University of California-Santa Barbara

www.ucsb.edu/

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2021 Undergraduate Tuition

$11,442

2021 Average Net Price

$17,333

After Financial Aid

2019 Student Loan

0.51%

Default Rate

2021 Acceptance Rate

29.2%

105,641 Applicants

2021 Enrolled Students

26,124

96.6% Full-Time

2021 Graduation Rate

85.4%

3,807 Graduates

About

University of California-Santa Barbara is a higher education institution located in Santa Barbara County, CA. In 2021, the most popular Bachelors Degree concentrations at University of California-Santa Barbara were Sociology (717 degrees awarded), Econometrics & Quantitative Economics (695 degrees), and General Communication (462 degrees).

In 2021, 7,875 degrees were awarded across all undergraduate and graduate programs at University of California-Santa Barbara. 55.6% of these degrees were awarded to women, and 44.4% awarded men. The most common race/ethnicity group of degree recipients was white (2,696 degrees), 1.48 times more than then the next closest race/ethnicity group, hispanic or latino (1,827 degrees).

The median undergraduate tuition at University of California-Santa Barbara is $11,442, which is $−17,550 less than the national average for Doctoral Universities ($28,992).

About the photo: Beteen the Nano (Courtyard) Cafe and CNSI

Photo by Glenn Beltz

Doctoral Universities: Highest Research Activity Doctoral Universities

Costs

In 2021, the median undergraduate tuition at University of California-Santa Barbara is $11,442, which is $−17,550 less than the national average for Doctoral Universities ($28,992).

After taking grants and loans into account, the average net price for students is $17,333.

In 2021, 62% of undergraduate students attending University of California-Santa Barbara received financial aid through grants. Comparatively, 17% of undergraduate students received financial aid through loans.

Tuition Costs

$11,442

2021 Undergraduate Tuition

In 2021, the cost of tuition at University of California-Santa Barbara was $11,442. The cost of tuition at University of California-Santa Barbara is $−17,550 less than than the overall (public and private) national average for Doctoral Universities ($28,992).

This chart compares the tuition costs of University of California-Santa Barbara (in red) with those of other similar universities.

Average Net Price

$17,333

2021 Value

0.639%

1 Year Growth

In 2021 University of California-Santa Barbara had an average net price — the price paid after factoring in grants and loans — of $17,333. Between 2020 and 2021, the average net price of University of California-Santa Barbara grew by 0.639%.

This chart compares the average net price of University of California-Santa Barbara (in red) with that of other similar universities.

Average net price is calculated from full-time beginning undergraduate students who were awarded a grant or scholarship from federal, state or local governments, or the institution.

Other Student Expenses

$14,546

Room and Board

$1,259

Books and Supplies

The average yearly cost of room and board at University of California-Santa Barbara was of $14,546 in 2021. The cost of room and board increased by 2.66% between 2020 and 2021.

During the same period, the average yearly cost of books and supplies was $1,259. The cost of books and supplies increased by 6.33% during the same period.

This chart compares the average student costs at University of California-Santa Barbara (in red) with that of similar universities.

Financial Aid by Income Level

62%

Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Grants

17%

Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Loans

62% of undergraduate students at University of California-Santa Barbara received financial aid through grants or loans in 2021. This represents a decline of 1.59% with respect to 2020, when 63% of undergraduate students received financial aid.

This chart compares the average award discount at University of California-Santa Barbara (in red) with that of other similar universities.

The average award discount is the ratio between the average grant or scholarship value, and the cost, which is the sum of out-of-state tuition, room, board, book, supplies, and other expenses.

Student Loan Default Rate

Cohort default rates only account for borrowers who default in the first three years, and some schools only have a small proportion of borrowers entering repayment. These rates should be interpreted with caution, as they may not be reflective of the entire school population.

0.51%

2019 Default Rate

Number of Defaults

In 2019 the default rate for borrower's at University of California-Santa Barbara was 0.51%, which represents 19 out of the 3725 total borrowers.

