University of California, Santa Barbara
#35 in National Universities (tie)
Overview
University of California, Santa Barbara is a public institution that was founded in 1909. It has a total undergraduate enrollment of 23,460 (fall 2022), its setting is suburban, and the campus size is 989 acres. It utilizes a quarter-based academic calendar. University of California, Santa Barbara's ranking in the 2024 edition of Best Colleges is National Universities, #35. Its in-state tuition and fees are $14,881; out-of-state tuition and fees are $45,658.
Located 100 miles up the coast from Los Angeles, the University of California, Santa Barbara sits atop cliffs overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Students can get involved in any of the more than 400 clubs and organizations on campus, including a Greek community that comprises about 10% of undergraduate students. UCSB provides housing to about 30% of students in eight residence halls and several university apartment complexes. The UC Santa Barbara Gauchos compete primarily in the NCAA Division I Big West Conference and are known for their successful women’s basketball and men’s soccer teams. Non-varsity students can join a club team such as cycling, surfing, rugby or ski and snowboard.
UCSB encompasses five schools and colleges, the largest of which is the College of Letters and Science, serving undergraduate and graduate students. Graduate programs at UCSB include the highly ranked College of Engineering. The Gevirtz Graduate School of Education and Donald Bren School of Environmental Science and Management are other notable graduate schools at UCSB. Undergraduate students can apply for admissions into the College of Creative Studies, which emphasizes focused studies in one of eight disciplines: art, biology, chemistry and biochemistry, computer science, literature, mathematics, music composition or physics. Musician Jack Johnson and actor Michael Douglas both graduated from UCSB.
University of California, Santa Barbara is a public institution that was founded in 1909. It has a total undergraduate enrollment of 23,460 (fall 2022), its setting is suburban, and the campus size is 989 acres. It utilizes a quarter-based academic calendar. University of California, Santa Barbara's ranking in the 2024 edition of Best Colleges is National Universities, #35. Its in-state tuition and fees are $14,881; out-of-state tuition and fees are $45,658.
Located 100 miles up the coast from Los Angeles, the University of California, Santa Barbara sits atop cliffs overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Students can get involved in any of the more than 400 clubs and organizations on campus, including a Greek community that comprises about 10% of undergraduate students. UCSB provides housing to about 30% of students in eight residence halls and several university apartment complexes. The UC Santa Barbara Gauchos compete primarily in the NCAA Division I Big West Conference and are known for their successful women’s basketball and men’s soccer teams. Non-varsity students can join a club team such as cycling, surfing, rugby or ski and snowboard.
UCSB encompasses five schools and colleges, the largest of which is the College of Letters and Science, serving undergraduate and graduate students. Graduate programs at UCSB include the highly ranked College of Engineering. The Gevirtz Graduate School of Education and Donald Bren School of Environmental Science and Management are other notable graduate schools at UCSB. Undergraduate students can apply for admissions into the College of Creative Studies, which emphasizes focused studies in one of eight disciplines: art, biology, chemistry and biochemistry, computer science, literature, mathematics, music composition or physics. Musician Jack Johnson and actor Michael Douglas both graduated from UCSB.
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At-a-Glance
Setting
Suburban
In-state tuition and fees
$14,881
Undergraduate Enrollment
23,460
Acceptance Rate
26%
2024 Rankings
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Admissions
Cost
Out-of-State Tuition & Fees
$45,658
In-State Tuition & Fees
$14,881
Room & Board
$16,515(2023-24)
Average Need-Based Aid Package
$26,996
$15,458
$15,458
Out-of-State Tuition & Fees
$45,658
In-State Tuition & Fees
$14,881
Room & Board
$16,515(2023-24)
Average Need-Based Aid Package
$26,996
*Average in-state cost after aid
Academics
73%
17:1
57%
Popular Majors
MAJOR
% OF GRADUATES
ALUMNI STARTING SALARY
Social Sciences
27%
N/A
Biological and Biomedical Sciences
10%
N/A
Mathematics and Statistics
9%
N/A
Psychology
9%
N/A
Communication, Journalism, and Related Programs
9%
N/A
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* In cases where salary data at the specific major level is unavailable, a general salary for the major category is displayed.
Faculty Research Impact
Bibliometric Rank
6
Bibliometrics is the statistical analyses of publications and citations for the purpose of measuring faculty research impact.Publications Cited in Top 25% of Journals
76%
Publications Cited in Top 5% of Journals
30%
Total Papers published between 2018-2022
19,789
Citations Per Publication
19:1
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Students
23,460
Graduate Enrollment
2,961
Total Enrollment
26,421
Full-Time Degree-Seeking Students
22,304
Student Diversity
Gender Distribution
Ethnic Diversity
55%
Minority Enrollment
55%
Minority Enrollment
31%
White
26%
Hispanic
20%
Asian
12%
International
7%
Two or more races
2%
Black
2%
Unknown
Not Specified is not included in this breakdown due to an enrollment of 0%.
Campus Life
Housing and Dorms
Types of campus housing available:
Student Activities
94+
Sports Teams
17
Fraternities
20
Sororities
After College
Graduation Rate
73%
Graduating Students Who Have Borrowed (any loan type, 2021)
40%
Average Debt at Graduation
$17,242
$36,242
$36,242
Graduation Rate
73%
Graduating Students Who Have Borrowed (any loan type, 2021)
40%
Average Debt at Graduation
$17,242
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Reviews & Ratings
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Undergraduate data are based on the 2022 school year.
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