Public · Suburb: Midsize
University of California, Santa Barbara
Santa Barbara, California
Detailed ICP profile · Partial Common Data Set research. Each figure has its own reporting year. This is a research snapshot, not a live update.
At a glance
- 2026–27 published cost
- $50,946
- In-state (California) · On campus · before aid
- Details about 2026–27 published cost ↓
- Avg. cost after grants
- $16,807
- 2024–25 · federal-aid recipients, in-state
- Details about avg. cost after grants ↓
Admissions
Historical admissions describe the reported applicant pool, not your chances. Early-plan applicants form different pools.
Applicants admitted
Unavailable
No verified figure available. Missing does not mean zero.
First-year applications
110,187
Fall 2025
Historical applications in the source-defined pool and year.
About this number: First-year applications
This is an application count, not the size of the entering class. Campus/program reporting scope matters.
University of California, Santa Barbara Common Data Set · Fall 2025
Who or what this describes: First-time, first-year degree-seeking students
More admissions statistics (2)
First-year admission offers
42,093
Fall 2025
Historical offers of admission, not students who enrolled.
About this number: First-year admission offers
Admitted and enrolled populations differ. This count is separate from acceptance rate or yield.
University of California, Santa Barbara Common Data Set · Fall 2025
Who or what this describes: First-time, first-year degree-seeking students
New first-year students
5,081
Fall 2025
Historical entering class under the source definition.
About this number: New first-year students
This is neither all undergraduates nor all students who received an admission offer.
University of California, Santa Barbara Common Data Set · Fall 2025
Who or what this describes: First-time, first-year degree-seeking students
Academic profile of entering students
Scores and GPA describe past students, not current requirements. Reporting methods and populations differ.
SAT 25th percentile
Unavailable
No verified figure available. Missing does not mean zero.
ACT 25th percentile
Unavailable
No verified figure available. Missing does not mean zero.
More academics statistics (1)
Share reporting GPA
97.1%
Fall 2025
Share of the entering group with reported GPA.
About this number: Share reporting GPA
The average reported GPA may describe only this subset; weighting and scale are source-specific.
University of California, Santa Barbara Common Data Set · Fall 2025
Who or what this describes: First-time, first-year degree-seeking students
Costs & financial aid
Compare the year and population before comparing prices. Published budgets, group averages and your actual aid offer are different.
2026–27 cost of attendance
Published by University of California, Santa Barbara$50,946
Published cost of attendance · per year, before financial aid
- 2026–27
This budget assumes
- In-state (California)
- On campus
- First-year students
What the school includes
- Tuition and Student Services Fee
- $15,588
- Campus Based Fees
- $2,085
- Book & Supplies
- $1,515
- Rent
- $13,203
- Food
- $10,782
- Transportation
- $789
- Health Care Allowance(only if it applies)
- $4,008
- Personal Expenses
- $2,652
- Telephone/Cell Phone
- $324
- Published total
- $50,946
This is the school’s budget before financial aid. It is not a bill, the federal average net price, or your own aid offer.
About this budget
- The school labels these figures 2026–27.
- Source: UCSB Undergraduate Cost of Attendance Budget (2026-27, 2026 cohort, residence halls sample) (UC Santa Barbara Financial Aid). Researched October 21, 2026; independently audited October 22, 2026.
Research notes: Sample based on brand-new incoming freshman in residence halls. Published $0 line(s) omitted (not stored as zero): Utilities.
Understand the five kinds of college costs
- Tuition & fees
- Instruction and required college fees; living costs are additional unless explicitly included.
- Attendance budget
- College charges plus estimated living, books, travel and other included expenses, before aid.
- Average annual cost after grants & scholarships
- A historical average after federal, state/local and college grant aid for a specified federal-aid population. Outside private scholarships are not automatically deducted; loans and work-study are not discounts.
- Your net cost
- Your entered attendance cost minus selected grants and scholarships. Loans and work-study remain funding sources.
- Borrowing
- Debt to repay, not a discount. Work-study is earned over time, not an upfront bill reduction.
Average annual cost after grants & scholarships · in-state
$16,807
2024–25
Includes applicable federal, state/local and college grants and scholarships. First-time, full-time in-state students receiving federal financial aid form the reporting population. The attendance budget includes estimated living expenses. Your actual cost may differ.
