College comparison

The University of Tennessee-Knoxville 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	The University of Tennessee-Knoxville Knoxville, TN	UC Santa Barbara Santa Barbara, CA
Acceptance rateUniversity of California-Santa Barbara is more selective	42%	33%
SAT (25–75)	1200–1370	—
ACT (25–75)	—	—
Undergrad enrollment	30,418	23,113
Avg net price	$18,976	$16,109
Test policy	—	—
Type	Public	Public
Location	Knoxville, TN	Santa Barbara, CA

Quick answers

Is The University of Tennessee-Knoxville or University of California-Santa Barbara harder to get into?

University of California-Santa Barbara is more selective: The University of Tennessee-Knoxville'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 The University of Tennessee-Knoxville vs University of California-Santa Barbara?

The middle-50% SAT range is 1200–1370 at The University of Tennessee-Knoxville 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.