University of California-Santa Barbara

Santa Barbara, California · Public

Of 48 assessed programs, 47 leave graduates out-earning a typical California high-school graduate (about $36,976/yr) and 1 fall short. Another 101 could not be assessed.

What would this cost you?

My family earns and I expect to take

Family income	Net price per year
Under $30k	$9,231
$30k to $48k	$9,992
$48k to $75k	$12,588
$75k to $110k	$17,136
$110k and up	$31,863
All families (average)	$16,109

Net price is the yearly cost after grants and scholarships, by family income (College Scorecard). It reflects students who received federal aid.

Program earnings vs a high-school graduate

Earnings are measured four years after completion when available. Where four-year earnings are suppressed, one-year earnings are shown and marked 1-year earnings. One-year and four-year figures reflect different career stages and should not be compared as if measured at the same time.

48 of 149 programs could be assessed 32% have an earnings verdict

Programs by earnings versus a typical California high-school graduate.
Program	Degree	Median earnings	vs a high-school grad	Verdict	Median debt	Years to repay	Recent completers
Sociology	Bachelor's Degree	$60,013	+$23,037	clears the bar	$13,500	0.6 yrs	672
Economics	Bachelor's Degree	$98,178	+$61,202	clears the bar	$13,440	0.2 yrs	656
Research Psychology	Bachelor's Degree	$66,171	+$29,195	clears the bar	$14,500	0.5 yrs	616
Communications and Media	Bachelor's Degree	$72,976	+$36,000	clears the bar	$13,000	0.4 yrs	582
Biology	Bachelor's Degree	$64,520	+$27,544	clears the bar	$14,500	0.5 yrs	384
Natural Resources and Conservation	Bachelor's Degree	$63,628	+$26,652	clears the bar	$16,200	0.6 yrs	318
Statistics	Bachelor's Degree	$90,778	+$53,802	clears the bar	$17,167	0.3 yrs	291
Political Science	Bachelor's Degree	$70,384	+$33,408	clears the bar	$15,033	0.4 yrs	257
Applied Mathematics	Bachelor's Degree	$109,360	+$72,384	clears the bar	$17,000	0.2 yrs	215
International/Globalization Studies	Bachelor's Degree	$66,127	+$29,151	clears the bar	$14,724	0.5 yrs	188
English	Bachelor's Degree	$59,334	+$22,358	clears the bar	$16,892	0.8 yrs	168
Film and Photography	Bachelor's Degree	$49,893	+$12,917	clears the bar	$15,000	1.2 yrs	164
Computer Science	Bachelor's Degree	$149,190	+$112,214	clears the bar	$13,500	0.1 yrs	161
Physics	Bachelor's Degree	$85,219	+$48,243	clears the bar	$15,965	0.3 yrs	161
History	Bachelor's Degree	$59,342	+$22,366	clears the bar	$14,282	0.6 yrs	156
Anthropology	Bachelor's Degree	$56,238	+$19,262	clears the bar	$18,000	0.9 yrs	140
Fine Arts	Bachelor's Degree	$46,428	+$9,452	clears the bar	$15,459	1.6 yrs	133
Mathematics	Bachelor's Degree	$85,391	+$48,415	clears the bar	$17,000	0.4 yrs	132
Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services	Bachelor's Degree	$61,580	+$24,604	clears the bar	$13,000	0.5 yrs	122
Philosophy	Bachelor's Degree	$71,796	+$34,820	clears the bar	$15,000	0.4 yrs	109
Chemistry	Bachelor's Degree	$74,713	+$37,737	clears the bar	$15,805	0.4 yrs	103
Geography and Cartography	Bachelor's Degree	$67,521	+$30,545	clears the bar	$14,000	0.5 yrs	100
Education	Master's Degree	$75,874	+$38,898	clears the bar	insufficient data	insufficient data	91
Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies	Bachelor's Degree	$59,004	+$22,028	clears the bar	$13,250	0.6 yrs	90
Natural Resources and Conservation	Master's Degree	$88,781	+$51,805	clears the bar	$32,485	0.6 yrs	79
Mechanical Engineering	Bachelor's Degree	$104,336	+$67,360	clears the bar	$15,000	0.2 yrs	78
Education	Graduate/Professional Certificate	$72,416	+$35,440	clears the bar	$23,291	0.7 yrs	77
Biochemistry and Molecular Biology	Bachelor's Degree	$90,694	+$53,718	clears the bar	$11,750	0.2 yrs	74
Computer Engineering	Bachelor's Degree	$144,703	+$107,727	clears the bar	$14,410	0.1 yrs	72
Electrical Engineering	Bachelor's Degree	$117,215	+$80,239	clears the bar	$15,500	0.2 yrs	68
Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics	Bachelor's Degree	$68,496	+$31,520	clears the bar	$16,601	0.5 yrs	68
Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology	Bachelor's Degree	$50,694	+$13,718	clears the bar	$12,750	0.9 yrs	63
Cell/Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences	Bachelor's Degree	$38,333 1-year earnings	+$1,357	clears the bar	$19,000	14.0 yrs	55
Pharmacology and Toxicology	Bachelor's Degree	$98,462	+$61,486	clears the bar	$14,500	0.2 yrs	54
Chemical Engineering	Bachelor's Degree	$113,317	+$76,341	clears the bar	$14,937	0.2 yrs	53
Geology and Earth Science	Bachelor's Degree	$66,788	+$29,812	clears the bar	$16,298	0.5 yrs	50
Management Science	Bachelor's Degree	$96,078	+$59,102	clears the bar	$11,128	0.2 yrs	47
Microbiological Sciences and Immunology	Bachelor's Degree	$90,061	+$53,085	clears the bar	$16,500	0.3 yrs	38
Theatre	Bachelor's Degree	$44,106	+$7,130	clears the bar	$16,667	2.3 yrs	31
Music	Bachelor's Degree	$33,825	-$3,151	falls short	insufficient data	insufficient data	30
Zoology/Animal Biology	Bachelor's Degree	$53,727	+$16,751	clears the bar	insufficient data	insufficient data	27
Religion/Religious Studies	Bachelor's Degree	$43,377	+$6,401	clears the bar	$16,500	2.6 yrs	25
Area Studies	Bachelor's Degree	$59,042	+$22,066	clears the bar	$22,697	1.0 yrs	23
Materials Sciences	Doctoral Degree	$164,651	+$127,675	clears the bar	insufficient data	insufficient data	23
Education	Doctoral Degree	$89,989	+$53,013	clears the bar	insufficient data	insufficient data	15
Dance	Bachelor's Degree	$44,858	+$7,882	clears the bar	insufficient data	insufficient data	11
Psychology, Other	Doctoral Degree	$106,003	+$69,027	clears the bar	insufficient data	insufficient data	10
Liberal Arts and General Studies	Non-Credential Program (Preparatory Coursework/Teacher Certification)	$87,224	+$50,248	clears the bar	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data
Electrical Engineering	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	49
Computer Science	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	46
Chemistry	Doctoral Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	39
Electrical Engineering	Doctoral Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	37
Management Science	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	36
Data Science	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	25
Statistics	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	22
East Asian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	21
Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	17
Physics	Doctoral Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	17
Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology	Doctoral Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	16
Physics	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	16
Chemical Engineering	Doctoral Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	15
Classics and Classical Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	14
Cell/Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	14
Research Psychology	Doctoral Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	14
Computer Science	Doctoral Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	13
Mechanical Engineering	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	13
Psychology, Other	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	13
