About
The University of California, Santa Barbara is a public land-grant research university in Santa Barbara County, California, United States. Tracing its roots back to 1891 as an independent teachers college, UC Santa Barbara joined the University of California system in 1944. It is the third-oldest campus in the system, after Berkeley, and UCLA.
Admissions & acceptance rate
First-time freshman admissions: how selective the college is, and how many admitted students choose to enroll.
Graduation rate & outcomes
Completion, retention, and the equity gap between Pell and non-Pell students.
Pell equity
Non-Pell students graduate at a 4.0-point higher rate than Pell recipients.
Program outcomes
Federal Program Performance Data: how each program's graduate earnings and debt measure up under Financial Value Transparency and Gainful Employment.
Of 141 Title IV programs, 45 pass the federal Gainful Employment test and 1 fails. 95 have graduate earnings too small to publish, so they carry no pass/fail verdict.
Pass / fail distribution
- Passing45 · 31.9%
- No Data95 · 67.4%
- Failing1 · 0.7%
Severity spectrum
Tiers band programs by how far graduate earnings sit above or below the benchmark, from Critical (below −15%) through Safe (above +25%). No data means earnings were privacy-suppressed.
Earnings premium gap
Graduate earnings versus the federal benchmark, worst gaps first.
Debt vs earnings
Median completer debt against median graduate earnings, highest burden first.
Accreditation status & history
Who accredits the institution, current standing, and any past actions.
WASC Senior College and University Commission
Programmatic accreditations · 6
Action history · 5
- Feb 2024Renewal of AccreditationWASC Senior College and University Commission
- Jul 2021Renewal of AccreditationAmerican Psychological Association, Commission on Accreditation · Professional/Scientific Psychology (PSPSY) - PhD Doctoral programs
- Oct 2019Renewal of AccreditationAmerican Psychological Association, Commission on Accreditation · Professional Psychology (IPSY) - Predoctoral internship programs
- Aug 2014Change in Agency recognitionNational Association of Schools of Dance, Commission on Accreditation · Dance (DANCE) - Institutions and units within institutions offering degree-granting and non-degree-granting programs
- Feb 2014Renewal of AccreditationWASC Senior College and University Commission
Tuition & cost
What families actually pay, broken down by family income.
Net price by family income
Negative values mean aid exceeds the published cost of attendance for that income band.
Federal aid volume & trends
Pell grants and federal Direct Loan volume disbursed to students, and how they've trended.
In AY 2024–25, 7,464 students received $51.8M in Pell grants, alongside $55.0M in federal Direct Loans.
Pell recipients · 5-year trend
Loan volume by type · AY 2024–25
Loan awards count each loan type a student holds, not unique borrowers; one student may carry several (e.g. subsidized and unsubsidized), so the per-type figures are the reliable detail.
Student loan default rate
The share of student borrowers who default on federal loans within three years, against the national benchmark.
Of 3,725 borrowers who entered repayment, 19 (0.5%) defaulted within three years — below the 2.3% national rate.
Default rate vs national, by cohort
* Cohorts 2020 and later read near 0% because the federal COVID-19 payment pause (CARES Act) suspended defaults nationwide. These years reflect a national policy, not institutional performance; the 2019 cohort is the last measured under normal repayment.
Academic programs at UCSB
Top program areas ranked by completions.
Top program families by completions
Enrollment trends & demographics
Fall headcount, 12-month unduplicated enrollment, and student body composition.
Gender split
Race / ethnicity composition
Athletics & Title IX gender equity
How athletic participation, aid, and spending are split between men and women.
Men vs women · spending splits
Sport-by-sport · 12
Campus safety & crime statistics
Reported on-campus crimes over the last three years, including violence and hate crimes.
3-year trend
Criminal offenses by type
By location
- On campus132
- Non-campus15
- Public property12
Includes 55 in residence halls (a subset of on-campus, not added to the total).
