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University of California-Santa Barbara Ranking Badges

UCSB earned 188 ranking badges in the 2027 College Factual rankings: 17 in the top 1%, 70 in the top 5%, 57 in the top 10% and 44 in the top 15% of the schools in each ranking. Its highest placement is #1 of 816 in Most Popular for Physics, a top 1% award.

Key facts

• Badges earned: 188 (2027 edition)
• In the top 1% / top 5%: 17 / 70
• Highest placement: #1 of 816, a top 1% award
• Fields of study with a badge: 18
• Placements this edition: 372
• Badge cutoff: a top 15% placement in a ranking

Source: IPEDS 2025; College Scorecard July 2026; College Factual rankings 2027. Data as of: July 2026.

How Many Ranking Badges Has University of California-Santa Barbara Earned?

University of California-Santa Barbara holds 188 ranking badges across 18 fields of study, 87 of them in the top 5% or better; each badge is an award for placing in the top 15% of a ranking. It has no placements this edition in College Factual’s online-program rankings. Each ranking is recalculated when updated data becomes available. The awards below are from the 2027 edition. For every ranking, the check mark shows the top tier achieved. Learn more about our data sources and methodologies. College administrators who want to showcase these awards through our badge program can contact us.

Count by Award Level

Award Level	Badges
Top 1%	17
Top 5%	70
Top 10%	57
Top 15%	44
Total	188

What Is University of California-Santa Barbara Known For?

University of California-Santa Barbara is best known for Social Sciences: 17 of its 123 traditional-student awards are in that field. Its top-ranked majors include Statistics, Physics and Communication & Media Studies.

College Overall

Ranking	Top 15%	Top 10%	Top 5%	Top 1%
Overall Best				✓
Overall Best (Far Western)			✓
Overall Best (California)			✓
Ethnic Diversity			✓
Ethnic Diversity (Far Western)	✓
Ethnic Diversity (California)	✓
Most Popular (Far Western)			✓
Most Popular (California)			✓

Biological & Biomedical Sciences

Ranking	Top 15%	Top 10%	Top 5%	Top 1%
Top Ranked			✓
Most Popular			✓
Biochemistry & Biophysics
Top Ranked			✓
Best Value	✓
Most Popular			✓
Highest Paid Graduates		✓
Cell Biology & Anatomical Sciences
Most Popular	✓
Ecology & Systematics Biology
Top Ranked	✓
Most Popular		✓
General Biology
Top Ranked			✓
Most Popular			✓
Microbiology Science & Immunology
Top Ranked	✓
Pharmacology & Toxicology
Most Popular				✓
Zoology
Top Ranked		✓
Highest Paid Graduates		✓

Business, Management & Marketing

Ranking	Top 15%	Top 10%	Top 5%	Top 1%
Top Ranked		✓

Communication & Journalism

Ranking	Top 15%	Top 10%	Top 5%	Top 1%
Top Ranked			✓
Most Popular			✓
Communication & Media Studies
Top Ranked			✓
Most Popular				✓
Highest Paid Graduates			✓
Most Focused			✓
Radio, TV & Digital Communication
Top Ranked			✓

Computer & Information Sciences

Ranking	Top 15%	Top 10%	Top 5%	Top 1%
Top Ranked			✓
Computer Science
Top Ranked		✓
Most Popular		✓
Highest Paid Graduates		✓

Education

Ranking	Top 15%	Top 10%	Top 5%	Top 1%
Top Ranked		✓
General Education
Most Popular			✓

Engineering

Ranking	Top 15%	Top 10%	Top 5%	Top 1%
Top Ranked		✓
Computer Engineering
Top Ranked	✓
Highest Paid Graduates	✓
Electrical Engineering
Top Ranked	✓
Most Popular		✓
Highest Paid Graduates			✓
Mechanical Engineering
Top Ranked	✓
Highest Paid Graduates			✓

English Language & Literature

Ranking	Top 15%	Top 10%	Top 5%	Top 1%
Top Ranked	✓
Most Popular			✓
General English Literature
Top Ranked	✓
Most Popular			✓

Ethnic, Culture & Gender Studies

Ranking	Top 15%	Top 10%	Top 5%	Top 1%
Top Ranked	✓
Most Popular		✓
Ethnic Studies
Top Ranked	✓
Most Popular			✓

Foreign Languages & Linguistics

Ranking	Top 15%	Top 10%	Top 5%	Top 1%
Top Ranked		✓
Most Popular			✓
Linguistics & Literature
Most Popular		✓
Romance Languages
Top Ranked		✓
Most Popular	✓

