Quad

University of California-Santa Barbara

Santa Barbara, CAQuad's selectivityVery selective
Known forBig campusVery diverseHigh graduation rate
WebsiteAdmissionsApplyVisitFinancial aid

Admissions · Fall 2024

1 in 3 applicants admitted

U. California-Santa Barbara admits about 1 in 3 applicants (33%). That puts it in the "Very selective" tier, more selective than 93% of the 1,547 colleges that report admissions.

33%

33%

acceptance rateQuad's selectivityVery selective

Applied

110,259

Admitted

36,347

Yield

14%

of admits enroll

Applications +65% since fall 2014 · admit rate 36% → 33%Over time

Getting in, in detail: funnel, what they look at, your scores

Students

Who's on campus

A large campus of 23,113 undergrads, where 28% receive Pell Grants, a typical share compared to other colleges.

23.1K

undergrads · larger than 96% of colleges

Diversity index

0.78

Pell Grant

28%

below the median

First generation

42%

above the median

Midsize suburbNCAA D-I · Big West ConferenceROTCStudy abroadUndergrad research
Steady · index 0.75 → 0.78 since fall 2014Over time

Students and campus life in detail

Academics

Majors and faculty

The most popular major is Econometrics and Quantitative Economics (11% of graduates). 17 students for every faculty member, more than at 78% of colleges. 90% of faculty are full-time. Spends $17,118 a year on instruction per student.

17 to 1

students per faculty member · more than at 78% of colleges

Most popular major

Econometrics and Quantitative Economics

11% of 2024–25 graduates

Top-earning major

Computer Science

$149.2K four years after completion

Full-time faculty

90%

of faculty

Instruction spending

$17.1K

per student a year

All majors with search, earnings by major, and faculty

Cost & aid · 2023–24

What it costs

In 2023–24, the average first-year paid an estimated $33,964 in total (tuition, housing, food, books and other costs, after grants), $9.7K more than the national median. The 53% who received grants paid $17,658 on average; the other 47% paid the full sticker price of $40,587 in-state / $71,364 out-of-state.

28%

$34K

average total cost per year, all first-years, after grants (est.) · $9.7K above the national median

$0$110K$400K+
Full price, in-state
$40,587 a year
tuition, housing, food, books, and other costs
Need-based aid
Published data end at $110K
use the college's net price calculator for higher incomes
Aid generosity

Moderate

grants cover 28% of full price

Federal loans

18%

of undergrads · national median 45%

Your price

Net price calculator

the college's own

Financial aid

Financial aid office Veterans' benefits
Cost steady · +1% after inflation since 2013–14Over time

Prices, who gets aid, and borrowing in detail

Outcomes

What it pays

Former students earn a median $74,915 ten years after enrolling, more than at 88% of colleges; 87% graduate within six years. Four years of net price is about 1.8 years of that salary.

87%

87%

graduate within six years · national median 59%

Median earnings

$74.9K

10 years after entry

Median debt

$14K

≈ $148/month for 10 years

Retention

93%

come back for year two

Graduation rate 81% → 83% since the class that entered fall 2008Over time

Earnings, finishing, 8-year outcomes, by group

Over time · since 2013–14

How it's changed

Since 2013–14, the full price fell 3% after inflation, while what the average first-year paid held about steady, as grants covered less of it. Applications rose 65% since fall 2014, and the acceptance rate went from 36% to 33%.

  • Cost

    Steady

    +1% after inflation

  • Applications

    Growing

    +65%

  • Selectivity

    More selective

    admit rate 36% → 33%

  • Diversity

    Steady

    index 0.75 → 0.78

Every series, year by year

Keep exploring

Schools like this one

University of California-Berkeley

11% admit · 33.1K undergrads

Similar selectivitySimilar sizeAlso West
Compare side-by-side

University of California-Los Angeles

9.0% admit · 33.5K undergrads

Similar selectivitySimilar sizeAlso West
Compare side-by-side

University of Maryland Global Campus

49.7K undergrads

Similar sizeAlso public
Compare side-by-side

The University of Texas at Austin

27% admit · SAT 1380 · 42.9K undergrads

Similar selectivitySimilar sizeAlso public
Compare side-by-side
Sources for this overviewEvery dataset and year behind the numbers on this profile; tap any ⓘ for one number's source

Sources for this profile

  1. 1
    IPEDS directory (Institutional Characteristics: HD)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2025–26 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  2. 2
    College Scorecard

    U.S. Department of Education · most recent release; Entered fall 2023; Fall 2024; 2023–24; Fall 2023 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  3. 3
    IPEDS Admissions survey

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  4. 4
    IPEDS Institutional Characteristics survey

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2023–24 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  5. 5
    IPEDS Institutional Characteristics survey (athletics, programs, services, religious affiliation)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2025–26 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  6. 6
    IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (part D)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  7. 7
    IPEDS Completions survey (degrees awarded by field)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2024–25 graduates · retrieved 2026-10-12

  8. 8
    College Scorecard Field of Study data

    U.S. Department of Education · most recent release · retrieved 2026-10-12

  9. 9
    IPEDS Finance survey, derived per-student figures

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2023–24 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  10. 10
    IPEDS Student Financial Aid survey

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2023–24 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  11. 11
    Common Data Set

    Each college (voluntary, standardized template) · most recent release · retrieved 2026-10-12

  12. 12
    IPEDS Graduation Rates survey (Pell Grant and subsidized loan recipients)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Entered fall 2018 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  13. 13
    IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (part C, residence of first-time students)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  14. 14
    IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (part A, enrollment by level)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  15. 15
    IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (distance education)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  16. 16
    IPEDS Salaries survey (SAL, instructional staff, all ranks)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  17. 17
    IPEDS Outcome Measures survey

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Students entering fall 2016 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  18. 18
    University of California-Santa Barbara (2026)

    University of California-Santa Barbara · 2026 · retrieved 2026-10-04

IPEDS unit ID 110705 · Data retrieved 2026-10-12. Tap any ⓘ to see where that number came from and what year it describes. National ranks and medians include every 4-year college that reports the measure. How we source and calculate everything