University of California–Santa Barbara Reviews and Ranking Awards

Overview of University of California–Santa Barbara

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When not exploring personal and professional development in the classroom, UC-SB students like to have a good time. Many bring their surfboards to campus and enjoy the waves. Others may prefer a less salty existence and can compete in E-Sports such as FIFA20, NBA2K20, or Rocket League. Others take exploratory and enriching REC classes or participate on an intramural sports team. Gaucho REC classes include areas such as arts & crafts, martial arts, mind & body, guitar, and American Sign Language. For those who desire more structure and competition without the stress of varsity sports, UCSB offers Club Sports that compete in climbing, fencing, sailing, surfing, and tennis.

Top Rankings For University of California–Santa Barbara

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Admissions

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Tuition Cost & Financial Aid

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Since the University of California at Santa Barbara is a public institution, in-state students find a very affordable education. Even those from other states that participate in the Western Undergraduate Exchange can take advantage of the lower cost of tuition for such a top-notch education. For those paying the in-state price, full-time tuition, fees, books, and supplies run around $16,000. When all living expenses are tallied, in-state students face a gross cost of $37,000. Students who pay the out of state tuition, and are not part of the exchange, have a gross cost of $67,000.

However, once all the financial aid packages kick in, the net price of UCSB falls dramatically. The average net cost for full-time undergraduate students is $17,000. At the lower end of that price are the lower-income students who have a net price of $11,000 and the highest income students pay closer to $31,000 for their education.

Sticker Price

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Academics

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The UC system in California is chock full of academic powerhouses and UC Santa Barbara is no exception. UC-SB posts stellar educational statistics and their graduates are frequently found at the heads of business, government, and even the arts. Their impressive numbers start with an eye-popping retention rate that is reinforced with superb graduation numbers. They also boast a terrific average class size, despite their status as a major university.

UCSB's academic prowess is first demonstrated in its retention rate. Of their full-time, first-year students, 92% return for a second year. This enthusiasm demonstrates that students are highly satisfied with their classes, campus life, and the overall curriculum. UC-SB students are confident that their school will take them where they want to go. In fact, most of them go to the graduation stage. UC-SB reports that 83% of their students cross the stage within 6 years.

Some may attribute this sort of loyalty to the excellent surfing adjacent to campus, but it's more likely that it's due to an innovative curriculum reinforced by a favorable student-to-faculty ratio. The average class size at the institution is 18 students. While that figure can be beat by small liberal arts colleges, when one factors out the large entry level courses, it's certain that students will find much smaller class sizes once they delve into their major degree program.

Student Population Total

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Outcome & Salary

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College students and their families are frequently curious to learn what sort of return is possible for their educational investment. While it’s impossible to project earnings with any real certainty, there are figures available from surveying UC-SB alumni. The highest-earning degree field from UC-SB tends to be computer science. These technology whizzes report base median salaries of $77,000. At the lower end of UC-SB's top 10 earning degrees are the mathematics majors who report base starting salaries of $40,000. In the middle of the pack are the mechanical engineers, who earn $56,000 per year.

Photos & Videos

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