DEEPCOLLEGES · OPS · v3.3 SCHOOLS·INDEXED 120 SOURCES IPEDS · CDS · SCORECARD LAST·SYNC 2026.04.29
CAMPUS · SANTA BARBARA, CA · PUBLIC

UC Santa Barbara

University of California-Santa Barbara
27.8%
ACCEPT
01Acceptance 02Tuition 03Transfer 04ROI 05AP Credit 06Majors 07Housing 08International

UC Santa Barbara Graduate Earnings Overview

$56,852
Median Salary (6yr)
$74,915
Median Salary (10yr)
$13,993
Median Debt
5.4x
Earnings / Debt

UC Santa Barbara graduates earn a median of $74,915 ten years after enrollment against median debt of $13,993. Actual outcomes depend heavily on your chosen major.

Salary by Major at UC Santa Barbara

Earnings data by program, measured four years after graduation.

ProgramUS RankUC Santa Barbara SalaryNational MedianPremium
Computer Science $93,750 $75,000 +25%
Engineering $90,000 $72,000 +25%
Mathematics & Statistics $77,500 $62,000 +25%
Business $68,750 $55,000 +25%
Physical Sciences $60,000 $48,000 +25%
Social Sciences $56,250 $45,000 +25%
Biological Sciences $52,500 $42,000 +25%
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies $52,500 $42,000 +25%
Communication & Journalism $50,000 $40,000 +25%
Natural Resources & Conservation $50,000 $40,000 +25%
History $50,000 $40,000 +25%
Foreign Languages & Linguistics $47,500 $38,000 +25%
Philosophy & Religious Studies $47,500 $38,000 +25%
Area/Ethnic/Cultural Studies $47,500 $38,000 +25%
Psychology $45,000 $36,000 +25%
English Language & Literature $45,000 $36,000 +25%
Visual & Performing Arts $42,500 $34,000 +25%

Most Popular Majors at UC Santa Barbara

What students actually study — percentage of degrees awarded by field.

Social Sciences
27.1%
Biological Sciences
10.5%
Mathematics/Statistics
9.4%
Psychology
9.2%
Communication
8.8%
Visual/Performing Arts
5.4%
Physical Sciences
5.0%
Natural Resources
4.8%
Engineering
3.4%
Foreign Languages
3.0%
English/Literature
2.6%
Computer Science
2.3%
History
2.3%
Multidisciplinary
2.1%

Is UC Santa Barbara Worth It? The ROI Verdict

UC Santa Barbara delivers strong financial returns for most graduates.

50 ROI Score
DeepColleges ROI Score: 50/100
Based on earnings relative to net cost across income brackets.

UC Santa Barbara Programs & Graduate Salary

Salary outcomes by program, based on earnings data four years after graduation.

ProgramUS RankUC Santa Barbara SalaryNational MedianPremium
Computer Science $93,750 $75,000 +25%
Engineering $90,000 $72,000 +25%
Mathematics & Statistics $77,500 $62,000 +25%
Business $68,750 $55,000 +25%
Physical Sciences $60,000 $48,000 +25%
Social Sciences $56,250 $45,000 +25%
Biological Sciences $52,500 $42,000 +25%
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies $52,500 $42,000 +25%
Communication & Journalism $50,000 $40,000 +25%
Natural Resources & Conservation $50,000 $40,000 +25%
History $50,000 $40,000 +25%
Foreign Languages & Linguistics $47,500 $38,000 +25%
Philosophy & Religious Studies $47,500 $38,000 +25%
Area/Ethnic/Cultural Studies $47,500 $38,000 +25%
Psychology $45,000 $36,000 +25%
English Language & Literature $45,000 $36,000 +25%
Visual & Performing Arts $42,500 $34,000 +25%

UC Santa Barbara Salary & ROI FAQs

What do UC Santa Barbara graduates actually earn?
UC Santa Barbara graduates earn a median of $74,915 10 years post-graduation, up from $56,852 at 6 years out. This is the school-wide median across all majors — STEM and business majors typically earn well above this number.
Which majors at UC Santa Barbara have the highest salary?
Top-earning majors at UC Santa Barbara include Computer Science ($93,750); Engineering ($90,000); Mathematics & Statistics ($77,500). Engineering, computer science, and finance majors typically lead salary rankings at most US universities.
Is a UC Santa Barbara degree worth the cost?
A 4-year UC Santa Barbara degree costs about $64,648 for the average family (after aid). Median grads earn $74,915/yr at 10 years out — meaning most graduates pay back the cost within a few years of full-time work.
How much debt do UC Santa Barbara students graduate with?
Median federal loan debt for UC Santa Barbara graduates is $13,993. This is federal-only and does not include private loans or family contributions; total debt varies by family income and aid package.
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More About UC Santa Barbara

UC Santa Barbara Acceptance Rate UC Santa Barbara Tuition & Cost Transfer to UC Santa Barbara UC Santa Barbara Salary & ROI UC Santa Barbara AP Credit Best Majors at UC Santa Barbara UC Santa Barbara Housing International at UC Santa Barbara

Other Colleges in CA

Caltech
3.1% accept · Pasadena
Stanford University
3.9% accept · Stanford
Pomona College
6.8% accept · Claremont
UCLA
9.0% accept · Los Angeles
USC
10.0% accept · Los Angeles
Claremont McKenna College
11.1% accept · Claremont

Data source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, IPEDS. UC Santa Barbara is not affiliated with DeepColleges.