UCSB praises for excellence, access and value in national rankings

UC Santa Barbara has earned strong national and global recognition across multiple 2025–2026 rankings for excellence, value, and research impact. Forbes ranked UCSB No. 12 among U.S. public universities and No. 42 overall, while U.S. News placed it No. 14 among public and No. 41 nationally, with top-50 placements in psychology, computer science, engineering, and economics. Washington Monthly rated it No. 21 among public institutions for research and among the top 35 for affordability and access, and Princeton Review listed it as the No. 13 Best Value College. Globally, UCSB was ranked No. 179 by QS World University Rankings 2026, with physics and astronomy at No. 25 worldwide.