About this number: Average annual cost after grants & scholarships · in-state
Federal average net price subtracts qualifying federal, state/local and institutional grants and scholarships from the source-defined attendance budget. Federal aid defines the reporting population, not the only aid deducted; some included students receive federal loans or work-study but no grants. This is a historical average, not a personalized award. Outside private scholarships are not automatically deducted. The public-college population pays in-state tuition. It is not a personal offer; loans and work-study are not discounts.
U.S. Department of Education · 2024–25
Who or what this describes: First-time, full-time in-state students receiving federal financial aid at public institutions
In-state tuition
$14,202
2026–2027
Historical published tuition for the stated residency; other expenses may be additional.
About this number: In-state tuition
Residency eligibility and student population are institution-specific. Confirm current rates and rules.
University of California, Santa Barbara Common Data Set · 2026–2027
Who or what this describes: First-time, full-time first-year students
Out-of-state tuition
$53,472
2026–2027
Historical tuition; fees, housing and other costs may be additional.
About this number: Out-of-state tuition
A published residency rate is not an individual aid offer or current-price guarantee.
University of California, Santa Barbara Common Data Set · 2026–2027
Who or what this describes: First-time, full-time first-year students
More costs statistics (8)
Required fees
$3,441
2026–2027
Separate source-defined fees; do not add to an amount already including fees.
About this number: Required fees
Review the same-year tuition definition before adding separate fees.
University of California, Santa Barbara Common Data Set · 2026–2027
Who or what this describes: First-time, full-time first-year students
Housing & food
$23,974
2026–2027
Source-defined living arrangement and year; not necessarily your college bill.
About this number: Housing & food
Living expenses vary by housing arrangement. Do not mix these with a total budget that already includes them.
University of California, Santa Barbara Common Data Set · 2026–2027
Who or what this describes: First-time, full-time first-year students
Tuition & fees · in-state
$16,989
2025–26
Historical federal amount, before aid and living expenses.
About this number: Tuition & fees · in-state
Tuition and required fees are combined here. Do not add the institution’s separate fees again or confuse this with total attendance cost.
U.S. Department of Education · 2025–26
Who or what this describes: In-state tuition and fees
Tuition & fees · out-of-state
$54,591
2025–26
Historical federal amount, before aid and living expenses.
About this number: Tuition & fees · out-of-state
This combines tuition and fees for the reported residency. It is separate from a differently dated institutional tuition figure.
U.S. Department of Education · 2025–26
Who or what this describes: Out-of-state tuition and fees
Undergraduates receiving Pell Grants
31.7%
2024–25
Source-defined undergraduate recipients; not an eligibility prediction.
About this number: Undergraduates receiving Pell Grants
This describes reported recipients, not whether your family qualifies.
U.S. Department of Education · 2024–25
Who or what this describes: Percentage of undergraduates who receive a Pell Grant
Undergraduates receiving federal loans
18.0%
2024–25
Borrowing participation; loans are debt, not grants.
About this number: Undergraduates receiving federal loans
A loan must generally be repaid and does not reduce net price. This is not a measure of the amount each student borrows.
U.S. Department of Education · 2024–25
Who or what this describes: Percent of all undergraduate students receiving a federal student loan
Average need-based grant for recipients
$32,900
2025–2026 estimated
Source-defined first-year aid recipients, not all students.
About this number: Average need-based grant for recipients
An average grant is not an average net price or a promise of aid. Eligibility, institutional need definitions and award amounts vary.
University of California, Santa Barbara Common Data Set · 2025–2026 estimated
Who or what this describes: First-time, full-time first-year students
Average financial need met
82.4%
2025–2026 estimated
Institution-defined need among the reported aid population.
About this number: Average financial need met
The college’s definition of need may differ from a family budget or federal Student Aid Index. This percentage does not predict your award.
University of California, Santa Barbara Common Data Set · 2025–2026 estimated
Who or what this describes: First-time, full-time first-year students
Campus & student outcomes
Enrollment, return rates and completion rates describe different source populations. They are not a measure of every student’s experience.
Undergraduate students · federal
23,181
Fall 2024
Fall 2024 undergraduate headcount, including full-time and part-time students.