History

Ranking	Top 15%	Top 10%	Top 5%	Top 1%
Top Ranked			✓
Most Popular				✓
History
Top Ranked			✓
Most Popular				✓

Mathematics & Statistics

Ranking	Top 15%	Top 10%	Top 5%	Top 1%
Most Popular				✓
Applied Mathematics
Most Popular			✓
Most Focused	✓
Mathematics
Most Popular			✓
Statistics
Most Popular			✓
Most Focused				✓

Multi / Interdisciplinary Studies

Ranking	Top 15%	Top 10%	Top 5%	Top 1%
Top Ranked			✓
International Studies
Top Ranked	✓
Most Popular			✓

Natural Resources & Conservation

Ranking	Top 15%	Top 10%	Top 5%	Top 1%
Top Ranked		✓
Most Popular				✓
Natural Resources Conservation
Top Ranked		✓
Most Popular				✓
Most Focused			✓

Philosophy & Religious Studies

Ranking	Top 15%	Top 10%	Top 5%	Top 1%
Most Popular			✓
Philosophy
Most Popular				✓
Religious Studies
Best Value	✓
Most Popular	✓

Physical Sciences

Ranking	Top 15%	Top 10%	Top 5%	Top 1%
Top Ranked		✓
Most Popular			✓
Chemistry
Top Ranked	✓
Most Popular			✓
Geological & Earth Sciences
Most Popular			✓
Materials Sciences.
Most Popular		✓
Most Focused	✓
Physics
Top Ranked	✓
Most Popular				✓
Most Focused		✓

Psychology

Ranking	Top 15%	Top 10%	Top 5%	Top 1%
Top Ranked			✓
Most Popular			✓
Child Development & Psychology
Top Ranked		✓
Most Popular			✓
Most Focused			✓
Other Psychology
Top Ranked	✓

Social Sciences

Ranking	Top 15%	Top 10%	Top 5%	Top 1%
Top Ranked			✓
Most Popular				✓
Anthropology
Top Ranked			✓
Most Popular			✓
Most Focused	✓
Economics
Top Ranked			✓
Most Popular				✓
Highest Paid Graduates	✓
Most Focused		✓
Geography & Cartography
Top Ranked		✓
Most Popular			✓
Most Focused	✓
Political Science & Government
Top Ranked			✓
Most Popular			✓
Sociology
Top Ranked			✓
Most Popular				✓
Most Focused				✓

Visual & Performing Arts

Ranking	Top 15%	Top 10%	Top 5%	Top 1%
Top Ranked			✓
Most Popular			✓
Drama & Theater Arts
Top Ranked			✓
Film, Video & Photographic Arts
Top Ranked			✓
Most Popular			✓
Highest Paid Graduates	✓
Fine & Studio Arts
Top Ranked			✓
Most Popular			✓
Highest Paid Graduates			✓
Music
Top Ranked	✓

How Does University of California-Santa Barbara Rank in Athletics?

In College Factual’s 2027 athletics rankings, University of California-Santa Barbara earned 5 badges across 4 sports, 2 of them in the top 5% or better; its highest placement is #5 of 240 in Outdoor Track and Field.

Men’s Sports

Ranking	Top 15%	Top 10%	Top 5%	Top 1%
Outdoor Track and Field			✓
Volleyball		✓

Women’s Sports

Ranking	Top 15%	Top 10%	Top 5%	Top 1%
Cross Country	✓
Outdoor Track and Field			✓
Swimming & Diving		✓

How Does University of California-Santa Barbara Rank for Veterans?

In College Factual’s 2027 veterans rankings, University of California-Santa Barbara earned 60 badges, 13 of them in the top 5% or better; its highest placement is #1 of 15 in Top Ranked Veterans for Other Psychology.

College Overall

Ranking	Top 15%	Top 10%	Top 5%	Top 1%
Best for Veterans				✓

Biological & Biomedical Sciences

Ranking	Top 15%	Top 10%	Top 5%	Top 1%
Top Ranked Veterans			✓
Biochemistry & Biophysics
Top Ranked Veterans		✓
Cell Biology & Anatomical Sciences
Top Ranked Veterans		✓
Ecology & Systematics Biology
Top Ranked Veterans		✓
General Biology
Top Ranked Veterans			✓
Zoology
Top Ranked Veterans	✓

Business, Management & Marketing

Ranking	Top 15%	Top 10%	Top 5%	Top 1%
Top Ranked Veterans			✓
Management Sciences & Methods
Top Ranked Veterans		✓

