Career outcomes for University of California-Santa Barbara graduates
Per-major median earnings and 10-year projection bands. Numbers come from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard (most recent release); trajectory bands come from the life-path model run server-side with a synthetic profile.
School-wide 10-year median earnings
$82,568
Median earnings of federally-aided graduates 10 years after first enrollment, across all majors at University of California-Santa Barbara.
Top majors by graduates
| Major | Graduates / yr | Median earnings 4 years out | Work in California 1 year out | Graduate degree or certificate 5 years out | Trajectory | Projection |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Economics. | 702 | $98,178 | 87% | — | Run mine | |
Went on to a research doctorate
3.2per 100 bachelor's graduatesU.S. average: 2.0
From 2016 to 2025, 1,652 University of California-Santa Barbara graduates earned a research doctorate, most often in biological and biomedical sciences, physical sciences, and engineering.
Research doctorates (PhD, EdD and similar) only: medical, law and business degrees aren't counted. The rate divides those doctorates by the bachelor's degrees University of California-Santa Barbara awarded from 2008 to 2017, allowing for the typical eight-year gap; fields with longer paths, like the humanities, read low. Source: NCSES Survey of Earned Doctorates and IPEDS completions.
Peer schools at this earnings band
Auburn University, AL
44 majors with data·$73,273
Binghamton University, NY
30 majors with data·$89,136
California State Polytechnic University-Pomona, CA
35 majors with data·$77,464
See your own 10-year projection
The rows above use a synthetic profile (median household income, in-state residency). The life-path tool runs the same model on your actual income, family size, residency, and intended major.
Open the life-path toolShare
Earnings and graduate counts from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard (most recent release). Last updated October 19, 2026. Methodology.