About this number: Undergraduate students · federal
This is the source-defined institutional reporting unit, not a count of majors, degrees awarded or all graduate and undergraduate students.
U.S. Department of Education · Fall 2024
Who or what this describes: Grand total
Students per faculty member · federal
17
Fall 2024
A reporting ratio, not average class size.
About this number: Students per faculty member · federal
This federal measure uses its own student and instructional-staff definitions. It is separate from class size.
U.S. Department of Education · Fall 2024
Who or what this describes: Student-to-faculty ratio
More campus and outcome statistics (5)
Reported academic calendar
Quarter
2025–26
Reported population and year apply; missing is not zero.
About this number: Reported academic calendar
Read the source-defined population and conditions before comparing this figure with another institution.
U.S. Department of Education · 2025–26
Who or what this describes: Institution-level service or characteristic, rather than a student cohort
Undergraduate research in federal reporting
Yes
2025–26
Historical service reporting; an unmarked option is not proof that research is unavailable.
About this number: Undergraduate research in federal reporting
The source describes a reported co-curricular option, not the full current research opportunities available to students. Verify current offerings directly.
U.S. Department of Education · 2025–26
Who or what this describes: Institution-level service or characteristic, rather than a student cohort
Study abroad reported
Yes
2025–26
Reported population and year apply; missing is not zero.
About this number: Study abroad reported
Read the source-defined population and conditions before comparing this figure with another institution.
U.S. Department of Education · 2025–26
Who or what this describes: Institution-level service or characteristic, rather than a student cohort
Academic & career counseling reported
Yes
2025–26
Reported population and year apply; missing is not zero.
About this number: Academic & career counseling reported
Read the source-defined population and conditions before comparing this figure with another institution.
U.S. Department of Education · 2025–26
Who or what this describes: Institution-level service or characteristic, rather than a student cohort
AP credit reported
Yes
2025–26
Reported population and year apply; missing is not zero.
About this number: AP credit reported
Read the source-defined population and conditions before comparing this figure with another institution.
U.S. Department of Education · 2025–26
Who or what this describes: Institution-level service or characteristic, rather than a student cohort
What could you study?
These examples come from historical bachelor’s degrees awarded, not a verified current-major catalog. Confirm current programs, campus and entry conditions with the college.
- Econometrics and Quantitative Economics
- Sociology, General
- Communication, General
- Experimental Psychology
- Statistics, General
- Environmental Studies
Historical degree records & sources
Reported first-major bachelor’s credentials, not necessarily distinct graduates. Examples with the largest reported counts, including ties; no campus or classification totals are added together.
- Econometrics and Quantitative Economics
699 degrees awarded · 2024-25
- Sociology, General
661 degrees awarded · 2024-25
- Communication, General
618 degrees awarded · 2024-25
- Experimental Psychology
545 degrees awarded · 2024-25
- Statistics, General
408 degrees awarded · 2024-25
- Environmental Studies
353 degrees awarded · 2024-25
- Biology/Biological Sciences, General
351 degrees awarded · 2024-25
- Political Science and Government, General
241 degrees awarded · 2024-25
- Computer Science
222 degrees awarded · 2024-25
- Behavioral Neuroscience
171 degrees awarded · 2024-25
Plan your application
Check current official instructions for testing, essays, recommendations and dates. Historical admissions outcomes are not application requirements. Early Decision can be binding; review the institution’s conditions before choosing it.
University of California, Santa Barbara — SAT/ACT policy
Test-free / test-blind
SAT and ACT scores are not considered for the covered admission review. Other testing requirements may be separate.
Fall 2027 · first-year domestic applicant research. Confirm your program and circumstances.
Conditions to check
- UC-wide policy; campus-level supplements may apply.
Official source checked 2026-10-16. Policies can change.
Different applicant situation?
SAT/ACT and English proficiency are different requirements. Program, recruitment and scholarship rules may need separate confirmation.
Sources & research
Institutional Common Data Sets and federal statistics have different reporting periods and populations. Research snapshot: October 16–19, 2026. Missing values can reflect nonreporting, conflict, ambiguity or incomplete review; they are never zero. Institution earnings remain withheld under the research restrictions.
How ICP selects and explains data →