Explore alternatives based on outcomes, location, cost, and admission difficulty
Given UC Santa Barbara's 27.8% acceptance rate and selective admission standards, most applicants face significant uncertainty even with strong academic profiles. The alternatives below provide comparable career outcomes with different admission accessibility, geographic options, or cost structures.
These schools offer higher acceptance rates while delivering comparable career outcomes.
For similar outcomes with more accessible admission, consider Occidental College with 39.9% acceptance and $75,951 median earnings, located just 95 miles away with similar program focus. Southern California Institute of Architecture admits 82.7% of applicants while producing graduates earning $71,909, though with higher costs. Both institutions offer pathways to strong post-graduation outcomes with significantly better admission odds than UC Santa Barbara.
Strong options in the same region with comparable academic profiles.
Students wanting to remain in California should consider UCLA with exceptional $82,511 median earnings, though admission is highly competitive at 8.7%. Cal Poly San Luis Obispo offers outstanding $90,768 earnings with 29.8% acceptance, providing better outcomes with similar selectivity. Both represent premier California public options for students committed to in-state education.
Elite universities with similar prestige and academic caliber
