College comparison

NC State vs UC Santa Barbara

A side-by-side of acceptance rate, test scores, and cost — source-cited estimates, not guarantees. Want the number that actually matters for your student? Model your admit odds at each.

Metric	NC State Raleigh, NC	UC Santa Barbara Santa Barbara, CA
Acceptance rateUniversity of California-Santa Barbara is more selective	42%	33%
SAT (25–75)	1300–1470	—
ACT (25–75)	—	—
Undergrad enrollment	27,371	23,113
Avg net price	$17,303	$16,109
Median earnings (10 yr)UC Santa Barbara reports higher median earnings	$68,758	$74,915
Graduation rate	85%	83%
Median debt	$20,121	$13,993
Economic mobility	—	3.1%
Test policy	—	—
Type	Public	Public

Quick answers

Is North Carolina State University at Raleigh or University of California-Santa Barbara harder to get into?

University of California-Santa Barbara is more selective: North Carolina State University at Raleigh's acceptance rate is approximately 42% and University of California-Santa Barbara's is approximately 33% (estimates from public and primary sources).

What SAT score do you need for North Carolina State University at Raleigh vs University of California-Santa Barbara?

The middle-50% SAT range is 1300–1470 at North Carolina State University at Raleigh and — at University of California-Santa Barbara. Scores outside these bands are still admitted, especially with strong applications.

Figures are estimates compiled from public datasets (College Scorecard / IPEDS) and primary sources; verify with each institution before relying on them.

These outputs are estimates from a baseline model — not guarantees of admission, cost, or outcome.