UCSB vs. PUC

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

UCSB PUC
Location Santa Barbara, CA Angwin, CA
Setting Midsize Suburban Rural Fringe
Enrollment 26,420 870
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #109
Religious Affiliation - Seventh Day Adventists - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website ucsb.edu puc.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

UCSB PUC
Tuition (In State) $11,564 $32,655
Tuition (Out of State) $41,636 $32,655
Room & Board $16,883 $9,273
Avg Net Price $16,874 $21,841
Avg Grant Aid $20,389 $23,383
% Receiving Grant Aid 53% 100%

Admission

UCSB PUC
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 110,995 1,364
Admitted 28,688 661
Acceptance Rate 25.8% 48.5%
Enrolled % 17.3% 16.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.82 3.24
Typical High School Grades A- B
Admissions Standards Exceptional Very Easy
Applicant Competition High Low
ACT Range 28/34 18/23
SAT Range 1230/1460 990/1200
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 PUC
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 13:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (20%)
  • Business (11%)
  • Psychology (10%)
  • Biology (7%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)
  • Health Professions (41%)
  • Business (12%)
  • Biology (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)
  • Education (5%)

Outcomes

UCSB PUC
Graduation Rate 80% 45%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $59,000 $59,200
Making Student Loan Payments 73% 57%
Median Student Loan Debt $16,451 $30,000
Median Loan Payment $170 $310

Diversity

UCSB PUC
% Men 45% 37%
% Women 55% 63%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 35% 26%
% Black 2% 9%
% Hispanic 26% 28%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 2%
% Two or More Races 8% 7%
% International 7% 3%
% Unknown Race 3% 5%

Students

UCSB PUC
% In-State 78% 77%
% Out-of-State 10% 21%

Campus

UCSB PUC
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No Yes
Daycare Facility Yes No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • University of California Santa Barbara is larger than than PUC based on total student enrollment (26,420 students vs. 870 students)

UCSB vs. PUC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UCSB or PUC?

  • Pacific Union College is 182.4% more expensive to attend than UCSB for in-state tuition ($32,655.00 vs. $11,564.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 27.5% higher at UCSB than Pacific Union College ($41,636.00 vs. $32,655.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of California Santa Barbara than PUC ($16,874 vs. $21,841)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Pacific Union College are 82.1% lower than costs at University of California Santa Barbara ($9,273 vs. $16,883)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Pacific Union College than University of California Santa Barbara (100% vs. 53%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Pacific Union College students is 14.7% larger than aid received University of California Santa Barbara ($23,383 vs. $20,389)

UCSB vs. PUC Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of California Santa Barbara (1248) is 264 points higher than at PUC (984)
  • Incoming UCSB students have a 8 point higher average ACT score (29) than students at PUC (21)
  • Accepted freshman UCSB students have a 0.58 point higher average high school GPA (3.82) than students at PUC (3.24)
  • PUC has a higher acceptance rate (48.5%) than UCSB (25.8%)

UCSB vs. PUC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at UCSB is higher than Pacific Union College (80% vs. 45%)
  • Graduates from Pacific Union College earn on average $200 more per year than UCSB graduates after ten years. ($59,200 vs. $59,000)
  • University of California Santa Barbara students graduate with a $13,549 lower median federal student loan debt than PUC graduates. ($16,451 vs. $30,000)
  • UCSB graduates are paying $140 less per month on federal student loans than PUC graduates. ($170 vs. $310)
  • More UCSB graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former PUC students, three years after graduation. (73% vs. 57%)

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