UCI vs. UCSB

Should I go to University of California Irvine or University of California Santa Barbara? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if UCI 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 UCLA UCSC Cal Poly UC Davis UC Riverside UW-Seattle UC Berkeley San Diego State ASU USC Pepperdine
University of California Irvine vs. University of California Santa Barbara comparison
University of California Irvine University of California Santa Barbara College 3 College 4
University of California Irvine University of California Santa Barbara
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

UCI UCSB
Location Irvine, CA Santa Barbara, CA
Setting Rural Fringe Midsize Suburban
Enrollment 35,937 26,420
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #91 #109
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website uci.edu ucsb.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

UCI UCSB
Tuition (In State) $11,564 $11,564
Tuition (Out of State) $41,636 $41,636
Room & Board $17,699 $16,883
Avg Net Price $14,033 $16,874
Avg Grant Aid $17,411 $20,389
% Receiving Grant Aid 80% 53%

Admission

UCI UCSB
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 119,191 110,995
Admitted 25,212 28,688
Acceptance Rate 21.2% 25.8%
Enrolled % 22.5% 17.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.75 3.82
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Very High Exceptional
Applicant Competition Very High High
ACT Range 26/33 28/34
SAT Range 1230/1430 1230/1460
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline Nov 30, 2024 Nov 30, 2024

Academics

UCI UCSB
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (23%)
  • Biology (16%)
  • Psychology (11%)
  • Business (8%)
  • Engineering (8%)
  • Social Sciences (20%)
  • Business (11%)
  • Psychology (10%)
  • Biology (7%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)

Outcomes

UCI UCSB
Graduation Rate 85% 80%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $61,800 $59,000
Making Student Loan Payments 76% 73%
Median Student Loan Debt $17,000 $16,451
Median Loan Payment $175 $170

Diversity

UCI UCSB
% Men 45% 45%
% Women 55% 55%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 15% 35%
% Black 2% 2%
% Hispanic 25% 26%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 8%
% International 16% 7%
% Unknown Race 1% 3%

Students

UCI UCSB
% In-State 81% 78%
% Out-of-State 7% 10%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • University of California Irvine is larger than than UCSB based on total student enrollment (35,937 students vs. 26,420 students)

UCI vs. UCSB Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UCI or UCSB?

  • University of California Irvine and UCSB cost the same to attend based on in-state tuition ($11,564.00 vs. $11,564.00)
  • Out of state tuition is the same at UCI as University of California Santa Barbara ($41,636.00 vs. $41,636.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of California Irvine than UCSB ($14,033 vs. $16,874)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of California Santa Barbara are 4.8% lower than costs at University of California Irvine ($16,883 vs. $17,699)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of California Irvine than University of California Santa Barbara (80% vs. 53%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of California Santa Barbara students is 17.1% larger than aid received University of California Irvine ($20,389 vs. $17,411)

UCI vs. UCSB Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of California Santa Barbara (1248) is 73 points higher than at UCI (1175)
  • Incoming UCSB students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (29) than students at UCI (27)
  • Accepted freshman UCSB students have a 0.07 point higher average high school GPA (3.82) than students at UCI (3.75)
  • UCSB has a higher acceptance rate (25.8%) than UCI (21.2%)

UCI vs. UCSB Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, UCI 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 UCI.

  • The graduation rate at UCI is higher than University of California Santa Barbara (85% vs. 80%)
  • Graduates from University of California Irvine earn on average $2,800 more per year than UCSB graduates after ten years. ($61,800 vs. $59,000)
  • University of California Santa Barbara students graduate with a $549 lower median federal student loan debt than UCI graduates. ($16,451 vs. $17,000)
  • UCSB graduates are paying $5 less per month on federal student loans than UCI graduates. ($170 vs. $175)
  • More UCI graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UCSB students, three years after graduation. (76% vs. 73%)

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