College comparison

UC Santa Barbara vs UW (Seattle)

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	UC Santa Barbara Santa Barbara, CA	UW (Seattle) Seattle, WA
Acceptance rateUniversity of California-Santa Barbara is more selective	33%	39%
SAT (25–75)	—	—
ACT (25–75)	—	—
Undergrad enrollment	23,113	31,942
Avg net price	$16,109	$14,091
Median earnings (10 yr)UW (Seattle) reports higher median earnings	$74,915	$78,466
Graduation rate	83%	85%
Median debt	$13,993	$14,615
Economic mobility	3.1%	—
Test policy	—	—
Type	Public	Public

Quick answers

Is University of California-Santa Barbara or University of Washington-Seattle Campus harder to get into?

University of California-Santa Barbara is more selective: University of California-Santa Barbara's acceptance rate is approximately 33% and University of Washington-Seattle Campus's is approximately 39% (estimates from public and primary sources).

What SAT score do you need for University of California-Santa Barbara vs University of Washington-Seattle Campus?

The middle-50% SAT range is — at University of California-Santa Barbara and — at University of Washington-Seattle Campus. 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.