Communication & Journalism

Ranking	Top 15%	Top 10%	Top 5%	Top 1%
Top Ranked Veterans			✓
Communication & Media Studies
Top Ranked Veterans			✓

Computer & Information Sciences

Ranking	Top 15%	Top 10%	Top 5%	Top 1%
Top Ranked Veterans			✓
Computer Science
Top Ranked Veterans			✓

Engineering

Ranking	Top 15%	Top 10%	Top 5%	Top 1%
Top Ranked Veterans		✓
Chemical Engineering
Top Ranked Veterans	✓
Computer Engineering
Top Ranked Veterans		✓
Electrical Engineering
Top Ranked Veterans		✓
Mechanical Engineering
Top Ranked Veterans		✓

English Language & Literature

Ranking	Top 15%	Top 10%	Top 5%	Top 1%
Top Ranked Veterans		✓
General English Literature
Top Ranked Veterans		✓

Ethnic, Culture & Gender Studies

Ranking	Top 15%	Top 10%	Top 5%	Top 1%
Top Ranked Veterans		✓
Area Studies
Top Ranked Veterans		✓
Ethnic Studies
Top Ranked Veterans		✓

Foreign Languages & Linguistics

Ranking	Top 15%	Top 10%	Top 5%	Top 1%
Top Ranked Veterans	✓
East Asian Languages
Top Ranked Veterans		✓
Linguistics & Literature
Top Ranked Veterans	✓
Romance Languages
Top Ranked Veterans	✓

History

Ranking	Top 15%	Top 10%	Top 5%	Top 1%
Top Ranked Veterans		✓
History
Top Ranked Veterans		✓

Mathematics & Statistics

Ranking	Top 15%	Top 10%	Top 5%	Top 1%
Top Ranked Veterans		✓
Applied Mathematics
Top Ranked Veterans	✓
Mathematics
Top Ranked Veterans		✓
Statistics
Top Ranked Veterans	✓

Multi / Interdisciplinary Studies

Ranking	Top 15%	Top 10%	Top 5%	Top 1%
Top Ranked Veterans			✓
Data Science.
Top Ranked Veterans	✓
International Studies
Top Ranked Veterans		✓

Natural Resources & Conservation

Ranking	Top 15%	Top 10%	Top 5%	Top 1%
Top Ranked Veterans		✓
Natural Resources Conservation
Top Ranked Veterans		✓

Philosophy & Religious Studies

Ranking	Top 15%	Top 10%	Top 5%	Top 1%
Top Ranked Veterans	✓
Philosophy
Top Ranked Veterans	✓

Physical Sciences

Ranking	Top 15%	Top 10%	Top 5%	Top 1%
Top Ranked Veterans		✓
Chemistry
Top Ranked Veterans	✓
Geological & Earth Sciences
Top Ranked Veterans	✓
Materials Sciences.
Top Ranked Veterans		✓
Physics
Top Ranked Veterans	✓

Psychology

Ranking	Top 15%	Top 10%	Top 5%	Top 1%
Top Ranked Veterans			✓
Child Development & Psychology
Top Ranked Veterans			✓
Other Psychology
Top Ranked Veterans				✓

Social Sciences

Ranking	Top 15%	Top 10%	Top 5%	Top 1%
Top Ranked Veterans			✓
Anthropology
Top Ranked Veterans		✓
Economics
Top Ranked Veterans		✓
Geography & Cartography
Top Ranked Veterans	✓
Political Science & Government
Top Ranked Veterans		✓
Sociology
Top Ranked Veterans		✓

Visual & Performing Arts

Ranking	Top 15%	Top 10%	Top 5%	Top 1%
Top Ranked Veterans		✓
Dance
Top Ranked Veterans	✓
Drama & Theater Arts
Top Ranked Veterans		✓
Film, Video & Photographic Arts
Top Ranked Veterans		✓
Fine & Studio Arts
Top Ranked Veterans		✓
Music
Top Ranked Veterans		✓

Continue Your Research on UCSB

• All rankings for UCSB
• UCSB overview
• Best Colleges ranking
• UCSB official website
• UCSB on Wikipedia
• UCSB on Twitter
• UCSB on Facebook

Notes and References

The rankings above are built on federal education data, 2027 edition. University of California-Santa Barbara appears in 372 of the College Factual rankings covered on this page.

• The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE), serves as the core of our data about colleges.
• Some other college data, including much of the earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).

More about our data sources and methodologies.