by our College Data Analytics TeamThis overview lays out the cost of attending University of California-Santa Barbara, spanning what it costs to attend, projected costs over a degree, net price, debt outcomes, and aid equity.
If you want to dig into a particular figure, jump to any section below:
Attendance costs at University of California-Santa Barbara varied between $36,776.00 through $70,976.00 depending on your residency status.
In-state students paid the lower published figure, while out-of-state students faced the higher one: roughly $36,776.00 in-state versus $70,976.00 for those paying out-of-state rates.
Below, the published cost is shown three ways — the full sticker price with no aid, the net price after the average grant package, and the net price for low-income students who typically receive the most aid.
| Tuition and fees | $16,414.00 |
| + Room, board & other expenses | $20,362.00 |
| Total cost | $36,776.00 |
| That is 91% above the national average net price. |
| Total cost | $36,776.00 |
| − Grants and scholarships | −$25,464.00 |
| Net price | $11,312.00 |
| That is 41% below the national average net price. |
| Total cost | $36,776.00 |
| − Grants and scholarships | −$32,342.00 |
| Net price | $4,434.00 |
| That is 77% below the national average net price. |
| Tuition and fees | $50,614.00 |
| + Room, board & other expenses | $20,362.00 |
| Total cost | $70,976.00 |
| That is 269% above the national average net price. |
| Total cost | $70,976.00 |
| − Grants and scholarships | −$25,464.00 |
| Net price | $45,512.00 |
| That is 136% above the national average net price. |
| Total cost | $70,976.00 |
| − Grants and scholarships | −$32,342.00 |
| Net price | $38,634.00 |
| That is 101% above the national average net price. | |
| Want the line-by-line detail? Dig into tuition and fees plus living costs. |
Costs have trended upward in recent years by around 4.6% annually, so the projections below total more than one year of attendance. These tables carry the cost across a degree for three cases: low-income w/ aid, average aid, and no aid. Loan figures amortise the projected total over ten years at 6.8%.
| Projected 4-year net costs | Low Income w/ Aid | w/ Average Aid | No Aid |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual growth rate | 4.6% | 4.6% | 4.6% |
| Freshman year | $4,640.00 | $11,837.00 | $38,484.00 |
| Senior year | $5,317.00 | $13,564.00 | $44,098.00 |
| Total 4-year net price | $19,893.00 | $50,751.00 | $164,993.00 |
| 10-year loan interest @ 6.8% | $7,578.00 | $19,334.00 | $62,856.00 |
| Total monthly payment | $229.00 | $584.00 | $1,899.00 |
| Total amount paid | $27,471.00 | $70,085.00 | $227,849.00 |
| Projected 2-year net costs | Low Income w/ Aid | w/ Average Aid | No Aid |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual growth rate | 4.6% | 4.6% | 4.6% |
| Freshman year | $4,640.00 | $11,837.00 | $38,484.00 |
| Senior year | $4,855.00 | $12,387.00 | $40,271.00 |
| Total 2-year net price | $9,495.00 | $24,224.00 | $78,755.00 |
| 10-year loan interest @ 6.8% | $3,617.00 | $9,229.00 | $30,003.00 |
| Total monthly payment | $109.00 | $279.00 | $906.00 |
| Total amount paid | $13,113.00 | $33,453.00 | $108,757.00 |
| Projected 4-year net costs | Low Income w/ Aid | w/ Average Aid | No Aid |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual growth rate | 4.6% | 4.6% | 4.6% |
| Freshman year | $40,428.00 | $47,625.00 | $74,272.00 |
| Senior year | $46,326.00 | $54,573.00 | $85,106.00 |
| Total 4-year net price | $173,329.00 | $204,186.00 | $318,429.00 |
| 10-year loan interest @ 6.8% | $66,032.00 | $77,788.00 | $121,310.00 |
| Total monthly payment | $1,995.00 | $2,350.00 | $3,664.00 |
| Total amount paid | $239,361.00 | $281,974.00 | $439,739.00 |
| Projected 2-year net costs | Low Income w/ Aid | w/ Average Aid | No Aid |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual growth rate | 4.6% | 4.6% | 4.6% |
| Freshman year | $40,428.00 | $47,625.00 | $74,272.00 |
| Senior year | $42,305.00 | $49,837.00 | $77,721.00 |
| Total 2-year net price | $82,733.00 | $97,462.00 | $151,993.00 |
| 10-year loan interest @ 6.8% | $31,518.00 | $37,130.00 | $57,904.00 |
| Total monthly payment | $952.00 | $1,122.00 | $1,749.00 |
| Total amount paid | $114,252.00 | $134,592.00 | $209,896.00 |
For the complete net-price picture, see the net-price section.
Net price is what students actually pay after grants and scholarships are subtracted from the published sticker price. For most families it is a more realistic figure than the published cost.
| Average net price (on-campus) | $16,109.00 |
| Average net price (off-campus) | $14,225.00 |
Net price is not the same for every family — it falls as financial need rises and grant aid increases. Below, average net price is broken out by family income:
| Family income | Average net price |
|---|---|
| Under $30,000 | $7,745.00 |
| $30,000 to $48,000 | $8,910.00 |
| $48,001 to $75,000 | $11,398.00 |
| $75,001 to $110,000 | $16,839.00 |
| Over $110,000 | $30,085.00 |
Use University of California-Santa Barbara Net Price Calculator, or contact the financial aid office.
Want to know how that aid is awarded? See the financial aid breakdown.
Median graduate debt at University of California-Santa Barbara is $11,875.00, landing it in the Low ($10-20k) burden category.
The percentile breakdown reveals the full debt landscape:
| Percentile | Debt at graduation |
|---|---|
| 10th | $4,166.00 |
| 25th | $7,500.00 |
| Median (50th) | $11,875.00 |
| 75th | $23,500.00 |
| 90th | $28,677.00 |
The spread between the 10th and 90th percentiles reflects how variable debt outcomes are at this school.
Read the complete debt breakdown on the student loan debt detail.
Debt outcomes vary substantially with family income. The figures below split graduating borrowers into three income brackets:
| Family income | Median debt at graduation |
|---|---|
| Low income | $11,167.00 |
| Middle income | $11,668.00 |
| High income | $12,000.00 |
Debt at graduation often differs for first-generation students.
| Student group | Median debt at graduation |
|---|---|
| First-generation students | $12,000.00 |
| Continuing-generation students | $11,501.00 |
First-gen students at University of California-Santa Barbara graduate with $499.00 in additional median debt versus continuing-generation peers.
Pell Grant eligibility is a useful proxy for low-income status among undergraduates. Contrasting Pell and non-Pell borrowers shows how need shapes debt.
The median debt gap between Pell and non-Pell graduates of University of California-Santa Barbara is $-302.00.
The default-rate classification at University of California-Santa Barbara is Low (<5%).
| Window | Cohort default rate |
|---|---|
| 2-year | 3.0% |
For a sense of scale, Stafford disbursements at University of California-Santa Barbara amount to $781,073,165.00 distributed across 47,236 recipients.
Veteran and active-military students often access dedicated federal aid programs including the GI Bill and Department of Defense tuition support.
| GI Bill recipients | 31 |
| Avg GI Bill amount | $36,621.00 |
Read more about military and veteran aid on the college veterans page.
The data above is a foundation; round it out by asking yourself about University of California-Santa Barbara, keep these questions in mind:
Each page below covers one part of paying for college in more detail:
Data sources. Figures on this page draw from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS), and MediaFactual editorial review. Net-price calculator and financial-aid office links are taken from the institution’s own published data.