UCSB vs. UVA

Should I go to University of California Santa Barbara or University of Virginia Main Campus? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if UCSB or UVA 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. University of Virginia Main Campus comparison
University of California Santa Barbara University of Virginia Main Campus College 3 College 4
University of California Santa Barbara University of Virginia Main Campus
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Overview

 UCSB UVA
Location Santa Barbara, CA Charlottesville, VA
Setting Midsize Suburban Small City
Enrollment 26,420 26,082
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #109 #59
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website ucsb.edu virginia.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 UCSB UVA
Tuition (In State) $11,564 $16,980
Tuition (Out of State) $41,636 $51,870
Room & Board $16,883 $12,890
Avg Net Price $16,874 $19,469
Avg Grant Aid $20,389 $26,818
% Receiving Grant Aid 53% 34%

Admission

 UCSB UVA
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 110,995 50,926
Admitted 28,688 9,503
Acceptance Rate 25.8% 18.7%
Enrolled % 17.3% 42.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.82 3.85
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Exceptional Elite
Applicant Competition High Very High
ACT Range 28/34 32/34
SAT Range 1230/1460 1400/1540
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 UVA
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (20%)
  • Business (11%)
  • Psychology (10%)
  • Biology (7%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)
  • Social Sciences (23%)
  • Engineering (10%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)
  • Business (8%)
  • Psychology (7%)

Outcomes

 UCSB UVA
Graduation Rate 80% 94%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $59,000 $77,200
Making Student Loan Payments 73% 86%
Median Student Loan Debt $16,451 $19,500
Median Loan Payment $170 $201

Diversity

 UCSB UVA
% Men 45% 45%
% Women 55% 55%
Racial Diversity Very High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 35% 60%
% Black 2% 6%
% Hispanic 26% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 8% 5%
% International 7% 5%
% Unknown Race 3% 6%

Students

 UCSB UVA
% In-State 78% 62%
% Out-of-State 10% 33%

Campus

 UCSB UVA
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 UVA based on total student enrollment (26,420 students vs. 26,082 students)

UCSB vs. UVA Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UCSB or UVA?

  • University of Virginia Main Campus is 46.8% more expensive to attend than UCSB for in-state tuition ($16,980.00 vs. $11,564.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 24.6% higher at UVA than University of California Santa Barbara ($51,870.00 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 UVA ($16,874 vs. $19,469)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Virginia Main Campus are 31% lower than costs at University of California Santa Barbara ($12,890 vs. $16,883)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of California Santa Barbara than University of Virginia Main Campus (53% vs. 34%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Virginia Main Campus students is 31.5% larger than aid received University of California Santa Barbara ($26,818 vs. $20,389)

UCSB vs. UVA Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of Virginia Main Campus (1364) is 116 points higher than at UCSB (1248)
  • Incoming UVA students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (31) than students at UCSB (29)
  • Accepted freshman UVA students have a 0.03 point higher average high school GPA (3.85) than students at UCSB (3.82)
  • UCSB has a higher acceptance rate (25.8%) than UVA (18.7%)

UCSB vs. UVA Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at UVA is higher than University of California Santa Barbara (94% vs. 80%)
  • Graduates from University of Virginia Main Campus earn on average $18,200 more per year than UCSB graduates after ten years. ($77,200 vs. $59,000)
  • University of California Santa Barbara students graduate with a $3,049 lower median federal student loan debt than UVA graduates. ($16,451 vs. $19,500)
  • UCSB graduates are paying $31 less per month on federal student loans than UVA graduates. ($170 vs. $201)
  • More UVA graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UCSB students, three years after graduation. (86% vs. 73%)

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