduating
higher than 81% of public 4-year colleges
University of California-Santa Barbara at a glance
- What is the tuition at University of California-Santa Barbara?
- In-state undergraduate tuition and fees are $16,414 for the 2024-25 academic year, or $50,614 for out-of-state students.
- What is the cost of attendance at University of California-Santa Barbara?
- The average cost of attendance is $41,573 a year before financial aid (2023-24), counting tuition, books, housing and other living expenses.
- What is the net price at University of California-Santa Barbara?
- The average net price for in-state students is $16,109 a year after grants and scholarships (2023-24).
- What is the acceptance rate at University of California-Santa Barbara?
- About 33% of applicants were admitted (fall 2024).
- Is University of California-Santa Barbara test optional?
- Test policy reported to the federal government: Tests neither required nor recommended.
- What is the graduation rate at University of California-Santa Barbara?
- 84% of first-time, full-time students finish within 150% of normal time, or 6 years (entering classes through fall 2018).
- How much do graduates of University of California-Santa Barbara earn?
- The median graduate earns $70,323 four years after finishing, among graduates working and not enrolled (2024 dollars).
Key takeaways
- 84% of students graduate on time or within 150% of normal time, higher than 96% of public 4-year colleges.
- The earnings premium over a typical high-school graduate would cover the estimated net cost in about 1.9 years of work (not counting income forgone while studying).
- Graduates earn a median $70,323 four years after finishing, more than 81% of public 4-year colleges.
- Families earning under $30,000 pay about $9,231 a year on average, versus $31,863 for families earning over $110,000.
- At $16,109 a year, the average net price is higher than 70% of public 4-year colleges.
Tuition and cost of attendance at University of California-Santa Barbara
Average net price (in-state)
$16,109 per year
Cost of attendance minus average grants and scholarships, for first-time full-time students receiving federal aid.
Estimate your own price with the University of California-Santa Barbara net price calculator ↗
Estimated total net cost
$64,436
Net price × 4 years, at today's prices and assuming on-time completion. Your actual cost depends on your aid.
Net price by family income
Average yearly net price for students receiving federal aid.
- $0–30k $9,231
- $30–48k $9,992
- $48–75k $12,588
- $75–110k $17,136
- $110k+ $31,863
Where the sticker price goes· Cost of attendance $41,573
- Tuition & fees$16,414
- Books & supplies$1,381
- Room & board$20,279
- Other expenses$6,833
- Tuition & fees (in-state)
- $16,414
- Tuition & fees (out-of-state)
- $50,614
University of California-Santa Barbara acceptance rate and admissions
Acceptance rate
Share of applicants admitted.
Test policy: Tests neither required nor recommended
Graduation rate and salary after graduating from University of California-Santa Barbara
Graduation rate
84%
First-time, full-time students finishing within 150% of normal time.
Retention rate
92%
Full-time first-years who return the next fall.
Typical monthly payment
$148
On a standard 10-year federal plan.
Years of earnings premium to cover cost
1.9 years
Net cost ÷ (graduate earnings − high-school graduate earnings). Excludes income forgone while studying and assumes today's earnings. A rough guide, not a prediction.
Earnings vs debt
Of graduates working and not enrolled, in 2024 dollars.
- Debt-to-earnings
- 0.2×Median debt divided by median earnings 4 years after graduating.
- Share of pay going to loans
- 2.5%
- 3-year loan default rate
- 0%
Outcomes by student group
The Scorecard reports some outcomes separately for groups of students. A group is left out when it is too small to report. These are school-level figures and say nothing about any individual student.
Completion within 150% of normal time, by group
Share of students who entered in 2018 and completed within 150% of normal time (six years at a four-year college, three at a two-year college).
All students, same entering cohort: 83%
Group rates and the all-student rate come from the same 2018 entering cohort, so they can be compared directly. Groups at small colleges can rest on very few students. Data period: Entering cohort 2018 (IPEDS).
Earnings ten years after entry
All students who entered this college, whether or not they graduated, in 2022 dollars, ten years after entry.
