Georgia Institute of Technology-Main Campus vs University of California-Santa Barbara

Georgia Institute of Technology-Main Campus and University of California-Santa Barbara are both well-regarded institutions, but they differ in important ways. Here's how they compare across key dimensions.

Admissions: Georgia Institute of Technology-Main Campus is more selective with a 16.5% acceptance rate compared to University of California-Santa Barbara's 27.8%.

Cost: Georgia Institute of Technology-Main Campus offers a lower average net price at $13,289, which is $536 less than University of California-Santa Barbara ($13,825). After financial aid, this can make a significant difference over 4 years.

Career Outcomes: Graduates from Georgia Institute of Technology-Main Campus earn a median salary of $102,772 ten years after enrollment, which is $27,857 more than University of California-Santa Barbara graduates ($74,915).

Graduation: Georgia Institute of Technology-Main Campus leads with a 92.4% graduation rate, and freshman retention rates are 97.7% vs 91.9%.

Campus Size: University of California-Santa Barbara is the larger campus with 23,205 total students, while Georgia Institute of Technology-Main Campus has 18,260.

Bottom Line: Georgia Institute of Technology-Main Campus stands out as both more affordable and producing higher-earning graduates — making it the stronger value proposition overall.