by our College Data Analytics TeamWe've pulled together some essential information you should know about the program, including how many students graduate each year, the ethnic diversity of these students, average starting salaries, and more. In addition, we cover how UCSB ranks in comparison to other schools with physics programs.
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UCSB is in the top 10% of the country for physics. More specifically it was ranked #14 out of 159 schools by College Factual. It is also ranked #4 in California.
During the 2021-2022 academic year, University of California - Santa Barbara handed out 161 bachelor's degrees in physics. This is an increase of 7% over the previous year when 151 degrees were handed out.
In 2022, 37 students received their master’s degree in physics from UCSB. This makes it the #6 most popular school for physics master’s degree candidates in the country.
In addition, 11 students received their doctoral degrees in physics in 2022, making the school the #59 most popular school in the United States for this category of students.
Physics majors who earn their bachelor's degree from UCSB go on to jobs where they make a median salary of $53,597 a year. This is higher than $47,156, which is the national median for all physics bachelor's degree recipients.
While getting their bachelor's degree at UCSB, physics students borrow a median amount of $51,365 in student loans. This is higher than the the typical median of $36,407 for all physics majors across the country.
The typical student loan payment of a bachelor's degree student from the physics program at UCSB is $390 per month.
Information about average full-time undergraduate tuition and fees is shown in the table below.
| In State | Out of State | |
|---|---|---|
| Tuition | $11,834 | $42,611 |
| Fees | $3,131 | $3,131 |
| Books and Supplies | $1,482 | $1,482 |
| On Campus Room and Board | $18,684 | $18,684 |
| On Campus Other Expenses | $5,456 | $5,456 |
Learn more about UCSB tuition and fees.
Of the 161 physics students who graduated with a bachelor's degree in 2021-2022 from UCSB, about 78% were men and 22% were women.
The following table and chart show the ethnic background for students who recently graduated from University of California - Santa Barbara with a bachelor's in physics.
| Ethnic Background | Number of Students |
|---|---|
| Asian | 29 |
| Black or African American | 0 |
| Hispanic or Latino | 13 |
| White | 55 |
| Non-Resident Aliens | 49 |
| Other Races | 15 |
UCSB does not offer an online option for its physics bachelor’s degree program at this time. To see if the school offers distance learning options in other areas, visit the UCSB Online Learning page.
During the 2021-2022 academic year, 16 students graduated with a master's degree in physics from UCSB. About 88% were men and 13% were women.
The following table and chart show the ethnic background for students who recently graduated from University of California - Santa Barbara with a master's in physics.
| Ethnic Background | Number of Students |
|---|---|
| Asian | 1 |
| Black or African American | 1 |
| Hispanic or Latino | 1 |
| White | 8 |
| Non-Resident Aliens | 5 |
| Other Races | 0 |
Take a look at the following statistics related to the make-up of the physics majors at University of California - Santa Barbara.
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Chemistry | 147 |
| Geological & Earth Sciences | 59 |
| Materials Sciences | 31 |
More about our data sources and methodologies.