Solid graduate outcomes with earnings above the peer average.
What graduates earn 10 years after enrollment.
Annual salary at 10 years
Lower quartile earnings
Upper quartile earnings
How graduate earnings grow in the decade after enrollment.
Earnings growth at UC Santa Barbara shows steady progression from early to mid-career periods. Graduates earn $56,852 six years after enrollment, advancing to $68,092 at eight years and reaching $74,915 at the ten-year mark.
How outcomes compare to similar institutions.
Graduate earnings exceed the peer average, indicating above-typical outcomes for this institution type.
Financial justification for the investment.
Excellent affordability. Median debt of $13,993 is well under annual earnings, enabling comfortable repayment.
Student borrowing at UC Santa Barbara remains highly manageable compared to national and peer patterns. Median student debt reaches $13,993, substantially below the peer median of $20,000 and representing $6,007 less borrowing than similar institutions.
UC Santa Barbara demonstrates well above average return on investment, ranking in the 87.9th percentile nationally with strong tier performance. Graduates earn $11,776 beyond expectations relative to similar students nationally, placing the institution in the 87.7th percentile for value-added performance.
Approximately 24.1% of UC Santa Barbara graduates continue to graduate or professional education, based on high-confidence program mix analysis. This...
Program mix explains much of the earnings story.
Several programs drive UC Santa Barbara's strong return performance through exceptional graduate outcomes. Computer Science leads with $118,830 median earnings from 145 graduates, ranking #43 nationally despite competitive field dynamics.
Acoustics achieves $88,722 earnings with exceptional #2 national ranking and 98.5 value score from 161 graduates. Applied Economics produces $88,311 earnings from substantial 703-graduate cohorts, ranking #26 nationally with strong 87.6 value performance.
See which programs drive the strongest earnings and career trajectories
The earnings distribution reveals significant variation in career outcomes across UC Santa Barbara graduates. The spread from $49,095 at the 25th percentile to $111,078 at the 75th percentile indicates diverse career trajectories with substantial upside potential for high-performing graduates.
