UCSB vs. Humboldt State University

Should I go to University of California Santa Barbara or Humboldt State University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if UCSB or Humboldt State University 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 Santa Barbara vs. Humboldt State University comparison
University of California Santa Barbara Humboldt State University College 3 College 4
University of California Santa Barbara Humboldt State University
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Overview

UCSB Humboldt State University
Location Santa Barbara, CA Arcata, CA
Setting Midsize Suburban Remote Town
Enrollment 26,420 6,025
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #109 #831
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website ucsb.edu humboldt.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

UCSB Humboldt State University
Tuition (In State) $11,564 $5,742
Tuition (Out of State) $41,636 $17,622
Room & Board $16,883 $12,540
Avg Net Price $16,874 $14,325
Avg Grant Aid $20,389 $9,262
% Receiving Grant Aid 53% 66%

Admission

UCSB Humboldt State University
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 110,995 8,505
Admitted 28,688 8,350
Acceptance Rate 25.8% 98.2%
Enrolled % 17.3% 11.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.82 3.33
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Exceptional Easy
Applicant Competition High
ACT Range 28/34 17/25
SAT Range 1230/1460 970/1190
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 Apr 30, 2025

Academics

UCSB Humboldt State University
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (20%)
  • Business (11%)
  • Psychology (10%)
  • Biology (7%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)
  • Natural Resources Conservation (12%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (11%)
  • Social Sciences (10%)
  • Biology (9%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)

Outcomes

UCSB Humboldt State University
Graduation Rate 80% 40%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $59,000 $39,000
Making Student Loan Payments 73% 56%
Median Student Loan Debt $16,451 $19,500
Median Loan Payment $170 $201

Diversity

UCSB Humboldt State University
% Men 45% 42%
% Women 55% 58%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 35% 45%
% Black 2% 3%
% Hispanic 26% 33%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 8% 6%
% International 7% 1%
% Unknown Race 3% 7%

Students

UCSB Humboldt State University
% In-State 78% 91%
% Out-of-State 10% 8%

Campus

UCSB Humboldt State University
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 Santa Barbara is larger than than Humboldt State University based on total student enrollment (26,420 students vs. 6,025 students)

UCSB vs. Humboldt State University Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UCSB or Humboldt State University?

  • University of California Santa Barbara is 101.4% more expensive to attend than Humboldt State University for in-state tuition ($11,564.00 vs. $5,742.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 136.3% higher at UCSB than Humboldt State University ($41,636.00 vs. $17,622.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Humboldt State University than UCSB ($14,325 vs. $16,874)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Humboldt State University are 34.6% lower than costs at University of California Santa Barbara ($12,540 vs. $16,883)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Humboldt State University than University of California Santa Barbara (66% vs. 53%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of California Santa Barbara students is 120.1% larger than aid received Humboldt State University ($20,389 vs. $9,262)

UCSB vs. Humboldt State University Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of California Santa Barbara (1248) is 258 points higher than at Humboldt State University (990)
  • Incoming UCSB students have a 8 point higher average ACT score (29) than students at Humboldt State University (21)
  • Accepted freshman UCSB students have a 0.49 point higher average high school GPA (3.82) than students at Humboldt State University (3.33)
  • Humboldt State University has a higher acceptance rate (98.2%) than UCSB (25.8%)

UCSB vs. Humboldt State University Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, UCSB or Humboldt State University? 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 Humboldt State University and UCSB.

  • The graduation rate at UCSB is higher than Humboldt State University (80% vs. 40%)
  • Graduates from University of California Santa Barbara earn on average $20,000 more per year than Humboldt State University graduates after ten years. ($59,000 vs. $39,000)
  • University of California Santa Barbara students graduate with a $3,049 lower median federal student loan debt than Humboldt State University graduates. ($16,451 vs. $19,500)
  • UCSB graduates are paying $31 less per month on federal student loans than Humboldt State University graduates. ($170 vs. $201)
  • More UCSB graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Humboldt State University students, three years after graduation. (73% vs. 56%)

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