UCSB vs. IU

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

UCSB IU
Location Santa Barbara, CA Bloomington, IN
Setting Midsize Suburban Small City
Enrollment 26,420 47,005
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #109 #200
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website ucsb.edu iub.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

UCSB IU
Tuition (In State) $11,564 $10,012
Tuition (Out of State) $41,636 $37,685
Room & Board $16,883 $12,228
Avg Net Price $16,874 $16,234
Avg Grant Aid $20,389 $10,336
% Receiving Grant Aid 53% 74%

Admission

UCSB IU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 110,995 50,080
Admitted 28,688 41,272
Acceptance Rate 25.8% 82.4%
Enrolled % 17.3% 23.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.82 3.74
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Exceptional Very High
Applicant Competition High
ACT Range 28/34 27/32
SAT Range 1230/1460 1180/1400
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Nov 30, 2024

Academics

UCSB IU
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (20%)
  • Business (11%)
  • Psychology (10%)
  • Biology (7%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)
  • Business (21%)
  • Communication (10%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (8%)
  • Education (7%)

Outcomes

UCSB IU
Graduation Rate 80% 72%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $59,000 $56,200
Making Student Loan Payments 73% 72%
Median Student Loan Debt $16,451 $22,500
Median Loan Payment $170 $232

Diversity

UCSB IU
% Men 45% 51%
% Women 55% 49%
Racial Diversity Very High Low
HBCU No No
% White 35% 71%
% Black 2% 4%
% Hispanic 26% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 8% 4%
% International 7% 11%
% Unknown Race 3% 0%

Students

UCSB IU
% In-State 78% 51%
% Out-of-State 10% 42%

Campus

UCSB IU
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

  • Indiana University Bloomington is larger than than UCSB based on total student enrollment (47,005 students vs. 26,420 students)

UCSB vs. IU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UCSB or IU?

  • University of California Santa Barbara is 15.5% more expensive to attend than IU for in-state tuition ($11,564.00 vs. $10,012.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 10.5% higher at UCSB than Indiana University Bloomington ($41,636.00 vs. $37,685.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Indiana University Bloomington than UCSB ($16,234 vs. $16,874)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Indiana University Bloomington are 38.1% lower than costs at University of California Santa Barbara ($12,228 vs. $16,883)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Indiana University Bloomington than University of California Santa Barbara (74% vs. 53%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of California Santa Barbara students is 97.3% larger than aid received Indiana University Bloomington ($20,389 vs. $10,336)

UCSB vs. IU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of California Santa Barbara (1248) is 49 points higher than at IU (1199)
  • Incoming UCSB students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (29) than students at IU (27)
  • Accepted freshman UCSB students have a 0.08 point higher average high school GPA (3.82) than students at IU (3.74)
  • IU has a higher acceptance rate (82.4%) than UCSB (25.8%)

UCSB vs. IU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, UCSB or IU? 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 IU and UCSB.

  • The graduation rate at UCSB is higher than Indiana University Bloomington (80% vs. 72%)
  • Graduates from University of California Santa Barbara earn on average $2,800 more per year than IU graduates after ten years. ($59,000 vs. $56,200)
  • University of California Santa Barbara students graduate with a $6,049 lower median federal student loan debt than IU graduates. ($16,451 vs. $22,500)
  • UCSB graduates are paying $62 less per month on federal student loans than IU graduates. ($170 vs. $232)
  • More UCSB graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former IU students, three years after graduation. (73% vs. 72%)

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