Alabama vs. UCSB

Should I go to The University of Alabama or University of California Santa Barbara? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Alabama or UCSB is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.

Add a college to compare up to four schools

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

UCSD Tennessee Ole Miss UCI UCSC Cal Poly Auburn LSU UC Davis UCLA UW-Seattle UC Berkeley
The University of Alabama vs. University of California Santa Barbara comparison
The University of Alabama University of California Santa Barbara College 3 College 4
The University of Alabama University of California Santa Barbara
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

Alabama UCSB
Location Tuscaloosa, AL Santa Barbara, CA
Setting Small City Midsize Suburban
Enrollment 38,644 26,420
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #404 #109
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website ua.edu ucsb.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Alabama UCSB
Tuition (In State) $11,100 $11,564
Tuition (Out of State) $31,460 $41,636
Room & Board $14,426 $16,883
Avg Net Price $20,592 $16,874
Avg Grant Aid $15,683 $20,389
% Receiving Grant Aid 82% 53%

Admission

Alabama UCSB
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 54,072 110,995
Admitted 43,290 28,688
Acceptance Rate 80.1% 25.8%
Enrolled % 18.6% 17.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.76 3.82
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Very High Exceptional
Applicant Competition High
ACT Range 23/31 28/34
SAT Range 1130/1410 1230/1460
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline May 1, 2025 Nov 30, 2024

Academics

Alabama UCSB
Student to Faculty Ratio 19:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (29%)
  • Health Professions (10%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Work and Family Studies (7%)
  • Engineering (7%)
  • Social Sciences (20%)
  • Business (11%)
  • Psychology (10%)
  • Biology (7%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)

Outcomes

Alabama UCSB
Graduation Rate 66% 80%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $49,900 $59,000
Making Student Loan Payments 59% 73%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,750 $16,451
Median Loan Payment $245 $170

Diversity

Alabama UCSB
% Men 43% 45%
% Women 57% 55%
Racial Diversity Low Very High
HBCU No No
% White 78% 35%
% Black 11% 2%
% Hispanic 4% 26%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 8%
% International 2% 7%
% Unknown Race 0% 3%

Students

Alabama UCSB
% In-State 35% 78%
% Out-of-State 64% 10%

Campus

Alabama UCSB
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes No
Daycare Facility Yes Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • The University of Alabama is larger than than UCSB based on total student enrollment (38,644 students vs. 26,420 students)

Alabama vs. UCSB Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Alabama or UCSB?

  • University of California Santa Barbara is 4.2% more expensive to attend than Alabama for in-state tuition ($11,564.00 vs. $11,100.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 32.3% higher at UCSB than The University of Alabama ($41,636.00 vs. $31,460.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of California Santa Barbara than Alabama ($16,874 vs. $20,592)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at The University of Alabama are 17% lower than costs at University of California Santa Barbara ($14,426 vs. $16,883)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at The University of Alabama than University of California Santa Barbara (82% vs. 53%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of California Santa Barbara students is 30% larger than aid received The University of Alabama ($20,389 vs. $15,683)

Alabama vs. UCSB Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Alabama or UCSB? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between UCSB or Alabama .

  • The average SAT score at University of California Santa Barbara (1248) is 67 points higher than at Alabama (1181)
  • Incoming UCSB students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (29) than students at Alabama (27)
  • Accepted freshman UCSB students have a 0.06 point higher average high school GPA (3.82) than students at Alabama (3.76)
  • Alabama has a higher acceptance rate (80.1%) than UCSB (25.8%)

Alabama vs. UCSB Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Alabama or UCSB? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between UCSB and Alabama.

  • The graduation rate at UCSB is higher than The University of Alabama (80% vs. 66%)
  • Graduates from University of California Santa Barbara earn on average $9,100 more per year than Alabama graduates after ten years. ($59,000 vs. $49,900)
  • University of California Santa Barbara students graduate with a $7,299 lower median federal student loan debt than Alabama graduates. ($16,451 vs. $23,750)
  • UCSB graduates are paying $75 less per month on federal student loans than Alabama graduates. ($170 vs. $245)
  • More UCSB graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Alabama students, three years after graduation. (73% vs. 59%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/