University of California-Santa Barbara Tuition, Acceptance Rate and Admissions (2026)

Santa Barbara, CA · Public · Graduate degree · College Scorecard data · Updated September 10, 2026

In-State Tuition$16,414
Out-of-State Tuition$50,614
Acceptance Rate33%
Average SATNot published

University of California-Santa Barbara vs. State and National Averages

University of California-Santa BarbaraCA AverageNational Average
In-state tuition$16,414$16,639$18,082
vs. average—-1%-9%

Other colleges in Santa Barbara

CollegeTypeUndergraduatesTuition
Westmont CollegePrivate nonprofit1,302$53,584
Santa Barbara City CollegePublic9,889$1,240
Antioch University-Santa BarbaraPrivate nonprofit55Not published

Tuition shown is in-state tuition for schools that report one, otherwise the published tuition for the school's largest program. Source: College Scorecard.

Outcomes and student profile at University of California-Santa Barbara

Median earnings 10 years after enrolling$74,915
Graduation rate (within 150% of normal time)83%
Median debt among graduates who borrowed$13,993
Undergraduates receiving Pell grants28%
Undergraduates aged 25 and over2%
First-generation students42%

Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard. Earnings and debt figures cover students who received federal financial aid.

FAQ

What is the tuition at University of California-Santa Barbara?

In-state tuition at University of California-Santa Barbara is $16,414 and out-of-state tuition is $50,614, according to College Scorecard data.

What is the acceptance rate at University of California-Santa Barbara?

The acceptance rate at University of California-Santa Barbara is 33%.

How hard is it to get into University of California-Santa Barbara?

With an acceptance rate of 33%, University of California-Santa Barbara is selective among U.S. colleges.

What SAT score do you need for University of California-Santa Barbara?

College Scorecard does not publish an average SAT score for University of California-Santa Barbara. Schools without a published figure are usually test-optional, open-admission, or they do not report test scores to the federal survey.

How big is University of California-Santa Barbara?

University of California-Santa Barbara enrolls about 23,113 undergraduate students. The student-faculty ratio is 17:1.

Is University of California-Santa Barbara expensive?

In-state tuition at University of California-Santa Barbara is $16,414, which is 1% below the CA average of $16,639.

How much do graduates of University of California-Santa Barbara earn?

Median earnings ten years after enrolling at University of California-Santa Barbara are $74,915 a year, according to College Scorecard.

How much debt do students at University of California-Santa Barbara take on?

The median debt among University of California-Santa Barbara graduates who borrowed is $13,993, according to College Scorecard.