California Baptist University vs. UCSB

Comparable Facts

Compare California Baptist University in Riverside, CA with University of California Santa Barbara in Santa Barbara, CA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the tables above.

University of California Santa Barbara is larger than California Baptist University based on total student enrollment (26,133 students vs. 11,902 students).

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• California Baptist University is located in Riverside, CA (Large City setting); University of California Santa Barbara is in Santa Barbara, CA (Midsize Suburban setting).
• California Baptist University is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. University of California Santa Barbara is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: California Baptist University 21:1; University of California Santa Barbara 17:1.

Cost details

• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at California Baptist University are 40.1% lower than at University of California Santa Barbara ($12,140 vs. $20,279).
• Out-of-state tuition is 22.8% higher at UCSB than at California Baptist University (about $9,386 more per year; $50,614 vs. $41,228).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at California Baptist University than at University of California Santa Barbara (99% vs. 53%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by California Baptist University students is 8.3% larger than aid received by University of California Santa Barbara students ($26,743 vs. $24,695).

Admissions details

• Typical ACT composite is 10 points higher at UCSB than at California Baptist University (31 vs. 21, midpoint estimate).
• SAT or ACT scores are test-free at both California Baptist University and UCSB.
• Typical fall application deadline: UCSB Nov 30, 2026.
• Enrolled first-year students at UCSB average a 3.82 high school GPA, 0.24 higher than at California Baptist University (3.58).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 23.8% at California Baptist University vs. 13.8% at UCSB.

Loans and repayment

• Among federal student loan borrowers, University of California Santa Barbara graduates have a $10,549 lower median loan debt than California Baptist University graduates ($16,451 vs. $27,000).
• Among borrowers, UCSB graduates have an estimated $109 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than California Baptist University graduates ($170 vs. $279).
• More UCSB graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former California Baptist University students, three years after graduation (73% vs. 58%).

Sources: U.S. Department of Education, IPEDS and College Scorecard. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.