UCSB vs. Wisconsin

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

UCSB Wisconsin
Location Santa Barbara, CA Madison, WI
Setting Midsize Suburban Midsize City
Enrollment 26,420 48,956
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #109 #105
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website ucsb.edu wisc.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

UCSB Wisconsin
Tuition (In State) $11,564 $9,273
Tuition (Out of State) $41,636 $37,904
Room & Board $16,883 $12,894
Avg Net Price $16,874 $13,376
Avg Grant Aid $20,389 $11,171
% Receiving Grant Aid 53% 47%

Admission

UCSB Wisconsin
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 110,995 60,214
Admitted 28,688 29,539
Acceptance Rate 25.8% 49.1%
Enrolled % 17.3% 29.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.82 3.88
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Exceptional Exceptional
Applicant Competition High Low
ACT Range 28/34 26/32
SAT Range 1230/1460 1340/1510
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 Wisconsin
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 18:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (20%)
  • Business (11%)
  • Psychology (10%)
  • Biology (7%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)
  • Social Sciences (15%)
  • Biology (12%)
  • Business (10%)
  • Engineering (8%)
  • Communication (6%)

Outcomes

UCSB Wisconsin
Graduation Rate 80% 82%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $59,000 $64,800
Making Student Loan Payments 73% 84%
Median Student Loan Debt $16,451 $22,250
Median Loan Payment $170 $230

Diversity

UCSB Wisconsin
% Men 45% 47%
% Women 55% 53%
Racial Diversity Very High Low
HBCU No No
% White 35% 76%
% Black 2% 2%
% Hispanic 26% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 8% 3%
% International 7% 8%
% Unknown Race 3% 0%

Students

UCSB Wisconsin
% In-State 78% 43%
% Out-of-State 10% 47%

Campus

UCSB Wisconsin
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 Wisconsin Madison is larger than than UCSB based on total student enrollment (48,956 students vs. 26,420 students)

UCSB vs. Wisconsin Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UCSB or Wisconsin?

  • University of California Santa Barbara is 24.7% more expensive to attend than Wisconsin for in-state tuition ($11,564.00 vs. $9,273.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 9.8% higher at UCSB than University of Wisconsin Madison ($41,636.00 vs. $37,904.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Wisconsin Madison than UCSB ($13,376 vs. $16,874)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Wisconsin Madison are 30.9% lower than costs at University of California Santa Barbara ($12,894 vs. $16,883)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of California Santa Barbara than University of Wisconsin Madison (53% vs. 47%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of California Santa Barbara students is 82.5% larger than aid received University of Wisconsin Madison ($20,389 vs. $11,171)

UCSB vs. Wisconsin Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of Wisconsin Madison (1300) is 52 points higher than at UCSB (1248)
  • Incoming UCSB students have at the same average ACT score (29) as students at Wisconsin (29)
  • Accepted freshman Wisconsin students have a 0.06 point higher average high school GPA (3.88) than students at UCSB (3.82)
  • Wisconsin has a higher acceptance rate (49.1%) than UCSB (25.8%)

UCSB vs. Wisconsin Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Wisconsin is higher than University of California Santa Barbara (82% vs. 80%)
  • Graduates from University of Wisconsin Madison earn on average $5,800 more per year than UCSB graduates after ten years. ($64,800 vs. $59,000)
  • University of California Santa Barbara students graduate with a $5,799 lower median federal student loan debt than Wisconsin graduates. ($16,451 vs. $22,250)
  • UCSB graduates are paying $60 less per month on federal student loans than Wisconsin graduates. ($170 vs. $230)
  • More Wisconsin graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UCSB students, three years after graduation. (84% vs. 73%)

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