Typical range: middle half of students
25th percentile $49,095 · median $74,915 · 75th percentile $111,078
Median by family income
Median by sex
This is not the same as the graduates' earnings shown above. It covers everyone who entered, including students who left without a degree, ten years after entry and in 2022 dollars. The graduates' figure covers only completers, four years after finishing, in 2024 dollars. Do not compare the two directly.
Data period: Students who entered in academic years 2009-10 and 2010-11 (pooled), earnings measured in 2020 and 2021, 2022 dollars (Treasury).
Median federal student debt, by group
Median federal loan debt of students who borrowed, when they left school, by group.
By Pell Grant status
By first-generation status
By family income
By gender
Data period: Loans in fiscal years 2020 and 2021 (pooled, NSLDS).
How borrowers are doing
One year after leaving school and entering repayment, here is where the 7,020 federal-loan borrowers from this college stood. It covers borrowers only, not students who did not take federal loans.
Repayment status one year after entering repayment
- Paid in full 19%
- Making progress 16%
- Not making progress 8%
- Delinquent 1%
- Default 0%
- Forbearance 46%
- Deferment 10%
- Discharged 0%
What the terms mean
- Paid in full:
- The borrower has paid off the loans completely.
- Making progress:
- Payments are reducing the loan balance, not just covering interest.
- Not making progress:
- The borrower is paying, but not enough to shrink the balance.
- Delinquent:
- Payments are late but the loan is not yet in default.
- Default:
- The borrower has missed payments for so long that the loan is officially in default.
- Forbearance:
- Payments are temporarily paused or reduced, and interest may keep adding up.
- Deferment:
- Payments are on hold for an approved reason, such as returning to school.
- Discharged:
- The loan was cancelled, for example because of a disability or a school closure.
7,020 borrowers · Data period: Borrowers who entered repayment in the AY2018-19 and AY2019-20 cohorts (pooled, NSLDS).
Programs and majors at University of California-Santa Barbara ranked by earnings
| Program | Earnings, 4 yrs after | Earnings over time | Compared with the U.S. median for this field | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's · Graduates: 90 | $149,190 | 1 yr$107,7764 yrs$149,1905 yrs$145,485 | U.S. median $107,009 U.S. middle half $74.8K–$152K · Above the U.S. median | $13,500 |
| Bachelor's · Graduates: 56 | $144,703 | 1 yr$91,3874 yrs$144,7035 yrs$139,942 | U.S. median $109,015 U.S. middle half $86.3K–$145.2K · Above the U.S. median | $14,410 |
| Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering Bachelor's · Graduates: 54 | $117,215 | 4 yrs$117,2155 yrs$108,865 | U.S. median $100,647 U.S. middle half $84.6K–$122.4K · Above the U.S. median | $15,500 |
| Bachelor's · Graduates: 35 | $113,317 | 1 yr$79,7374 yrs$113,3175 yrs$104,039 | U.S. median $98,158 U.S. middle half $80.3K–$118K · Above the U.S. median | $14,937 |
| Bachelor's · Graduates: 54 | $109,360 | 1 yr$59,6384 yrs$109,3605 yrs$109,292 | U.S. median $91,532 U.S. middle half $63.4K–$127.3K · Above the U.S. median | $17,000 |
| Bachelor's · Graduates: 72 | $104,336 | 1 yr$81,1084 yrs$104,3365 yrs$100,669 | U.S. median $92,135 U.S. middle half $77.7K–$109.1K · Above the U.S. median | $15,000 |
| Pharmacology and Toxicology Bachelor's · Graduates: 25 Small sample | $98,462 | 1 yr$39,4214 yrs$98,4625 yrs$97,773 | U.S. median $68,883 U.S. middle half $50.7K–$92.8K · Above the U.S. median | $14,500 |