VAWA offenses
Hate crimes by bias
- Sexual orientation4
- Gender2
- Religion1
- Ethnicity1
- Gender identity1
- National origin1
Arrests vs disciplinary referrals
Residence-hall fires
- SANTA CATALINA RESIDENCE HALL NORTH1 fireCookingDamage $100-$999
- SAN CLEMENTE VILLAGES BRADBURY1 fireElectricalDamage $0-$99
- SAN JOAQUIN VILLAGES MALIBU CO1 fireCookingDamage $100-$999
- SAN NICOLAS RESIDENCE HALL1 fireMachinery/IndustrialDamage $100-$999
- SANTA ROSA RESIDENCE HALL1 fireOpen flamesDamage $100-$999
- STORKE FAMILY STUDENT HOUSING1 fireMachinery/IndustrialDamage $1,000-$9,999
- WEST CAMPUS FAMILY STUDENT HOU1 fireDamage $50,000-$99,999
- WESTGATE APARTMENTS1 fireCookingDamage $0-$99
- TROPICANA GARDENS10 firesplastic sign set on fireDamage $0-$99
- TROPICANA GARDENS10 fireswall poster set on fireDamage $0-$99
- TROPICANA GARDENS10 firesdoor poster set on fireDamage $0-$99
- TROPICANA GARDENS10 firesdoor poster set on fireDamage $0-$99
- TROPICANA GARDENS10 firesdoor poster set on fireDamage $0-$99
- TROPICANA GARDENS10 firesdoor poster set on fireDamage $0-$99
- TROPICANA GARDENS10 firesdoor poster set on fireDamage $0-$99
- TROPICANA GARDENS10 firesdoor poster set on fireDamage $0-$99
- TROPICANA GARDENS10 firesdoor poster set on fireDamage $0-$99
- TROPICANA GARDENS10 firesdoor poster set on fireDamage $0-$99
- TROPICANA VILLAS1 fireCookingDamage $100-$999
Data quality: 1 report was later determined unfounded across the reporting period and are excluded from the totals above.
Student-faculty ratio
Student-to-faculty ratio and instructional staff counts.
UCSB vs Peer comparison
The peer institutions UCSB selected for federal comparison reporting.
A larger shape on any axis means this institution outperforms its peers on that dimension. For acceptance rate and net price, lower raw values are inverted so "more selective" and "more affordable" appear larger.
| Carnegie | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
SubjectUniversity of California-Santa Barbara | 83% | — | 26,133 | $13,825 | R1 Research |
Auburn University | 82% | 45.9% | 34,145 | $23,897 | R1 Research |
Clemson University | 87% | 38.3% | 29,077 | $22,112 | R1 Research |
Colorado State University-Fort Collins | 67% | 88.5% | 34,096 | $20,332 | R1 Research |
George Mason University | 68% | 87.5% | 39,766 | $18,287 | R1 Research |
Georgia State University | 53% | 55.4% | 34,944 | $15,931 | R1 Research |
Iowa State University | 75% | 88.7% | 30,380 | $18,165 | R1 Research |
Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College | 66% | 73.3% | 41,705 | $20,015 | R1 Research |
North Carolina State University at Raleigh | 85% | 41.7% | 38,464 | $16,931 | R1 Research |
Oregon State University | 70% | 77.3% | 37,163 | $19,568 | R1 Research |
Stony Brook University | 76% | 49.0% | 26,689 | $18,430 | R1 Research |
Temple University | 75% | 80.4% | 29,640 | $29,219 | R1 Research |
The University of Alabama | 73% | 76.6% | 40,846 | $22,150 | R1 Research |
The University of Tennessee-Knoxville | 74% | 41.6% | 38,728 | $18,109 | R1 Research |
The University of Texas at Dallas | 76% | 65.1% | 29,886 | $17,435 | R1 Research |
The University of Texas at San Antonio | 53% | 86.8% | 35,770 | $11,234 | R1 Research |
University at Buffalo | 75% | 74.2% | 31,903 | $20,470 | R1 Research |
University of Arkansas | 71% | 74.3% | 33,610 | $17,525 | R1 Research |
University of California-Riverside | 76% | 76.4% | 26,384 | $13,707 | R1 Research |
University of Colorado Boulder | 74% | 78.1% | 38,799 | $21,480 | R1 Research |
University of Connecticut | 83% | 52.4% | 28,306 | $22,886 | R1 Research |
University of Delaware | 83% | 70.6% | 24,412 | $16,931 | R1 Research |
University of Illinois Chicago | 62% | 77.4% | 33,906 | $12,313 | R1 Research |
University of Iowa | 75% | 83.6% | 30,779 | $21,398 | R1 Research |
University of Kentucky | 71% | 92.9% | 34,709 | $17,218 | R1 Research |
University of Massachusetts-Amherst | 83% | 59.7% | 31,726 | $23,691 | R1 Research |
University of Missouri-Columbia | 75% | 78.5% | 31,543 | $19,889 | R1 Research |
