UC Berkeley vs. UCSB

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

 UC Berkeley UCSB
Location Berkeley, CA Santa Barbara, CA
Setting Midsize City Midsize Suburban
Enrollment 45,307 26,420
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #63 #109
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website berkeley.edu ucsb.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 UC Berkeley UCSB
Tuition (In State) $11,564 $11,564
Tuition (Out of State) $41,636 $41,636
Room & Board $21,402 $16,883
Avg Net Price $19,257 $16,874
Avg Grant Aid $21,669 $20,389
% Receiving Grant Aid 52% 53%

Admission

 UC Berkeley UCSB
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 128,209 110,995
Admitted 14,523 28,688
Acceptance Rate 11.3% 25.8%
Enrolled % 46.3% 17.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.87 3.82
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Elite Exceptional
Applicant Competition Very High High
ACT Range 30/35 28/34
SAT Range 1310/1530 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 Nov 30, 2023 Nov 30, 2023

Academics

 UC Berkeley UCSB
Student to Faculty Ratio 19:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (20%)
  • Biology (13%)
  • Engineering (10%)
  • English and Literature (5%)
  • Natural Resources Conservation (5%)
  • Social Sciences (20%)
  • Business (11%)
  • Psychology (10%)
  • Biology (7%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)

Outcomes

 UC Berkeley UCSB
Graduation Rate 90% 80%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $74,700 $59,000
Making Student Loan Payments 79% 73%
Median Student Loan Debt $14,200 $16,451
Median Loan Payment $146 $170

Diversity

 UC Berkeley UCSB
% Men 46% 45%
% Women 54% 55%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 27% 35%
% Black 2% 2%
% Hispanic 14% 26%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 8%
% International 14% 7%
% Unknown Race 3% 3%

Students

 UC Berkeley UCSB
% In-State 78% 78%
% Out-of-State 11% 10%

Campus

 UC Berkeley 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 Berkeley is larger than than UCSB based on total student enrollment (45,307 students vs. 26,420 students)

UC Berkeley vs. UCSB Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UC Berkeley or UCSB?

  • University of California Berkeley and UCSB cost the same to attend based on in-state tuition ($11,564.00 vs. $11,564.00)
  • Out of state tuition is the same at UC Berkeley as University of California Santa Barbara ($41,636.00 vs. $41,636.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of California Santa Barbara than UC Berkeley ($16,874 vs. $19,257)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of California Santa Barbara are 26.8% lower than costs at University of California Berkeley ($16,883 vs. $21,402)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of California Santa Barbara than University of California Berkeley (53% vs. 52%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of California Berkeley students is 6.3% larger than aid received University of California Santa Barbara ($21,669 vs. $20,389)

UC Berkeley vs. UCSB Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of California Berkeley (1397) is 149 points higher than at UCSB (1248)
  • Incoming UC Berkeley students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (32) than students at UCSB (29)
  • Accepted freshman UC Berkeley students have a 0.05 point higher average high school GPA (3.87) than students at UCSB (3.82)
  • UCSB has a higher acceptance rate (25.8%) than UC Berkeley (11.3%)

UC Berkeley vs. UCSB Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, UC Berkeley 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 UC Berkeley.

  • The graduation rate at UC Berkeley is higher than University of California Santa Barbara (90% vs. 80%)
  • Graduates from University of California Berkeley earn on average $15,700 more per year than UCSB graduates after ten years. ($74,700 vs. $59,000)
  • University of California Berkeley students graduate with a $2,251 lower median federal student loan debt than UCSB graduates. ($14,200 vs. $16,451)
  • UC Berkeley graduates are paying $24 less per month on federal student loans than UCSB graduates. ($146 vs. $170)
  • More UC Berkeley graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UCSB students, three years after graduation. (79% vs. 73%)

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