CSU vs. UCSB

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

 CSU UCSB
Location Chico, CA Santa Barbara, CA
Setting Small City Midsize Suburban
Enrollment 14,183 26,420
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #659 #109
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website csuchico.edu ucsb.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 CSU UCSB
Tuition (In State) $5,742 $11,564
Tuition (Out of State) $17,622 $41,636
Room & Board $15,212 $16,883
Avg Net Price $15,517 $16,874
Avg Grant Aid $9,162 $20,389
% Receiving Grant Aid 62% 53%

Admission

 CSU UCSB
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 21,417 110,995
Admitted 20,347 28,688
Acceptance Rate 95% 25.8%
Enrolled % 9.9% 17.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.37 3.82
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Very Easy Exceptional
Applicant Competition High
ACT Range 18/24 28/34
SAT Range 970/1170 1230/1460
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline Dec 15, 2023 Nov 30, 2023

Academics

 CSU UCSB
Student to Faculty Ratio 20:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (17%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (8%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)
  • Health Professions (8%)
  • Social Sciences (20%)
  • Business (11%)
  • Psychology (10%)
  • Biology (7%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)

Outcomes

 CSU UCSB
Graduation Rate 59% 80%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $52,400 $59,000
Making Student Loan Payments 70% 73%
Median Student Loan Debt $17,000 $16,451
Median Loan Payment $175 $170

Diversity

 CSU UCSB
% Men 45% 45%
% Women 55% 55%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 46% 35%
% Black 2% 2%
% Hispanic 29% 26%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 8%
% International 3% 7%
% Unknown Race 7% 3%

Students

 CSU UCSB
% In-State 97% 78%
% Out-of-State 2% 10%

Campus

 CSU UCSB
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 California Santa Barbara is larger than than CSU based on total student enrollment (26,420 students vs. 14,183 students)

CSU vs. UCSB Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, CSU or UCSB?

  • University of California Santa Barbara is 101.4% more expensive to attend than CSU for in-state tuition ($11,564.00 vs. $5,742.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 136.3% higher at UCSB than California State University Chico ($41,636.00 vs. $17,622.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at California State University Chico than UCSB ($15,517 vs. $16,874)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at California State University Chico are 11% lower than costs at University of California Santa Barbara ($15,212 vs. $16,883)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at California State University Chico than University of California Santa Barbara (62% vs. 53%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of California Santa Barbara students is 122.5% larger than aid received California State University Chico ($20,389 vs. $9,162)

CSU vs. UCSB Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of California Santa Barbara (1248) is 245 points higher than at CSU (1003)
  • Incoming UCSB students have a 7 point higher average ACT score (29) than students at CSU (22)
  • Accepted freshman UCSB students have a 0.45 point higher average high school GPA (3.82) than students at CSU (3.37)
  • CSU has a higher acceptance rate (95%) than UCSB (25.8%)

CSU vs. UCSB Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at UCSB is higher than California State University Chico (80% vs. 59%)
  • Graduates from University of California Santa Barbara earn on average $6,600 more per year than CSU graduates after ten years. ($59,000 vs. $52,400)
  • University of California Santa Barbara students graduate with a $549 lower median federal student loan debt than CSU graduates. ($16,451 vs. $17,000)
  • UCSB graduates are paying $5 less per month on federal student loans than CSU graduates. ($170 vs. $175)
  • More UCSB graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former CSU students, three years after graduation. (73% vs. 70%)

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