Economics	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	12
Economics	Doctoral Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	11
Music	Doctoral Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	11
Mathematics	Doctoral Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	10
Natural Resources and Conservation	Doctoral Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	9
Mechanical Engineering	Doctoral Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	9
Geography and Cartography	Doctoral Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	9
Communications and Media	Doctoral Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	8
Germanic Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	8
Mathematics	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	8
Statistics	Doctoral Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	8
Religion/Religious Studies	Doctoral Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	8
Religion/Religious Studies	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	8
Materials Sciences	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	8
Sociology	Doctoral Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	8
Radio, TV and Digital Media	Doctoral Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	7
Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	7
Cell/Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences	Doctoral Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	7
Political Science	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	7
Physiology, Pathology and Related Sciences	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	6
Geology and Earth Science	Doctoral Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	6
Anthropology	Doctoral Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	6
Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services	Doctoral Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	5
English	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	5
Chemistry	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	5
Geography and Cartography	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	5
Fine Arts	Doctoral Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	5
History	Doctoral Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	5
Area Studies	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	4
Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies	Doctoral Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	4
Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	4
Classics and Classical Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics	Doctoral Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	4
Foreign Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics, Other	Doctoral Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	4
English	Doctoral Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	4
Research Psychology	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	4
Political Science	Doctoral Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	4
Sociology	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	4
Fine Arts	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	4
Music	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	4
Biochemistry and Molecular Biology	Doctoral Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	3
Philosophy	Doctoral Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	3
Philosophy	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	3
Geology and Earth Science	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	3
Anthropology	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	3
History	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	3
Communications and Media	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	2
Radio, TV and Digital Media	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	2
Neuroscience	Doctoral Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	2
International/Globalization Studies	Doctoral Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	2
International/Globalization Studies	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	2
Psychology, Other	Graduate/Professional Certificate	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	2
Theatre	Doctoral Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	2
Business/Managerial Economics	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	2
East Asian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics	Doctoral Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	1
Non-Professional Legal Studies	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	1
Biochemistry and Molecular Biology	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	1
Medieval and Renaissance Studies	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	1
Interdisciplinary Studies	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	1
Film and Photography	Doctoral Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	1
Film and Photography	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	1
Management Science	Doctoral Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	1
Educational Administration	Doctoral Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	0
Chemical Engineering	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	0
Slavic, Baltic and Albanian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	0
Germanic Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics	Doctoral Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	0
Germanic Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	0
Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics	Doctoral Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	0
Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	0
Classics and Classical Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	0
Liberal Arts and General Studies	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	0
Liberal Arts and General Studies	Graduate/Professional Certificate	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	0
Neuroscience	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	0
Applied Mathematics	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	0
Interdisciplinary Studies	Doctoral Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	0
Interdisciplinary Studies	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	0
Psychology	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	0
Psychology	Doctoral Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	0
Psychology	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	0
Theatre	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	0
Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	0
Interdisciplinary Studies	Graduate/Professional Certificate	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data
Interdisciplinary Studies	Non-Credential Program (Preparatory Coursework/Teacher Certification)	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data

Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, release 2026-06-10. Earnings are medians measured four years after completion where available (programs shown with a 1-year figure are marked), compared with the state high-school-graduate benchmark ($36,976/yr). Debt is federal loans only. Suppressed values are shown as insufficient data, never imputed. Figures describe past graduates and are never a promise.