| Bachelor's · Graduates: 448 | $98,178 | 1 yr$66,3344 yrs$98,1785 yrs$107,948 | U.S. median $82,686 U.S. middle half $58.2K–$116.3K · Above the U.S. median | $13,440 |
| Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods Bachelor's · Graduates: 56 | $96,078 | 1 yr$66,0994 yrs$96,0785 yrs$98,845 | U.S. median $86,176 U.S. middle half $61.8K–$114.7K · Above the U.S. median | $11,128 |
| Bachelor's · Graduates: 99 | $90,778 | 1 yr$55,1104 yrs$90,7785 yrs$110,783 | U.S. median $92,425 U.S. middle half $64.6K–$125.5K · Below the U.S. median | $17,167 |
Show all 40 programs
| Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology Bachelor's · Graduates: 29 Small sample | $90,694 | 1 yr$49,1004 yrs$90,6945 yrs$90,796 | U.S. median $65,466 U.S. middle half $44.9K–$88.4K · Above the U.S. median | $11,750 |
| Microbiological Sciences and Immunology Bachelor's · Graduates: 29 Small sample | $90,061 | 1 yr$42,6344 yrs$90,061 | U.S. median $62,582 U.S. middle half $44K–$83.2K · Above the U.S. median | $16,500 |
| Bachelor's · Graduates: 93 | $85,391 | 1 yr$46,4474 yrs$85,3915 yrs$75,626 | U.S. median $69,562 U.S. middle half $49.1K–$97.4K · Above the U.S. median | $17,000 |
| Bachelor's · Graduates: 57 | $85,219 | 1 yr$53,5974 yrs$85,2195 yrs$104,149 | U.S. median $76,786 U.S. middle half $51.8K–$102.9K · Above the U.S. median | $15,965 |
| Bachelor's · Graduates: 89 | $74,713 | 1 yr$47,1974 yrs$74,7135 yrs$79,458 | U.S. median $65,120 U.S. middle half $48.3K–$84K · Above the U.S. median | $15,805 |
| Communication and Media Studies Bachelor's · Graduates: 419 | $72,976 | 1 yr$46,5984 yrs$72,9765 yrs$73,857 | U.S. median $56,359 U.S. middle half $39.6K–$76.1K · Above the U.S. median | $13,000 |
| Bachelor's · Graduates: 73 | $71,796 | 1 yr$25,3034 yrs$71,7965 yrs$65,351 | U.S. median $54,455 U.S. middle half $34.9K–$78K · Above the U.S. median | $15,000 |
| Political Science and Government Bachelor's · Graduates: 239 | $70,384 | 1 yr$39,4044 yrs$70,3845 yrs$73,638 | U.S. median $63,293 U.S. middle half $44.8K–$85.4K · Above the U.S. median | $15,033 |
| Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics Bachelor's · Graduates: 68 | $68,496 | 1 yr$35,6354 yrs$68,4965 yrs$60,275 | U.S. median $55,000 U.S. middle half $38.4K–$73.3K · Above the U.S. median | $16,601 |
| Bachelor's · Graduates: 72 | $67,521 | 1 yr$37,3984 yrs$67,5215 yrs$64,880 | U.S. median $57,853 U.S. middle half $42.5K–$75.6K · Above the U.S. median | $14,000 |
| Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences Bachelor's · Graduates: 41 | $66,788 | 1 yr$30,7594 yrs$66,7885 yrs$71,720 | U.S. median $60,190 U.S. middle half $44.3K–$77.6K · Above the U.S. median | $16,298 |
| Research and Experimental Psychology Bachelor's · Graduates: 517 | $66,171 | 1 yr$34,4314 yrs$66,1715 yrs$66,321 | U.S. median $55,695 U.S. middle half $38.1K–$76.5K · Above the U.S. median | $14,500 |
| International/Globalization Studies Bachelor's · Graduates: 271 | $66,127 | 1 yr$33,5534 yrs$66,1275 yrs$65,890 | U.S. median $59,972 U.S. middle half $40.8K–$82.9K · Above the U.S. median | $14,724 |
| Bachelor's · Graduates: 185 | $64,520 | 1 yr$33,4864 yrs$64,5205 yrs$76,068 | U.S. median $57,214 U.S. middle half $38.9K–$79.2K · Above the U.S. median | $14,500 |
| Natural Resources Conservation and Research Bachelor's · Graduates: 287 | $63,628 | 1 yr$33,7594 yrs$63,6285 yrs$66,752 | U.S. median $55,012 U.S. middle half $39.4K–$72.8K · Above the U.S. median | $16,200 |
| Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services Bachelor's · Graduates: 74 | $61,580 | 1 yr$27,6294 yrs$61,5805 yrs$52,393 | U.S. median $49,984 U.S. middle half $32.9K–$69.9K · Above the U.S. median | $13,000 |
| Bachelor's · Graduates: 635 | $60,013 | 1 yr$34,3724 yrs$60,0135 yrs$59,183 | U.S. median $52,657 U.S. middle half $37.7K–$69.5K · Above the U.S. median | $13,500 |
| Bachelor's · Graduates: 141 | $59,342 | 1 yr$29,7494 yrs$59,3425 yrs$57,621 | U.S. median $50,680 U.S. middle half $36.3K–$66.7K · Above the U.S. median | $14,282 |
| English Language and Literature, General Bachelor's · Graduates: 143 | $59,334 | 1 yr$24,0994 yrs$59,3345 yrs$58,240 | U.S. median $48,590 U.S. middle half $33.7K–$63.8K · Above the U.S. median | $16,892 |
| Bachelor's · Graduates: 23 Small sample | $59,042 | — | U.S. median $56,625 U.S. middle half $37.2K–$78.5K · Above the U.S. median | $22,697 |
| Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies Bachelor's · Graduates: 89 | $59,004 | 1 yr$32,3414 yrs$59,0045 yrs$58,175 | U.S. median $51,710 U.S. middle half $34.9K–$68.1K · Above the U.S. median | $13,250 |
| Bachelor's · Graduates: 130 | $56,238 | 1 yr$31,4204 yrs$56,2385 yrs$58,077 | U.S. median $46,676 U.S. middle half $32.1K–$63.9K · Above the U.S. median | $18,000 |
| Bachelor's · Graduates: 28 Small sample | $53,727 | 1 yr$37,6334 yrs$53,7275 yrs$53,012 | U.S. median $44,055 U.S. middle half $32.9K–$58.8K · Above the U.S. median | — |
| Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology Bachelor's · Graduates: 47 | $50,694 | 1 yr$29,2584 yrs$50,6945 yrs$49,625 | U.S. median $48,842 U.S. middle half $36K–$64.3K · Above the U.S. median | $12,750 |
| Film/Video and Photographic Arts Bachelor's · Graduates: 151 | $49,893 | 1 yr$28,6084 yrs$49,8935 yrs$52,687 | U.S. median $43,765 U.S. middle half $26K–$63.4K · Above the U.S. median | $15,000 |
| Bachelor's · Graduates: 73 | $46,428 | 4 yrs$46,4285 yrs$48,583 | U.S. median $41,367 U.S. middle half $26.2K–$56.7K · Above the U.S. median | $15,459 |
| Bachelor's · Graduates: 18 Small sample | $44,858 | — | U.S. median $39,980 U.S. middle half $24.9K–$57.3K · Above the U.S. median | — |
| Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft Bachelor's · Graduates: 47 | $44,106 | 1 yr$20,5034 yrs$44,106 | U.S. median $39,775 U.S. middle half $25.5K–$55.4K · Above the U.S. median | $16,667 |
| Bachelor's · Graduates: 24 Small sample | $43,377 | 1 yr$19,9114 yrs$43,377 | U.S. median $41,390 U.S. middle half $20.5K–$65.2K · Above the U.S. median | $16,500 |
| Bachelor's · Graduates: 18 Small sample | $33,825 | — | U.S. median $42,892 U.S. middle half $26K–$58.8K · Below the U.S. median | — |
Earnings are for graduates working and not enrolled, 4 years after completing, in 2024 dollars.
The U.S. median and middle half (25th to 75th percentile) are for graduates of the same field and credential level at all colleges, 4 years after completing.
The 1-year, 4-year and 5-year figures come from different graduating cohorts and dollar years (1-year: AY2018-19 and AY2019-20 graduates, 2022 dollars; 4-year: AY2017-18 and AY2018-19 graduates, 2024 dollars; 5-year: AY2014-15 and AY2015-16 graduates, 2022 dollars), so read them as three separate measures, not a single career path.
Small samples are noisy: the Scorecard adds privacy noise to program figures and some rows are based on only a handful of graduates, so rows marked “small sample” can move a lot from year to year.
