After UC Santa Barbara: graduation, pay and debt
Santa Barbara, California · Public · 23,113 undergrads
85% of UC Santa Barbara students finish within six years, the typical student earns $82,568 ten years after starting and graduates leave with $11,776 in federal loans at the median.
The short answers
$82.6k
median pay 10 years after starting college.
85%
finish within six years.
73%
finish in four years.
93%
of first-years come back for year two.
$11.8k
median federal debt at graduation.
75%
of borrowers were paying down their loans three years after leaving.
All the federal numbers
Finishing
Finished in four yearsIPEDS, fall 2023
73%
Finished within six yearsIPEDS, fall 2023
85%
First-years who came back for year twoCollege Scorecard, fall 2024
93%
Men who finished within six yearsIPEDS, students who started in 2017
83%
Women who finished within six yearsIPEDS, students who started in 2017
87%
Students in that six-year groupIPEDS, students who started in 2017
4,514
Earned a degree or certificate here within eight yearsIPEDS, full-time students who started in 2015
86%
Still enrolled here after eight yearsIPEDS, full-time students who started in 2015
10%
Students in that eight-year groupIPEDS, full-time students who started in 2015
4,461
Pay after college
Median pay 6 years after starting collegeCollege Scorecard
$61,127
Median pay 10 years after starting collegeCollege Scorecard, 2022-23
$82,568
Earning more than $25,000 six years after startingCollege Scorecard, earlier release
70%
Debt and paying it back
Median federal debt, students who graduatedCollege Scorecard, 2024-25
$11,776
Median federal debt, everyone who borrowed (finished or not)College Scorecard, earlier release
$11,875
Median federal debt, students with a Pell GrantCollege Scorecard, earlier release
$11,698
Median federal debt, students without a Pell GrantCollege Scorecard, earlier release
$12,000
Paying down their loans 3 years after leavingCollege Scorecard, 2024-25
75%
Paying down their loans 5 years after leavingCollege Scorecard, earlier release
76%
Paying down their loans 7 years after leavingCollege Scorecard, earlier release
80%
Where these numbers come from
- Admit rate and applicants: Common Data Set, fall 2025 (checked Oct 31, 2026)
- GPA, early rounds and wait list: Common Data Set, fall 2025 (checked Oct 31, 2026)
- Cost, pay and debt: College Scorecard, 2024-25 (checked Oct 31, 2026)
Updated Oct 31, 2026Spot a mistake?How we get our numbers