A cohort default rate is the percentage of a school's borrowers who enter repayment on certain Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL) Program or William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan (Direct Loan) Program loans during a particular federal fiscal year (FY), October 1 to September 30, and default or meet other specified conditions prior to the end of the second following fiscal year.

Admissions

University of California-Santa Barbara received 105,641 undergraduate applications in 2021, which represents a 16.1% annual growth. Out of those 105,641 applicants, 30,824 students were accepted for enrollment, representing a 29.2% acceptance rate.

There were 26,124 students enrolled at University of California-Santa Barbara in 2021. 82% of first-time enrollees submitted SAT scores with their applications.

University of California-Santa Barbara has an overall enrollment yield of 15.9%, which represents the number of admitted students who ended up enrolling.

Acceptance Rate

29.2%

Acceptance Rate in 2021

30,824

Accepted Out of 105,641

In 2021, the undergraduate acceptance rate of University of California-Santa Barbara was 29.2% (30,824 admissions from 105,641 applications). This is lower than the acceptance rate of 2020, which was 36.7%. Between 2020 and 2021, the number of applicants grew by 16.1%, while admissions declined by −7.67%..

This chart compares the acceptance rate of University of California-Santa Barbara (in red) with that of other similar universities, and the chart below shows the acceptance rate by gender.

SAT Scores

82%

Submission Percentage (2020)

3,957

Scores Submitted (2020)

82% of enrolled first-time students at University of California-Santa Barbara in 2020 submitted SAT scores with their applications.

This chart shows the SAT scores for the 25th and 75th percentile of applicants broken out into each section of the test that their are evaluated on.

Enrollment

University of California-Santa Barbara had a total enrollment of 26,124 students in 2021. The full-time enrollment at University of California-Santa Barbara is 25,244 students and the part-time enrollment is 880. This means that 96.6% of students enrolled at University of California-Santa Barbara are enrolled full-time.

The enrolled student population at University of California-Santa Barbara, both undergraduate and graduate, is 32.7% White, 23.8% Hispanic or Latino, 17.5% Asian, 7.8% Two or More Races, 1.96% Black or African American, 0.145% American Indian or Alaska Native, and 0.119% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders.

Students enrolled at University of California-Santa Barbara in full-time Undergraduate programs are most commonly White Female (18.3%), followed by Hispanic or Latino Female (16.2%) and White Male (13.3%). Students enrolled in full-time Graduate programs are most commonly White Male (20.6%), followed by White Female (19.2%) and Hispanic or Latino Female (6.32%).

Full-Time vs Part-Time Enrollment

96.6%

Full-Time Enrollment

The total enrollment at University of California-Santa Barbara in 2021, both undergraduate and graduate, is 26,124 students. The full-time enrollment at University of California-Santa Barbara is 25,244 and the part-time enrollment is 880. This means that 96.6% of students enrolled at University of California-Santa Barbara are enrolled full-time compared with 76.6% at similar Doctoral Universities.

This chart shows the full-time vs part-time enrollment status at University of California-Santa Barbara (in red) compares to similar universities.

Retention Rate over Time

91%

2021 Retention Rate

Retention rate measures the number of first-time students who began their studies the previous fall and returned to school the following fall. The retention rate for full-time undergraduates at University of California-Santa Barbara was 91%. Compared with the full-time retention rate at similar Doctoral Universities (84%), University of California-Santa Barbara had a retention rate higher than its peers.

This chart shows the retention rate over time at University of California-Santa Barbara (highlighted in red) compares to similar universities.

Enrollment by Race & Ethnicity

Most Common Race or Ethnicity (2021)

White
8,550 enrolled students
Hispanic or Latino
6,222 enrolled students
Asian
4,568 enrolled students

The enrolled student population at University of California-Santa Barbara is 32.7% White, 23.8% Hispanic or Latino, 17.5% Asian, 7.8% Two or More Races, 1.96% Black or African American, 0.145% American Indian or Alaska Native, and 0.119% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders. This includes both full-time and part-time students as well as graduate and undergraduates. By comparison, enrollment for all Doctoral Universities is 48.9% White, 15.1% Hispanic or Latino, and 9.56% Black or African American.