What students study
The largest fields among the degrees and certificates this college awarded, grouped by two-digit CIP code (the federal Classification of Instructional Programs). Fields under 1% are left out.
Share of degrees and certificates awarded, by field
A large share means many awards, not necessarily many students or higher earnings. Data period: Awards in academic year 2024-25 (IPEDS).
Who attends
A snapshot of the undergraduate student body as this college reported it to the federal government. Shares are shown as published; they can differ slightly from 100% because of rounding.
Race and ethnicity
- White 31.8%
- Black or African American 2%
- Hispanic or Latino 27.2%
- Asian 17.9%
- American Indian or Alaska Native 0.1%
- Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.1%
- Two or more races 9.5%
- U.S. nonresident 8.8%
- Race and ethnicity unknown 2.7%
Federal reporting categories. Students who are not U.S. citizens or permanent residents are counted as nonresident, and students who did not report are counted as unknown. Data period: Fall 2024 (IPEDS).
Gender
- Men 42.5%
- Women 57.6%
Federal reporting uses two categories. Data period: Fall 2024 (IPEDS).
Students aged 25 or older
2%
of undergraduates
Many adult students work or have families while enrolled. Data period: Fall 2023 (IPEDS).
Students and campus
- Undergraduate enrollment
- 23,113
- Part-time students
- 2%
- Receive Pell Grants
- 28%
- Receive federal loans
- 18%
- Students per faculty member
- 17 : 1
- Setting
- Suburb
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Frequently asked questions
How much is tuition at University of California-Santa Barbara?
For the 2024-25 academic year, University of California-Santa Barbara reported undergraduate tuition and fees of $16,414 for in-state students and $50,614 for out-of-state students. These are published prices before grants and scholarships; what you pay depends on your aid.
What is the cost of attendance and net price at University of California-Santa Barbara?
The average cost of attendance at University of California-Santa Barbara is $41,573 a year (2023-24), counting tuition, books, housing and other living expenses. After grants and scholarships, the average net price is $16,109 a year. That is higher than 70% of public 4-year colleges.
How much financial aid do students at University of California-Santa Barbara get?
28% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants. 18% receive federal loans. The average net price runs from $9,231 a year for families earning under $30,000 to $31,863 for families earning over $110,000 (2023-24).
What is the acceptance rate at University of California-Santa Barbara?
University of California-Santa Barbara admitted about 33% of applicants in fall 2024. That makes admission selective.
What are the graduation rate and retention rate at University of California-Santa Barbara?
84% of first-time, full-time students at University of California-Santa Barbara finish within 150% of normal time. 92% of full-time first-years return the next fall.
How much do University of California-Santa Barbara graduates earn after graduation?
The median graduate earns $70,323 four years after finishing, among graduates working and not enrolled in further study (2024 dollars). One year after finishing, the median is $38,259.
Is University of California-Santa Barbara worth it?
There is no single answer: it depends on your major, your aid and whether you finish. For University of California-Santa Barbara, the data shows this. The earnings premium over a typical high-school graduate would cover the estimated net cost in about 1.9 years of work. Graduates who borrowed have a median debt of $13,993, about 0.2 times their median earnings four years after finishing. 84% of first-time, full-time students finish within 150% of normal time. These are averages, not predictions, and they do not count income forgone while studying.
How much debt do University of California-Santa Barbara graduates have?
Graduates who borrowed have a median federal-loan debt of $13,993, or about $148 a month on a 10-year plan.
Sources and data periods
All figures come from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard (June 2026 release). Periods differ by measure:
- Average net price: AcadYr 2023-24, reported in IPEDS DCY2024-25
- Acceptance rate: Fall 2024, reported in IPEDS DCY2024-25
- Graduation rate: Fall 2018 or AcadYr 2018-19 cohort (differs by institutional calendar), reported in IPEDS DCY2024-25 pooled with previous years (# of total pooled years found in POOLYRS)
- Median earnings: Treasury AY2017-18, AY2018-19 pooled cohort measured in CY2022, CY2023, inflation adjusted to 2024 dollars
- Median graduate debt: NSLDS FY2020, FY2021 pooled cohorts
Some figures are blank because the school did not report them or the group was too small to publish. How we calculate things