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USD San Diego State UCI UCLA UC Davis UW-Seattle UCSC Cal Poly UC Berkeley UC Riverside Purdue Michigan| University of California San Diego | University of California Santa Barbara | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
UCSD | UCSB | ||
| Location | La Jolla, CA | Santa Barbara, CA | ||
| Setting | Large City | Midsize Suburban | ||
| Enrollment | 42,376 | 26,068 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #88 | #112 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | ucsd.edu | ucsb.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
UCSD | UCSB | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $11,834 | $11,834 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition (Out of State) | $42,611 | $42,611 | ||
| Room & Board | $17,198 | $18,684 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $13,293 | $15,283 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $24,176 | $21,732 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 64% | 50% |
Admission |
UCSD | UCSB | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 130,771 | 110,871 | ||
| Admitted | 32,062 | 30,804 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 24.5% | 27.8% | ||
| Enrolled % | 21.8% | 16.4% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.82 | 3.82 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | A- | A- | ||
| Admissions Standards | Exceptional | Exceptional | ||
| Applicant Competition | 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, 2025 | Nov 30, 2025 |
Academics |
UCSD | UCSB | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 19:1 | 17:1 | ||
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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 | 11% | 6% | ||
| % Women | 9% | 5% | ||
| 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 | 79% | 80% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 10% | 9% | ||
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 (42,376 students vs. 26,068 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 ($11,834.00 vs. $11,834.00)
- Out of state tuition is the same at UCSD as University of California Santa Barbara ($42,611.00 vs. $42,611.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of California San Diego than UCSB ($13,293 vs. $15,283)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of California San Diego are 8.6% lower than costs at University of California Santa Barbara ($17,198 vs. $18,684)
- More students receive financial grant aid at University of California San Diego than University of California Santa Barbara (64% vs. 50%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by University of California San Diego students is 11.2% larger than aid received University of California Santa Barbara ($24,176 vs. $21,732)
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 (27.8%) than UCSD (24.5%)
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/