Any student who is studying in the United States on a temporary basis is categorized as a "Non-Resident Alien", and the share of those students are shown in the chart below. Additionally, 675 students (2.58%) did not report their race.

Graduates

In 2021, 881 more women than men received degrees from University of California-Santa Barbara. The most common race/ethnicity group of degree recipients at University of California-Santa Barbara is white (2,696 degrees awarded). There were 1.48 times more white recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, hispanic or latino (1827 degrees).

The most common Bachelor's Degree concentration at University of California-Santa Barbara is Sociology (717 degrees awarded), followed by Econometrics & Quantitative Economics (695 degrees) and General Communication (462 degrees).

In 2021, the most specialized majors across all degree types at University of California-Santa Barbara, meaning they have significantly more degrees awarded in that concentration than the national average across all institutions, are Natural Resources & Conservation (470 degrees awarded), Math & Statistics (631 degrees), and Social Sciences (2,053 degrees).

Common Jobs by Major

Lawyers, & judges, magistrates, & other judicial workers

Most Common Job

The most common jobs for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at University of California-Santa Barbara are Lawyers, & judges, magistrates, & other judicial workers (345,583 people), Other managers (262,968 people), Postsecondary teachers (165,657 people), Elementary & middle school teachers (160,851 people), and Chief executives & legislators (119,905 people).

The most specialized majors at University of California-Santa Barbara in 2021 are Natural Resources & Conservation (470 degrees awarded), Math & Statistics (631 degrees), Social Sciences (2,053 degrees), Cultural & Gender Studies (152 degrees), and PHILOSOPHY AND RELIGIOUS STUDIES. (182 degrees) (as of 2021).

Highest Paying Jobs by Major

Media and communication workers, all other

Highest Paying Job

The highest paying jobs for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at University of California-Santa Barbara are Media and communication workers, all other, Surgeons, Securities, commodities, & financial services sales agents, Cardiovascular technologists and technicians, and Aerospace engineers

The most specialized majors at University of California-Santa Barbara are Natural Resources & Conservation (470 degrees awarded), Math & Statistics (631 degrees), Social Sciences (2,053 degrees), Cultural & Gender Studies (152 degrees), and PHILOSOPHY AND RELIGIOUS STUDIES. (182 degrees) (as of 2021).

Common Industries by Major

Elementary & secondary schools

Most Common Industry

The most common industries for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at University of California-Santa Barbara are Elementary & secondary schools (378,582 people), Colleges, universities & professional schools, including junior colleges (330,167 people), Legal services (272,827 people), Computer Systems Design (224,578 people), and Justice, public order, & safety activities (179,294 people).

Majors Awarded

IPEDS uses the Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) standard, so the categories may not match the exact concentrations offered by University of California-Santa Barbara.

Most Common (2021)

Sociology
717 degree-majors awarded
Econometrics & Quantitative Economics
695 degree-majors awarded
General Communication
462 degree-majors awarded

In 2021, the most common bachelors degree concentration at University of California-Santa Barbara was Sociology with 717 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of degree-majors recipients from bachelors degree programs at University of California-Santa Barbara according to their major.

Sex Breakdown for Common Majors

3,497

Degrees Awarded to Men

in 2021

4,378

Degrees Awarded to Women

in 2021

In 2021, 3,497 degrees were awarded to men at University of California-Santa Barbara, which is 0.799 times less than the number of degrees awarded to females (4,378).

This chart displays the sex disparity between the top 5 majors at University of California-Santa Barbara by degrees awarded.

Most Common Male Majors

In 2021, 440 degrees were awarded to men at University of California-Santa Barbara in Econometrics & Quantitative Economics, which is 1.55 times more than the 283 female recipients with that same degree.

Most Common Female Majors

In 2021, 526 degrees were awarded to men at University of California-Santa Barbara in Sociology, which is 2.63 times more than the 200 male recipients with that same degree.

