10-YEAR PAYOFF CURVECumulative economic payoff after graduation
+$18,444at year 10Net gainInvestment not yet recovered
NET GAIN$0UNRECOVERED
University of California, Santa Barbara
⌖ Santa Barbara, CA · 48 reportable field-and-credential outcomes
MODELED SCENARIO · Positive payoff
+$18,444 over 10 years
Modeled from observed year-5 institution earnings and the institution-wide average net price over four years.
This is a positive modeled result. Price, time to finish and future earnings can still change the outcome.
9.3 yrsModeled economic break-even
+8%Modeled 10-year ROI
$71,288Observed earnings · year 5
ECONOMIC INVESTMENT → PAYBACK
Estimated payoff over ten years.
The scenario counts direct price and earnings forgone upfront, then applies the reported annual earnings premium.
FEDERAL COST DATA
Four ways to read college price.
Annual college-wide figures from the current College Scorecard release. Average net price covers full-time, first-time undergraduates receiving federal aid; public-college figures use in-state students. Program tuition and individual aid offers may differ.
Cost, completion and earnings context
$16,109Average net price / year
$41,573Cost of attendance
$71,288Median earnings · year 5 after completion
83.0%Completion rate
33.0%Admission rate
23,113Student size
NATIONAL CONTEXT
How this college compares
Percentiles compare this institution with currently operating colleges that report the same federal measure.
EARNINGS PATH
Reported earnings over time
$38,259Year 1
$70,323Year 4
$71,288Year 5
Separate federal cohorts may underlie different measurement years.
The college average is not the whole story.
Observed earnings vary substantially by field and credential at the same institution.
1Materials Sciences · Doctoral Degree$164,6512Computer Science · Bachelor's Degree$149,1903Computer Engineering · Bachelor's Degree$144,7034Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering · Bachelor's Degree$117,2155Chemical Engineering · Bachelor's Degree$113,3176Applied Mathematics · Bachelor's Degree$109,3607Psychology, Other · Doctoral Degree$106,0038Mechanical Engineering · Bachelor's Degree$104,336Observed year-4 earnings · compare like fields and credentials before deciding
Comparable colleges in CA
Currently operating public institutions with the closest combination of annual net price and observed year-5 earnings. Similarity is descriptive—not a quality ranking.
Irvine, CA
University of California, Irvine
- Annual net price
- $14,251
- Observed earnings · year 5
- $72,659
- Modeled 10-year ROI
- +17%
California State Polytechnic University-Pomona
- Annual net price
- $11,531
- Observed earnings · year 5
- $70,795
- Modeled 10-year ROI
- +14%
University of California, Davis
- Annual net price
- $14,741
- Observed earnings · year 5
- $75,091
- Modeled 10-year ROI
- +26%
San Diego State University
- Annual net price
- $15,364
- Observed earnings · year 5
- $65,488
- Modeled 10-year ROI
- -15%
Explore exact field-and-credential outcomes
| Federal field | Credential | Earnings, year 4 | Federal debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Materials Sciences | Doctoral Degree | $164,651 | Not available |
| Computer Science | Bachelor's Degree | $149,190 | $11,000 |
| Computer Engineering | Bachelor's Degree | $144,703 | $14,410 |
| Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering | Bachelor's Degree | $117,215 | $15,571 |
| Chemical Engineering | Bachelor's Degree | $113,317 | $14,937 |
| Applied Mathematics | Bachelor's Degree | $109,360 | $17,000 |
| Psychology, Other | Doctoral Degree | $106,003 | Not available |
| Mechanical Engineering | Bachelor's Degree | $104,336 | $15,908 |
| Pharmacology and Toxicology | Bachelor's Degree | $98,462 | $14,500 |
| Economics | Bachelor's Degree | $98,178 | $13,516 |
| Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods | Bachelor's Degree | $96,078 | $11,128 |
| Statistics | Bachelor's Degree | $90,778 | $17,500 |
| Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology | Bachelor's Degree | $90,694 | $9,500 |
| Microbiological Sciences and Immunology | Bachelor's Degree | $90,061 | $16,500 |
| Education, General | Doctoral Degree | $89,989 | Not available |
| Natural Resources Conservation and Research | Master's Degree | $88,781 | Not available |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities | Non-Credential Program (Preparatory Coursework/Teacher Certification) | $87,224 | Not available |
| Mathematics | Bachelor's Degree | $85,391 | $17,000 |
| Physics | Bachelor's Degree | $85,219 | $15,982 |
| Education, General | Master's Degree | $75,874 | Not available |
| Chemistry | Bachelor's Degree | $74,713 | $15,805 |
| Communication and Media Studies | Bachelor's Degree | $72,976 | $13,018 |
| Education, General | Graduate/Professional Certificate | $72,416 | Not available |
| Philosophy | Bachelor's Degree | $71,796 | $15,000 |
| Political Science and Government | Bachelor's Degree | $70,384 | $16,485 |
| Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | Bachelor's Degree | $68,496 | $16,261 |
| Geography and Cartography | Bachelor's Degree | $67,521 | $13,750 |
| Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences | Bachelor's Degree | $66,788 | $21,800 |
| Research and Experimental Psychology | Bachelor's Degree | $66,171 | $15,000 |
| International/Globalization Studies | Bachelor's Degree | $66,127 | $14,792 |
| Biology, General | Bachelor's Degree | $64,520 | $14,586 |
| Natural Resources Conservation and Research | Bachelor's Degree | $63,628 | $16,533 |
| Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services | Bachelor's Degree | $61,580 | $14,100 |
| Sociology | Bachelor's Degree | $60,013 | $13,500 |
| History | Bachelor's Degree | $59,342 | $14,500 |
| English Language and Literature, General | Bachelor's Degree | $59,334 | $17,550 |
| Area Studies | Bachelor's Degree | $59,042 | $22,697 |
| Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies | Bachelor's Degree | $59,004 | $13,500 |
| Anthropology | Bachelor's Degree | $56,238 | $19,500 |
| Zoology/Animal Biology | Bachelor's Degree | $53,727 | Not available |
| Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology | Bachelor's Degree | $50,694 | $12,500 |
| Film/Video and Photographic Arts | Bachelor's Degree | $49,893 | $15,000 |
| Fine and Studio Arts | Bachelor's Degree | $46,428 | $16,978 |
| Dance | Bachelor's Degree | $44,858 | Not available |
| Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft | Bachelor's Degree | $44,106 | $16,852 |
| Religion/Religious Studies | Bachelor's Degree | $43,377 | $15,873 |
| Music | Bachelor's Degree | $33,825 | Not available |
| Cell/Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences | Bachelor's Degree | Not available | $19,000 |
Earnings, price, completion and enrollment are observed federal measures. ROI, payoff and break-even are modeled scenarios built from those measures and fixed assumptions. College payoff is not the payoff of every degree at this school; use the program table for a more precise comparison.