UCSB vs. Mississippi State

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

Overview

 UCSB Mississippi State
Location Santa Barbara, CA Mississippi State, MS
Setting Midsize Suburban Rural Fringe
Enrollment 26,068 22,657
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #112 #452
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website ucsb.edu msstate.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 UCSB Mississippi State
Tuition (In State) $11,834 $9,665
Tuition (Out of State) $42,611 $26,430
Room & Board $18,684 $12,293
Avg Net Price $15,283 $16,480
Avg Grant Aid $21,732 $13,532
% Receiving Grant Aid 50% 96%

Admission

 UCSB Mississippi State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 110,871 20,877
Admitted 30,804 15,934
Acceptance Rate 27.8% 76.3%
Enrolled % 16.4% 23.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.82 3.58
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Exceptional Difficult
Applicant Competition High
ACT Range 28/34 21/29
SAT Range 1230/1460 1110/1410
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 Aug 1, 2025

Academics

 UCSB Mississippi State
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (20%)
  • Business (11%)
  • Psychology (10%)
  • Biology (7%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)
  • Business (23%)
  • Education (17%)
  • Engineering (12%)
  • General Studies (6%)
  • Psychology (6%)

Outcomes

 UCSB Mississippi State
Graduation Rate 80% 60%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $59,000 $47,500
Making Student Loan Payments 73% 63%
Median Student Loan Debt $16,451 $23,250
Median Loan Payment $170 $240

Diversity

 UCSB Mississippi State
% Men 6% 9%
% Women 5% 11%
Racial Diversity Very High Low
HBCU No No
% White 35% 72%
% Black 2% 20%
% Hispanic 26% 2%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 8% 2%
% International 7% 1%
% Unknown Race 3% 1%

Students

 UCSB Mississippi State
% In-State 80% 55%
% Out-of-State 9% 43%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • University of California Santa Barbara is larger than than Mississippi State based on total student enrollment (26,068 students vs. 22,657 students)

UCSB vs. Mississippi State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UCSB or Mississippi State?

  • University of California Santa Barbara is 22.4% more expensive to attend than Mississippi State for in-state tuition ($11,834.00 vs. $9,665.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 61.2% higher at UCSB than Mississippi State University ($42,611.00 vs. $26,430.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of California Santa Barbara than Mississippi State ($15,283 vs. $16,480)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Mississippi State University are 52% lower than costs at University of California Santa Barbara ($12,293 vs. $18,684)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Mississippi State University than University of California Santa Barbara (96% vs. 50%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of California Santa Barbara students is 60.6% larger than aid received Mississippi State University ($21,732 vs. $13,532)

UCSB vs. Mississippi State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of California Santa Barbara (1248) is 108 points higher than at Mississippi State (1140)
  • Incoming UCSB students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (29) than students at Mississippi State (25)
  • Accepted freshman UCSB students have a 0.24 point higher average high school GPA (3.82) than students at Mississippi State (3.58)
  • Mississippi State has a higher acceptance rate (76.3%) than UCSB (27.8%)

UCSB vs. Mississippi State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, UCSB or Mississippi State? 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 Mississippi State and UCSB.

  • The graduation rate at UCSB is higher than Mississippi State University (80% vs. 60%)
  • Graduates from University of California Santa Barbara earn on average $11,500 more per year than Mississippi State graduates after ten years. ($59,000 vs. $47,500)
  • University of California Santa Barbara students graduate with a $6,799 lower median federal student loan debt than Mississippi State graduates. ($16,451 vs. $23,250)
  • UCSB graduates are paying $70 less per month on federal student loans than Mississippi State graduates. ($170 vs. $240)
  • More UCSB graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Mississippi State students, three years after graduation. (73% vs. 63%)

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