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# Schools Similar to University of California-Santa Barbara

Updated September 30, 2026

[Overview](/school/university-of-california-santa-barbara/)[Cost & aid](/school/university-of-california-santa-barbara/cost/)[Outcomes](/school/university-of-california-santa-barbara/outcomes/)[Admissions](/school/university-of-california-santa-barbara/admissions/)[Majors](/school/university-of-california-santa-barbara/majors/)Similar schools

**On this page**+

## Compare alternatives to UCSB

-   [Similar admissions profiles](#similar-admissions) · 4 matches
-   [Higher admission rates](#higher-admission) · 5 matches
-   [Nearby alternatives](#nearby-alternatives) · 5 matches
-   [Higher earnings at similar cost](#higher-earnings) · 2 matches
-   [Lower cost with similar earnings](#lower-cost) · 3 matches
-   [Similar overall profiles](#related-peers) · 10 matches

## Similar admissions profiles

Similar admissions profiles · matching order within this group

| School | UCSB · admission rate | Admission rate | Earnings |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| California Institute of the Arts | 33.0% | 32.3% | $35,256 4 years after completion |
| [California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo](/school/california-polytechnic-state-university-san-luis-obispo/) | 33.0% | 31.3% | $90,662 4 years after completion |
| Pitzer College | 33.0% | 25.2% | $69,786 4 years after completion |
| [University of California-Irvine](/school/university-of-california-irvine/) | 33.0% | 28.6% | $74,438 4 years after completion |

[Matching method and source notes](#peer-matching)

## Higher admission rates

Higher admission rates · matching order within this group

| School | UCSB · admission rate | Admission rate | Earnings |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Occidental College | 33.0% | 44.2% | $68,467 4 years after completion |
| [California Lutheran University](/school/california-lutheran-university/) | 33.0% | 75.7% | $69,695 4 years after completion |
| Southern California Institute of Architecture | 33.0% | 76.6% | $73,456 4 years after completion |
| [California State University-San Marcos](/school/california-state-university-san-marcos/) | 33.0% | 95.1% | $67,891 4 years after completion |
| [University of California-Riverside](/school/university-of-california-riverside/) | 33.0% | 76.4% | $64,926 4 years after completion |

[Matching method and source notes](#peer-matching)

## Nearby alternatives

Nearby alternatives · matching order within this group

| School | State | Earnings |
| --- | --- | --- |
| [University of California-Los Angeles](/school/university-of-california-los-angeles/) | CA | $77,677 4 years after completion |
| Occidental College | CA | $68,467 4 years after completion |
| [California Lutheran University](/school/california-lutheran-university/) | CA | $69,695 4 years after completion |
| [California State University-San Marcos](/school/california-state-university-san-marcos/) | CA | $67,891 4 years after completion |
| [University of California-Irvine](/school/university-of-california-irvine/) | CA | $74,438 4 years after completion |

[Matching method and source notes](#peer-matching)

## Higher earnings at similar cost

Higher earnings at similar cost · matching order within this group

| School | UCSB · earnings | Earnings | Average annual net price |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| [California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo](/school/california-polytechnic-state-university-san-luis-obispo/) | $70,323 4 years after completion | $90,662 4 years after completion | $16,665 |
| [University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign](/school/university-of-illinois-urbana-champaign/) | $70,323 4 years after completion | $79,628 4 years after completion | $14,355 |

[Matching method and source notes](#peer-matching)

## Lower cost with similar earnings

Lower cost with similar earnings · matching order within this group

| School | UCSB · average annual net price | Average annual net price | Earnings |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| [University of California-Los Angeles](/school/university-of-california-los-angeles/) | $16,109 | $12,548 | $77,677 4 years after completion |
| [CUNY Queens College](/school/cuny-queens-college/) | $16,109 | $4,195 | $68,713 4 years after completion |
| [California State University-Fresno](/school/california-state-university-fresno/) | $16,109 | $7,000 | $59,992 4 years after completion |

[Matching method and source notes](#peer-matching)

## Similar overall profiles

Similar overall profiles · matching order within this group

| School | State | Earnings |
| --- | --- | --- |
| [California State Polytechnic University-Pomona](/school/california-state-polytechnic-university-pomona/) | CA | $71,138 4 years after completion |
| [University of California-Riverside](/school/university-of-california-riverside/) | CA | $64,926 4 years after completion |
| [Washington State University](/school/washington-state-university/) | WA | $73,467 4 years after completion |
| [Colorado State University-Fort Collins](/school/colorado-state-university-fort-collins/) | CO | $67,911 4 years after completion |
| [San Francisco State University](/school/san-francisco-state-university/) | CA | $67,804 4 years after completion |
| [University of Utah](/school/university-of-utah/) | UT | $75,345 4 years after completion |
| [University of California-Santa Cruz](/school/university-of-california-santa-cruz/) | CA | $67,085 4 years after completion |
| [California State University-Fresno](/school/california-state-university-fresno/) | CA | $59,992 4 years after completion |
| [California State University-San Marcos](/school/california-state-university-san-marcos/) | CA | $67,891 4 years after completion |
| [Oregon State University](/school/oregon-state-university/) | OR | $71,799 4 years after completion |

[Matching method and source notes](#peer-matching)

## Matching methods and sources

[How schools are matched](/methodology/).

## Data & methodology

Sources and reporting periods: [methodology](/methodology/).

Analysis and methodology by [Daniel Rogers](/about/#founder), founder of College Azimuth.

Explanatory text is AI-assisted drafting checked against those figures; it is not an additional data source.

Figure notes link to sources and limitations. [About College Azimuth](/about/).