UCSD vs. UCSB

Should I go to University of California San Diego or University of California Santa Barbara? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if UCSD 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.

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University of California San Diego vs. University of California Santa Barbara comparison
University of California San Diego University of California Santa Barbara College 3 College 4
University of California San Diego University of California Santa Barbara
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Overview

UCSD UCSB
Location La Jolla, CA Santa Barbara, CA
Setting Large City Midsize Suburban
Enrollment 42,006 26,420
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #89 #109
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website ucsd.edu ucsb.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

UCSD UCSB
Tuition (In State) $11,564 $11,564
Tuition (Out of State) $41,636 $41,636
Room & Board $16,710 $16,883
Avg Net Price $16,111 $16,874
Avg Grant Aid $20,782 $20,389
% Receiving Grant Aid 55% 53%

Admission

UCSD UCSB
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 131,197 110,995
Admitted 31,103 28,688
Acceptance Rate 23.7% 25.8%
Enrolled % 21% 17.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.82 3.82
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Exceptional Exceptional
Applicant Competition Very High High
ACT Range 28/34 28/34
SAT Range 1270/1480 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

UCSD UCSB
Student to Faculty Ratio 19:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Biology (23%)
  • Social Sciences (21%)
  • Engineering (10%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • General Studies (7%)
  • Social Sciences (20%)
  • Business (11%)
  • Psychology (10%)
  • Biology (7%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)

Outcomes

UCSD UCSB
Graduation Rate 85% 80%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $67,900 $59,000
Making Student Loan Payments 82% 73%
Median Student Loan Debt $18,500 $16,451
Median Loan Payment $191 $170

Diversity

UCSD UCSB
% Men 50% 45%
% Women 50% 55%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 21% 35%
% Black 1% 2%
% Hispanic 16% 26%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 8%
% International 17% 7%
% Unknown Race 2% 3%

Students

UCSD UCSB
% In-State 81% 78%
% Out-of-State 8% 10%

Campus

UCSD 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 San Diego is larger than than UCSB based on total student enrollment (42,006 students vs. 26,420 students)

UCSD vs. UCSB Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UCSD or UCSB?

  • University of California San Diego 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 UCSD 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 San Diego than UCSB ($16,111 vs. $16,874)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of California San Diego are 1% lower than costs at University of California Santa Barbara ($16,710 vs. $16,883)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of California San Diego than University of California Santa Barbara (55% vs. 53%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of California San Diego students is 1.9% larger than aid received University of California Santa Barbara ($20,782 vs. $20,389)

UCSD vs. UCSB Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of California San Diego (1344) is 96 points higher than at UCSB (1248)
  • Incoming UCSD students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (31) than students at UCSB (29)
  • Accepted freshman UCSD students have at the same average high school GPA (3.82) as students at UCSB (3.82)
  • UCSB has a higher acceptance rate (25.8%) than UCSD (23.7%)

UCSD vs. UCSB Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, UCSD 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 UCSD.

  • The graduation rate at UCSD is higher than University of California Santa Barbara (85% vs. 80%)
  • Graduates from University of California San Diego earn on average $8,900 more per year than UCSB graduates after ten years. ($67,900 vs. $59,000)
  • University of California Santa Barbara students graduate with a $2,049 lower median federal student loan debt than UCSD graduates. ($16,451 vs. $18,500)
  • UCSB graduates are paying $21 less per month on federal student loans than UCSD graduates. ($170 vs. $191)
  • More UCSD graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UCSB students, three years after graduation. (82% vs. 73%)

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