University of California-Santa Barbara
University of California-Santa Barbara — Earnings vs Cost (vs National Average)
University of California-Santa Barbara at a Glance
The University of California, Santa Barbara is a public land-grant research university in Santa Barbara County, California, United States. Tracing its roots back to 1891 as an independent teachers college, UC Santa Barbara joined the University of California system in 1944. It is the third-oldest campus in the system, after Berkeley, and UCLA.
1891
135 years old
$666M
$665.9 million (2024)
24,673
23,181 undergrad · 2,952 grad
4,378
1,127 acres
200
Prestige & value signals
Identity
Is University of California-Santa Barbara Worth It?
University of California-Santa Barbara is one of the strongest value propositions in higher education. At $16,109/year net price and $74,915 median earnings, graduates earn 4.7× their annual cost within a decade of enrolling.
The investment pays for itself in just 0.9 years — among the fastest payback periods of any college we track.
The 84% graduation rate means roughly 16% of students leave without a degree — taking on debt without the earnings boost that completion brings.
Median student debt of $13,993 is manageable at just 19% of first-year post-graduation earnings.
Bottom line: University of California-Santa Barbara delivers strong financial returns that justify the investment for most students.
How University of California-Santa Barbara compares to peer public colleges of similar tier in CA
Ranked #11 of 17 on value score. Peers are matched by size, median earnings, SAT, and admission rate — not just geography.
| Rank | College | Value | Net price / yr | Median earnings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo | 100 | $16,665 | $90,768 |
| #2 | University of California-Davis | 100 | $14,741 | $80,838 |
| #3 | University of California-Irvine | 100 | $14,251 | $80,735 |
| #4 | University of California-San Diego | 100 | $12,470 | $84,943 |
| #5 | Foothill College | 100 | $7,653 | $57,072 |
| #6 | Florida State University | 100 | $11,297 | $61,675 |
| #11 | University of California-Santa Barbara | 98 | $16,109 | $74,915 |
Peer group: public colleges within ±60% of University of California-Santa Barbara's student body size and within a similar academic tier (SAT ±80, admit rate ±10pp, median earnings ±25%). 6 in CA.
Best Programs at University of California-Santa Barbara
The highest-earning program at University of California-Santa Barbara is Computer Science at $77,900/year (4 years after graduation). The lowest is Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft at $19,900/year.
Your major matters more than the school name — a Computer Science graduate from University of California-Santa Barbara earns $77,900, while a Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft graduate earns $19,900. That's more than a 2× difference from the same institution. Choose your program carefully — it's the single biggest lever you control.
Debt also varies by program: Computer Science graduates carry $15,512 in median debt vs. $22,500 for Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft.
Return on Investment
Estimated 4-Year Cost
Based on $16,109/yr net price × 4 years
Earnings Premium
vs. national average of $53,787/yr
Payback Period
Time to recoup the total cost through higher earnings
10-Year Net Gain
Median earnings over 10 years minus total cost of attendance
Programs & Earnings by Major
Graduate earnings data by field of study (4 years after graduation):
| Major | Earnings (4yr) | Earnings (1yr) | Median Debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Computer Science | $77,900 | $77,900 | $15,512 |
| Computer Engineering | $75,800 | $75,800 | $23,212 |
| Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering | $66,400 | $66,400 | $19,500 |
| Economics | $59,200 | $59,200 | $14,998 |
| Mechanical Engineering | $56,600 | $56,600 | $16,522 |
| Chemical Engineering | $46,400 | $46,400 | $15,100 |
| Applied Mathematics | $45,500 | $45,500 | $23,500 |
| Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods | $45,100 | $45,100 | $14,667 |
| Statistics | $43,400 | $43,400 | $16,199 |
| Mathematics | $40,900 | $40,900 | $18,000 |
| Chemistry | $38,400 | $38,400 | $20,000 |
| Physics | $37,100 | $37,100 | $14,236 |
| Communication and Media Studies | $36,300 | $36,300 | $15,000 |
| Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | $35,000 | $35,000 | $17,000 |
| Political Science and Government | $34,700 | $34,700 | $19,000 |
| Natural Resources Conservation and Research | $34,400 | $34,400 | $15,500 |
| Geography and Cartography | $33,200 | $33,200 | $17,000 |
| Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies | $32,900 | $32,900 | $19,500 |
| International/Global Studies | $32,200 | $32,200 | $18,167 |
| Philosophy | $30,200 | $30,200 | $16,114 |
| Sociology | $30,200 | $30,200 | $15,000 |
| Biology, General | $30,100 | $30,100 | $18,170 |
| Research and Experimental Psychology | $30,000 | $30,000 | $15,000 |
| Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services | $29,700 | $29,700 | $18,000 |
| Cell/Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences | $28,900 | $28,900 | $19,000 |
| History | $28,200 | $28,200 | $18,160 |
| Film/Video and Photographic Arts | $27,800 | $27,800 | $19,250 |
| Anthropology | $27,000 | $27,000 | $15,000 |
| English Language and Literature, General | $25,400 | $25,400 | $17,000 |
| Fine and Studio Arts | $25,000 | $25,000 | $18,166 |
| Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology | $21,000 | $21,000 | $17,615 |
| Zoology/Animal Biology | $20,200 | $20,200 | $19,265 |
| Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft | $19,900 | $19,900 | $22,500 |
Similar Colleges in CA
Quick Facts
- Institution Type
- public
- Location
- Santa Barbara, CA
- Student Body
- 23,113 students
- Admission Rate
- 33%
- Graduation Rate
- 84%
- Net Price (Annual)
- $16,109
- Median Earnings (10yr)
- $74,915
- Median Student Debt
- $13,993