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Colorado State CU Denver UCSD DU Colorado School of Mines UCI UCSC Utah Cal Poly UC Davis UCLA UCCS| University of California Santa Barbara | University of Colorado Boulder | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
UCSB | CU Boulder | ||
| Location | Santa Barbara, CA | Boulder, CO | ||
| Setting | Midsize Suburban | Small City | ||
| Enrollment | 26,068 | 41,432 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #112 | #197 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | ucsb.edu | colorado.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
UCSB | CU Boulder | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $11,834 | $14,784 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $42,611 | $40,297 | ||
| Room & Board | $18,684 | $16,950 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $15,283 | $22,640 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $21,732 | $10,838 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 50% | 54% |
Admission |
UCSB | CU Boulder | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 110,871 | 56,069 | ||
| Admitted | 30,804 | 46,692 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 27.8% | 83.3% | ||
| Enrolled % | 16.4% | 16.2% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.82 | 3.68 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | A- | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Exceptional | Very High | ||
| Applicant Competition | High | |||
| ACT Range | 28/34 | 28/33 | ||
| SAT Range | 1230/1460 | 1230/1420 | ||
| 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, 2025 | Jan 15, 2026 |
Academics |
UCSB | CU Boulder | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 17:1 | 19:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
UCSB | CU Boulder | ||
| Graduation Rate | 80% | 68% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $59,000 | $56,900 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 73% | 73% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $16,451 | $19,500 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $170 | $201 |
Diversity |
UCSB | CU Boulder | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 6% | 14% | ||
| % Women | 5% | 9% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Very High | Low | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 35% | 71% | ||
| % Black | 2% | 2% | ||
| % Hispanic | 26% | 11% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 8% | 5% | ||
| % International | 7% | 6% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 3% | 1% |
Students |
UCSB | CU Boulder | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 80% | 53% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 9% | 45% | ||
Campus |
UCSB | CU Boulder | ||
| 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 Colorado Boulder is larger than than UCSB based on total student enrollment (41,432 students vs. 26,068 students)
UCSB vs. CU Boulder Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, UCSB or CU Boulder?
- University of Colorado Boulder is 24.9% more expensive to attend than UCSB for in-state tuition ($14,784.00 vs. $11,834.00)
- Out of state tuition is 5.7% higher at UCSB than University of Colorado Boulder ($42,611.00 vs. $40,297.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of California Santa Barbara than CU Boulder ($15,283 vs. $22,640)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Colorado Boulder are 10.2% lower than costs at University of California Santa Barbara ($16,950 vs. $18,684)
- More students receive financial grant aid at University of Colorado Boulder than University of California Santa Barbara (54% vs. 50%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by University of California Santa Barbara students is 100.5% larger than aid received University of Colorado Boulder ($21,732 vs. $10,838)
UCSB vs. CU Boulder Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, UCSB or CU Boulder? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between CU Boulder or UCSB .
- The average SAT score at University of California Santa Barbara (1248) is 36 points higher than at CU Boulder (1212)
- Incoming UCSB students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (29) than students at CU Boulder (27)
- Accepted freshman UCSB students have a 0.14 point higher average high school GPA (3.82) than students at CU Boulder (3.68)
- CU Boulder has a higher acceptance rate (83.3%) than UCSB (27.8%)
UCSB vs. CU Boulder Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, UCSB or CU Boulder? 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 CU Boulder and UCSB.
- The graduation rate at UCSB is higher than University of Colorado Boulder (80% vs. 68%)
- Graduates from University of California Santa Barbara earn on average $2,100 more per year than CU Boulder graduates after ten years. ($59,000 vs. $56,900)
- University of California Santa Barbara students graduate with a $3,049 lower median federal student loan debt than CU Boulder graduates. ($16,451 vs. $19,500)
- UCSB graduates are paying $31 less per month on federal student loans than CU Boulder graduates. ($170 vs. $201)
- More CU Boulder graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UCSB students, three years after graduation. (73% vs. 73%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/