University of Nevada-Las Vegas | 51% | 96.2% | 32,911 | $10,011 | R1 Research |
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill | 91% | 15.3% | 32,438 | $12,983 | R1 Research |
University of Oklahoma-Norman Campus | 75% | 76.6% | 30,851 | $17,413 | R1 Research |
University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus | 85% | 58.1% | 35,724 | $30,074 | R1 Research |
University of Utah | 65% | 86.0% | 36,894 | $13,172 | R1 Research |
University of Virginia-Main Campus | 96% | 16.8% | 26,409 | $22,881 | R1 Research |
Virginia Commonwealth University | 63% | 92.6% | 28,464 | $19,452 | R1 Research |
Washington State University | 60% | 86.6% | 25,685 | $14,401 | R1 Research |
West Virginia University | 64% | 89.0% | 23,643 | $12,997 | R1 Research |
| Peer group median | 75% | 76.6% | 32,171 | $18,226 |
UCSB Institutional Research office
The IR team responsible for the institution's federal reporting.
The mission of Institutional Research, Planning & Assessment is to provide high quality, accurate and timely statistical information and analytical studies to campus leaders and decision-makers in support of evidence-based planning, evaluation and assessment.
Visit IR office page- Steven VelascoDirector, Institutional Research, Planning & Assessment
- Laurel WilderAssociate Director, Institutional Research, Planning & Assessment
- Joshua KuntzmanPrincipal Assessment Analyst
- Nancy Carrada ZunigaSurvey Research Analyst
- Yali ChenData Administrator / Institutional Research Analyst
- Yolanda LuoInstitutional Research Analyst
- Luis CuaraoInstitutional Research Analyst
Reports & documents (4)
Dashboards, factbooks, data dictionaries, and other reference material published by the IR office.
- DashboardDashboardotl.ucsb.edu
- Data dictionaryData DictionaryThe UCSB Identity data dictionary represents all data fields and attributes used in the system, detailing which are available for release, required explicit configuration, or are for internal purposes. It provides definitions and examples for numerous UCSB identity-related attributes such as email, username, and IDs, aimed primarily at identity management purposes within the university.identity.ucsb.edu
- DFR reportIPEDS Data Feedback Report 20242024nces.ed.gov
- Strategic planStrategic Plan 2023–20262023The UCSB Library Strategic Plan for 2023-2026 outlines four priority areas aimed at enhancing research, teaching, learning, and engagement within the University of California's broad interdisciplinary culture. By utilizing the collective power of ten campuses, the plan commits to key goals such as advancing research services and maintaining core functions while adapting to digital transformation challenges. As an essential public institution, the library plays a critical role in supporting the intellectual freedom and unique needs of its diverse research community.library.ucsb.edu
Notable alumni of UCSB (19)
A curated list of alumni recognized for notable achievements across industries.
- Carol W. GreiderScience
- Michael DouglasArts, entertainment, and literature
- Eric RothArts, entertainment, and literature
- Steve AokiArts, entertainment, and literature
- Jack JohnsonArts, entertainment, and literature
- Gwyneth PaltrowArts, entertainment, and literature
- Josh ElliottArts, entertainment, and literature
- Harvey LevinArts, entertainment, and literature
- Angela BelcherScience
- Logan GreenBusiness
- Chade-Meng TanBusiness
- Alexei FilippenkoScience
Frequently asked questions about University of California-Santa Barbara
Quick answers to the questions most often asked about UCSB.
What is the graduation rate at University of California-Santa Barbara?
How many students attend University of California-Santa Barbara?
What is the average net price at University of California-Santa Barbara?
What is the yield rate at University of California-Santa Barbara?
Where is University of California-Santa Barbara located?
Who runs Institutional Research at University of California-Santa Barbara?
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