UCSB vs. USF

Should I go to University of California Santa Barbara or University of San Francisco? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if UCSB or USF 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.

Add a college to compare up to four schools

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

UCSD San Francisco State UCI UCSC Cal Poly UC Davis UCLA UW-Seattle UC Berkeley San Diego State USD SCU
University of California Santa Barbara vs. University of San Francisco comparison
University of California Santa Barbara University of San Francisco College 3 College 4
University of California Santa Barbara University of San Francisco
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

UCSB USF
Location Santa Barbara, CA San Francisco, CA
Setting Midsize Suburban Large City
Enrollment 26,068 9,212
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #112 #116
Religious Affiliation - Roman Catholic - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website ucsb.edu usfca.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

UCSB USF
Tuition (In State) $11,834 $57,670
Tuition (Out of State) $42,611 $57,670
Room & Board $18,684 $17,300
Avg Net Price $15,283 $44,104
Avg Grant Aid $21,732 $32,492
% Receiving Grant Aid 50% 97%

Admission

UCSB USF
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 110,871 25,709
Admitted 30,804 13,052
Acceptance Rate 27.8% 50.8%
Enrolled % 16.4% 8.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.82 3.57
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Exceptional Very High
Applicant Competition High Low
ACT Range 28/34 26/31
SAT Range 1230/1460 1210/1390
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, 2024 Jan 15, 2025

Academics

UCSB USF
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (20%)
  • Business (11%)
  • Psychology (10%)
  • Biology (7%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)
  • Business (34%)
  • Social Sciences (15%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Psychology (5%)

Outcomes

UCSB USF
Graduation Rate 80% 70%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $59,000 $70,400
Making Student Loan Payments 73% 73%
Median Student Loan Debt $16,451 $25,000
Median Loan Payment $170 $258

Diversity

UCSB USF
% Men 6% 13%
% Women 5% 24%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 35% 27%
% Black 2% 3%
% Hispanic 26% 19%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 1%
% Two or More Races 8% 7%
% International 7% 19%
% Unknown Race 3% 2%

Students

UCSB USF
% In-State 80% 58%
% Out-of-State 9% 32%

Campus

UCSB USF
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 USF based on total student enrollment (26,068 students vs. 9,212 students)

UCSB vs. USF Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UCSB or USF?

  • University of San Francisco is 387.3% more expensive to attend than UCSB for in-state tuition ($57,670.00 vs. $11,834.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 35.3% higher at USF than University of California Santa Barbara ($57,670.00 vs. $42,611.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of California Santa Barbara than USF ($15,283 vs. $44,104)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of San Francisco are 8% lower than costs at University of California Santa Barbara ($17,300 vs. $18,684)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of San Francisco than University of California Santa Barbara (97% vs. 50%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of San Francisco students is 49.5% larger than aid received University of California Santa Barbara ($32,492 vs. $21,732)

UCSB vs. USF Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of California Santa Barbara (1248) is 76 points higher than at USF (1172)
  • Incoming UCSB students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (29) than students at USF (26)
  • Accepted freshman UCSB students have a 0.25 point higher average high school GPA (3.82) than students at USF (3.57)
  • USF has a higher acceptance rate (50.8%) than UCSB (27.8%)

UCSB vs. USF Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at UCSB is higher than University of San Francisco (80% vs. 70%)
  • Graduates from University of San Francisco earn on average $11,400 more per year than UCSB graduates after ten years. ($70,400 vs. $59,000)
  • University of California Santa Barbara students graduate with a $8,549 lower median federal student loan debt than USF graduates. ($16,451 vs. $25,000)
  • UCSB graduates are paying $88 less per month on federal student loans than USF graduates. ($170 vs. $258)
  • More USF graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UCSB students, three years after graduation. (73% vs. 73%)

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