UCSB vs. NC State

Should I go to University of California Santa Barbara or North Carolina State University at Raleigh? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if UCSB or NC 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.

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University of California Santa Barbara vs. North Carolina State University at Raleigh comparison
University of California Santa Barbara North Carolina State University at Raleigh College 3 College 4
University of California Santa Barbara North Carolina State University at Raleigh
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Overview

UCSB NC State
Location Santa Barbara, CA Raleigh, NC
Setting Midsize Suburban Large City
Enrollment 26,420 36,700
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #109 #123
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website ucsb.edu ncsu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

UCSB NC State
Tuition (In State) $11,564 $6,535
Tuition (Out of State) $41,636 $28,276
Room & Board $16,883 $12,748
Avg Net Price $16,874 $14,852
Avg Grant Aid $20,389 $9,181
% Receiving Grant Aid 53% 71%

Admission

UCSB NC State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 110,995 35,568
Admitted 28,688 16,779
Acceptance Rate 25.8% 47.2%
Enrolled % 17.3% 33.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.82 3.83
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Exceptional Exceptional
Applicant Competition High Low
ACT Range 28/34 28/33
SAT Range 1230/1460 1280/1460
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 Jan 15, 2025

Academics

UCSB NC 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%)
  • Engineering (22%)
  • Business (13%)
  • Biology (11%)
  • Agriculture (9%)
  • Social Sciences (5%)

Outcomes

UCSB NC State
Graduation Rate 80% 72%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $59,000 $57,200
Making Student Loan Payments 73% 76%
Median Student Loan Debt $16,451 $20,782
Median Loan Payment $170 $214

Diversity

UCSB NC State
% Men 45% 51%
% Women 55% 49%
Racial Diversity Very High Low
HBCU No No
% White 35% 74%
% Black 2% 6%
% Hispanic 26% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 8% 4%
% International 7% 4%
% Unknown Race 3% 2%

Students

UCSB NC State
% In-State 78% 83%
% Out-of-State 10% 14%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • North Carolina State University at Raleigh is larger than than UCSB based on total student enrollment (36,700 students vs. 26,420 students)

UCSB vs. NC State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UCSB or NC State?

  • University of California Santa Barbara is 77% more expensive to attend than NC State for in-state tuition ($11,564.00 vs. $6,535.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 47.2% higher at UCSB than North Carolina State University at Raleigh ($41,636.00 vs. $28,276.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at North Carolina State University at Raleigh than UCSB ($14,852 vs. $16,874)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at North Carolina State University at Raleigh are 32.4% lower than costs at University of California Santa Barbara ($12,748 vs. $16,883)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at North Carolina State University at Raleigh than University of California Santa Barbara (71% vs. 53%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of California Santa Barbara students is 122.1% larger than aid received North Carolina State University at Raleigh ($20,389 vs. $9,181)

UCSB vs. NC State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at North Carolina State University at Raleigh (1264) is 16 points higher than at UCSB (1248)
  • Incoming UCSB students have at the same average ACT score (29) as students at NC State (29)
  • Accepted freshman NC State students have a 0.01 point higher average high school GPA (3.83) than students at UCSB (3.82)
  • NC State has a higher acceptance rate (47.2%) than UCSB (25.8%)

UCSB vs. NC State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, UCSB or NC 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 NC State and UCSB.

  • The graduation rate at UCSB is higher than North Carolina State University at Raleigh (80% vs. 72%)
  • Graduates from University of California Santa Barbara earn on average $1,800 more per year than NC State graduates after ten years. ($59,000 vs. $57,200)
  • University of California Santa Barbara students graduate with a $4,331 lower median federal student loan debt than NC State graduates. ($16,451 vs. $20,782)
  • UCSB graduates are paying $44 less per month on federal student loans than NC State graduates. ($170 vs. $214)
  • More NC State graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UCSB students, three years after graduation. (76% vs. 73%)

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