University of California, Santa Barbara

University of California, Santa Barbara is a public, state school in a suburban setting in Santa Barbara, California. UC Santa Barbara was founded in 1909 and now enrolls around 26,023 students a year, including 23,196 undergrads. UC Santa Barbara offers on-campus housing for students.

There are many ways for students to get involved at UC Santa Barbara! Love music or performing? Sing in a chorus or perform with one of UC Santa Barbara's theater groups.

Interested in journalism or communications? UC Santa Barbara students can write for the campus newspaper, host a radio show or be a producer for the student-run television channel.

Thinking of pledging? UC Santa Barbara has fraternities and sororities.

Planning to play sports? UC Santa Barbara has many options for athletes. See them all and learn more about life at UC Santa Barbara on the Student Life page.

Learn more about life at UC Santa Barbara on the Student Life page.

Mark your calendar! The final application deadline for Fall 2022 is November 30. Regular decision applicants for Fall 2022 should hear from UC Santa Barbara by March 31.

Is UC Santa Barbara a Good School?

The definition of a "good school" is different for different people. Admissions criteria, acceptance rate and average GPA are good indicators of how selective an institution is, but they don't tell you how happy or successful students are. However, there are a few good ways to get a better sense how satisfied students are and how well a school supports its student body.

Let's take a look at each of these factors to get a better sense of what UC Santa Barbara offers and if it sounds like the right college for you.

2021 Acceptance Rate for University of California, Santa Barbara

It is very difficult to get into UC Santa Barbara. Around 37% of applicants get into UC Santa Barbara each year. Out of 90,963 applications received in 2021, 33,385 students were offered admission.

Retention and Graduation Rates at UC Santa Barbara

Retention is the number of students that stay enrolled at a school over time. This is a way to get a sense of how satisfied students are with their school experience, and if they have the support necessary to succeed in college.

Out of all the first-year, full-time undergrads who start at UC Santa Barbara, around 91% come back the next year. Around 89% of students who started at UC Santa Barbara earn their Bachelor's degrees within six years. The average six-year graduation rate for U.S. colleges and universities is 61% for public schools, and 67% for private, non-profit schools.

Job Outlook UC Santa Barbara Graduates

Job placement statistics for recent graduates can give you a sense of the return on investment a school offers.

UC Santa Barbara's Endowment

An endowment is the total value of a school's investments, donations, and assets. Endowment is not necessarily an indicator of the quality of a school, but it can give you a sense of how much money a college can afford to invest in expanding programs, improving facilities, and support students. UC Santa Barbara's endowment was valued at $434.1 million in 2021, compared to a national average of $905 million.

Tuition and Financial Aid at UC Santa Barbara

Cost is another important factor when choose a college. Some colleges may have high tuition, but do a better job at meeting students' financial need. UC Santa Barbara meets 76% of the demonstrated financial need for undergraduates. The average financial aid package for a full-time, first-year student is around $21,300 a year.

The average student debt for graduates in the class of 2021 was around $19,034 per student, not including those with no debt. For context, compare this number with the average national debt, which is around $36,000 per borrower.

The 2022-2023 FAFSA Opened on October 1st, 2021

Some financial aid is available on a first-come, first-served basis, so fill out the FAFSA asap. Visit the FAFSA website to apply for student aid. Remember, the first F in FAFSA stands for FREE! No one should ever pay to fill out the FREE Application for Federal Student Aid, (FAFSA), so don't give your money (or info!) to any website that claim you do.

Learn more about Tuition and Financial Aid at UC Santa Barbara. Based on this information, how does UC Santa Barbara sound? Remember, a school that is perfect for one person may not be the right school for another! So ask yourself: Is UC Santa Barbara a good school for you?

If University of California, Santa Barbara seems like a school you want to apply to, click the heart button to save it to your college list.

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Where is University of California, Santa Barbara Located?

UC Santa Barbara is located in the suburban setting of Santa Barbara, California.

If you want to see UC Santa Barbara for yourself, plan a visit. The best way to reach campus is to take U.S. Highway 101 to Santa Barbara, or book a flight to the nearest airport, Los Angeles International.

You can also take a virtual campus tour to get a sense of what UC Santa Barbara and Santa Barbara are like without leaving home.

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