CA University of California-Santa Barbara vs CA University of California-Santa Cruz
CA University of California-Santa Cruz — Pick the CA University of California-Santa Cruz — it leads these groups: Admissions 1
Tap a group name to see the proof · The scoring method is public
The short answer
CA University of California-Santa Cruz wins this comparison with a score of 46/100, ahead of CA University of California-Santa Barbara (42).
The main differences: Acceptance rate (33.0 % vs 65.8 %) · In-state tuition (16414 USD/yr vs 16005 USD/yr) · Out-of-state tuition (50614 USD/yr vs 50205 USD/yr).
Scores are computed from 14 public spec attributes; missing values stay marked unknown in tables and are imputed at the category median, never passed off as measured.
At a glance
0–100 per group, normalized within the category · Tap a group for details
| CA University of California-Santa Barbara | CA University of California-Santa Cruz | |
|---|---|---|
| Admissions | 51 | 63 |
| Cost & outcomes | 55 | 52 |
| Rankings | 40 | 48 |
| Students & campus | 14 | 11 |
How to choose
Pick the CA University of California-Santa Barbara if you care about…
- Median earnings (10 yr) 74915 USD +6519 USD vs 68396 USD
- Earnings >$50k (10 yr) 80.5 % +5.9 % vs 74.6 %
- Graduation rate (150%) 83.0 % +7.9 % vs 75.1 %
- Freshman retention 93 % +5.0 % vs 88.0 %
Pick the CA University of California-Santa Cruz if you care about…
- Acceptance rate 65.8 % +32.8 % vs 33.0 %
- In-state tuition 16005 USD/yr +409 USD/yr vs 16414 USD/yr
- Out-of-state tuition 50205 USD/yr +409 USD/yr vs 50614 USD/yr
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Where they differ
9 · Only rows that actually differ, with a verdict per row
| CA University of California-Santa Barbara | CA University of California-Santa Cruz | Where they differ | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Acceptance rate | 33.0 % | 65.8 % | CA University of California-Santa Cruz |
| In-state tuition | 16414 USD/yr | 16005 USD/yr | CA University of California-Santa Cruz |
| Out-of-state tuition | 50614 USD/yr | 50205 USD/yr | CA University of California-Santa Cruz |
| Median earnings (10 yr) | 74915 USD | 68396 USD | CA University of California-Santa Barbara |
| Earnings >$50k (10 yr) | 80.5 % | 74.6 % | CA University of California-Santa Barbara |
| Graduation rate (150%) | 83.0 % | 75.1 % | CA University of California-Santa Barbara |
| Freshman retention | 93 % | 88.0 % | CA University of California-Santa Barbara |
| Undergraduate students | 23113 | 17940 | CA University of California-Santa Barbara |
| Campus setting | Suburban | City | Depends |
The record
Grouped and collapsible · Tap a group to fold
Admissions1▾
| CA University of California-Santa Barbara | CA University of California-Santa Cruz | |
|---|---|---|
| Acceptance rate | 33.0 % | 65.8 % |
Cost & outcomes6▾
| CA University of California-Santa Barbara | CA University of California-Santa Cruz | |
|---|---|---|
| In-state tuition | 16414 USD/yr | 16005 USD/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition | 50614 USD/yr | 50205 USD/yr |
| Median earnings (10 yr) | 74915 USD | 68396 USD |
| Earnings >$50k (10 yr) | 80.5 % | 74.6 % |
| Graduation rate (150%) | 83.0 % | 75.1 % |
| Freshman retention | 93 % | 88.0 % |
Rankings4▾
| CA University of California-Santa Barbara | CA University of California-Santa Cruz | |
|---|---|---|
| THE world rank | 72 | — |
| THE overall score | 71.2 | — |
| THE teaching | 50.3 | — |
| THE research | 63.2 | — |
Students & campus3▾
| CA University of California-Santa Barbara | CA University of California-Santa Cruz | |
|---|---|---|
| Undergraduate students | 23113 | 17940 |
| Campus setting | Suburban | City |
| Ownership | Public | Public |
Data sources: College Scorecard · Times Higher Education
FAQ
Which is better, CA University of California-Santa Barbara or CA University of California-Santa Cruz?
CA University of California-Santa Cruz has the higher overall score (46 vs 42) and leads in Admissions. Choose CA University of California-Santa Barbara instead if Median earnings (10 yr) matters more to you.
What are the main differences?
The main differences: Acceptance rate (33.0 % vs 65.8 %) · In-state tuition (16414 USD/yr vs 16005 USD/yr) · Out-of-state tuition (50614 USD/yr vs 50205 USD/yr).
How are the scores calculated?
We normalize 14 public spec attributes within the category and weight them by group into a 0–100 score; missing values are inherited from spec-identical twins or imputed at the category median, so a sparse spec sheet never earns an advantage. The methodology is public.