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Iowa UCSD UCI UCSC Cal Poly UC Davis UCLA UW-Seattle UC Berkeley Michigan State Purdue San Diego State| University of California Santa Barbara | Iowa State University | College 3 | College 4 | |
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| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
UCSB | ISU | ||
| Location | Santa Barbara, CA | Ames, IA | ||
| Setting | Midsize Suburban | Small City | ||
| Enrollment | 26,420 | 29,969 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #109 | #352 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | ucsb.edu | iastate.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
UCSB | ISU | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $11,564 | $8,678 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition (Out of State) | $41,636 | $25,162 | ||
| Room & Board | $16,883 | $9,358 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $16,874 | $15,310 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $20,389 | $11,043 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 53% | 80% |
Admission |
UCSB | ISU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 110,995 | 21,919 | ||
| Admitted | 28,688 | 19,776 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 25.8% | 90.2% | ||
| Enrolled % | 17.3% | 29% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.82 | 3.7 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | A- | A- | ||
| Admissions Standards | Exceptional | Challenging | ||
| Applicant Competition | High | |||
| ACT Range | 28/34 | 21/28 | ||
| SAT Range | 1230/1460 | 1090/1350 | ||
| Submit Test Scores | Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) | Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) | ||
| Application Deadline | Nov 30, 2023 |
Academics |
UCSB | ISU | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 17:1 | 18:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
UCSB | ISU | ||
| Graduation Rate | 80% | 68% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $59,000 | $53,700 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 73% | 74% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $16,451 | $23,868 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $170 | $246 |
Diversity |
UCSB | ISU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 45% | 55% | ||
| % Women | 55% | 45% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Very High | Low | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 35% | 76% | ||
| % Black | 2% | 3% | ||
| % Hispanic | 26% | 5% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 8% | 2% | ||
| % International | 7% | 7% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 3% | 5% |
Students |
UCSB | ISU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 78% | 52% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 10% | 45% | ||
Campus |
UCSB | ISU | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | No | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | No | Yes | ||
| Daycare Facility | Yes | Yes | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- Iowa State University is larger than than UCSB based on total student enrollment (29,969 students vs. 26,420 students)
UCSB vs. ISU Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, UCSB or ISU?
- University of California Santa Barbara is 33.3% more expensive to attend than ISU for in-state tuition ($11,564.00 vs. $8,678.00)
- Out of state tuition is 65.5% higher at UCSB than Iowa State University ($41,636.00 vs. $25,162.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Iowa State University than UCSB ($15,310 vs. $16,874)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Iowa State University are 80.4% lower than costs at University of California Santa Barbara ($9,358 vs. $16,883)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Iowa State University than University of California Santa Barbara (80% vs. 53%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by University of California Santa Barbara students is 84.6% larger than aid received Iowa State University ($20,389 vs. $11,043)
UCSB vs. ISU Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, UCSB or ISU? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between ISU or UCSB .
- The average SAT score at University of California Santa Barbara (1248) is 106 points higher than at ISU (1142)
- Incoming UCSB students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (29) than students at ISU (25)
- Accepted freshman UCSB students have a 0.12 point higher average high school GPA (3.82) than students at ISU (3.7)
- ISU has a higher acceptance rate (90.2%) than UCSB (25.8%)
UCSB vs. ISU Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, UCSB or ISU? 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 ISU and UCSB.
- The graduation rate at UCSB is higher than Iowa State University (80% vs. 68%)
- Graduates from University of California Santa Barbara earn on average $5,300 more per year than ISU graduates after ten years. ($59,000 vs. $53,700)
- University of California Santa Barbara students graduate with a $7,417 lower median federal student loan debt than ISU graduates. ($16,451 vs. $23,868)
- UCSB graduates are paying $76 less per month on federal student loans than ISU graduates. ($170 vs. $246)
- More ISU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UCSB students, three years after graduation. (74% vs. 73%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/