University of Alabama at Birmingham vs. UCSC

Should I go to University of Alabama at Birmingham or University of California Santa Cruz? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if University of Alabama at Birmingham or UCSC 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.

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University of Alabama at Birmingham vs. University of California Santa Cruz comparison
University of Alabama at Birmingham University of California Santa Cruz College 3 College 4
University of Alabama at Birmingham University of California Santa Cruz
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Overview

University of Alabama at Birmingham UCSC
Location Birmingham, AL Santa Cruz, CA
Setting Midsize City Small City
Enrollment 21,160 19,764
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #430 #251
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website uab.edu ucsc.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

University of Alabama at Birmingham UCSC
Tuition (In State) $8,832 $11,834
Tuition (Out of State) $21,864 $42,611
Room & Board $13,590 $18,785
Avg Net Price $17,413 $16,526
Avg Grant Aid $11,333 $21,564
% Receiving Grant Aid 95% 65%

Admission

University of Alabama at Birmingham UCSC
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 10,919 68,845
Admitted 9,655 43,054
Acceptance Rate 88.4% 62.5%
Enrolled % 21.7% 10.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.82 3.63
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Very High Very High
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 22/30 25/33
SAT Range 1130/1400 1160/1360
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline Jun 1, 2026 Nov 30, 2025

Academics

University of Alabama at Birmingham UCSC
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 22:1
Popular Majors
  • Health Professions (22%)
  • Business (18%)
  • Education (11%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • Psychology (6%)
  • Social Sciences (17%)
  • Biology (14%)
  • Psychology (11%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (10%)
  • Business (9%)

Outcomes

University of Alabama at Birmingham UCSC
Graduation Rate 45% 73%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $46,400 $50,400
Making Student Loan Payments 52% 74%
Median Student Loan Debt $21,500 $19,959
Median Loan Payment $222 $206

Diversity

University of Alabama at Birmingham UCSC
% Men 15% 5%
% Women 26% 5%
Racial Diversity High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 59% 33%
% Black 25% 2%
% Hispanic 3% 31%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 7%
% International 2% 4%
% Unknown Race 1% 2%

Students

University of Alabama at Birmingham UCSC
% In-State 82% 91%
% Out-of-State 16% 7%

Campus

University of Alabama at Birmingham UCSC
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility No Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • University of Alabama at Birmingham is larger than than UCSC based on total student enrollment (21,160 students vs. 19,764 students)

University of Alabama at Birmingham vs. UCSC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, University of Alabama at Birmingham or UCSC?

  • University of California Santa Cruz is 34% more expensive to attend than University of Alabama at Birmingham for in-state tuition ($11,834.00 vs. $8,832.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 94.9% higher at UCSC than University of Alabama at Birmingham ($42,611.00 vs. $21,864.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of California Santa Cruz than University of Alabama at Birmingham ($16,526 vs. $17,413)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Alabama at Birmingham are 38.2% lower than costs at University of California Santa Cruz ($13,590 vs. $18,785)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of Alabama at Birmingham than University of California Santa Cruz (95% vs. 65%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of California Santa Cruz students is 90.3% larger than aid received University of Alabama at Birmingham ($21,564 vs. $11,333)

University of Alabama at Birmingham vs. UCSC Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of California Santa Cruz (1201) is 54 points higher than at University of Alabama at Birmingham (1147)
  • Incoming UCSC students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (28) than students at University of Alabama at Birmingham (25)
  • Accepted freshman University of Alabama at Birmingham students have a 0.19 point higher average high school GPA (3.82) than students at UCSC (3.63)
  • University of Alabama at Birmingham has a higher acceptance rate (88.4%) than UCSC (62.5%)

University of Alabama at Birmingham vs. UCSC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, University of Alabama at Birmingham or UCSC? 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 UCSC and University of Alabama at Birmingham.

  • The graduation rate at UCSC is higher than University of Alabama at Birmingham (73% vs. 45%)
  • Graduates from University of California Santa Cruz earn on average $4,000 more per year than University of Alabama at Birmingham graduates after ten years. ($50,400 vs. $46,400)
  • University of California Santa Cruz students graduate with a $1,541 lower median federal student loan debt than University of Alabama at Birmingham graduates. ($19,959 vs. $21,500)
  • UCSC graduates are paying $16 less per month on federal student loans than University of Alabama at Birmingham graduates. ($206 vs. $222)
  • More UCSC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former University of Alabama at Birmingham students, three years after graduation. (74% vs. 52%)

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