Time to Complete

68%

100% Completion Time

83%

150% Completion Time

In 2021, 68% of students graduating from University of California-Santa Barbara completed their program within 100% "normal time" (i.e. 4 years for a 4-year degree). Comparatively, 83% completed their degrees within 150% of the normal time, and 85% within 200%.

The following chart shows these completion rates over time compared to the average for the Doctoral Universities Carnegie Classification group.

Graduation rate is defined as the percentage of full-time, first-time students who received a degree or award within a specific percentage of "normal time" to completion for their program.

Graduation Rate by Race and Sex

Showing demographic groups with ≥ 5 graduating students.

Asian Female

Highest Graduation Rate (92.4%)

The student demographic with the highest graduation rate in 2021 at University of California-Santa Barbara is Female and Asian (92.4% graduation rate). Across all Doctoral Universities, Asian Female students have the highest graduation rate (72.9%).

The department of education defines graduation rate as the percentage of full-time, first-time students who received a degree or award within 150% of "normal time" to completion.

The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) categorizes any student who is studying in the United States on a temporary basis as a "Non-Resident Alien", and the graduation rate of those students is shown in the chart below. Additionally, 1.63% of graduates (62 students) did not report their race.

Race & Ethnicity by Share

Most Common Student Race or Ethnicity (2021)

White
2,696 degrees awarded
Hispanic or Latino
1,827 degrees awarded
Asian
1,295 degrees awarded

The most common race/ethnicity at University of California-Santa Barbara is white (2,696 degrees awarded). There were 1.48 times more white recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, hispanic or latino (1827 degrees).

2.49% of degree recipients (196 students) did not report their race.

Race & Ethnicity by Sex

Most Common Sex Demographic (2021)

White Female
1,488 degrees awarded
White Male
1,208 degrees awarded
Hispanic or Latino Female
1,113 degrees awarded

The most common race/ethnicity and sex grouping at University of California-Santa Barbara is white female (1,488 degrees awarded). There were 1.23 times more white female recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, white male (1208 degrees).

Operations

University of California-Santa Barbara employs 515 Professors, 200 Assistant professors and 194 Lecturers. Most academics at University of California-Santa Barbara are Male Professor (316), Female Professor (199), and Male Assistant professor (116).

The most common positions for non-instructional staff at University of California-Santa Barbara are: Business and Financial Operations, with 543 employees, Office and Administrative Support, with 497 employees, and Research with 469 employees.

Government Grants and Contracts

Grants & Contracts

$131M - Federal
$8.42M - State
$684k - Local

As of 2021, University of California-Santa Barbara received $131M in grants and contracts from the federal government, $8.42M from state grants and contracts, and $684k from local grants and contracts.

Salary Expenditure

$554M

2021 Salaries

3.48%

decline from 2020

In 2021, University of California-Santa Barbara paid a median of $554M in salaries, a 3.48% decline from the previous year.

The median for similar Doctoral Universities is 234M (42.8% of overall expenditures).

Instructional Salaries

$171M

Instructional Salaries

1,073

Number of Employees

In 2021, University of California-Santa Barbara paid a total of $171M to 1,073 employees working as instructors, which represents 30.8% of all salaries paid.

This is compared to a median of $71M (30.3%) for similar Doctoral Universities.

Occupations by Share

Professor

Most Common Instructor

515 Employees

Business and Financial Operations

Most Common Non-Instructional Employee

543 Employees

In 2021, the most common positions for instructional staff at University of California-Santa Barbara were Professor with 515 employees, Assistant professor with 200 employees, and Lecturer with 194 employees.

In 2021, the most common positions for non-instructional staff at University of California-Santa Barbara were Business and Financial Operations with 543 employees, Office and Administrative Support with 497 employees, and Research with 469 employees.

Instructors by Academic Rank and Sex

Most Common Demographic (2021)

Male Professor
Female Professor
Male Assistant professor

In 2021, the most common demographic for instructional staff at University of California-Santa Barbara was Male Professor with 316 employees, Female Professor with 199 employees, and Male Assistant professor with 116 employees.

This chart shows the sex split between each academic rank present at University of California-Santa Barbara.