Admissions Essentials · UC admissions data
Best high schools in Santa Barbara for UC admissions
From fall 2023 to fall 2025, the 4 published high schools in Santa Barbara sent 1,166 applicants to the University of California, and 810 were admitted to at least one campus (69%). Among schools with at least 100 applicants, San Marcos High School had the highest rate, 73% (352 of 480).
SourceUniversity of California Information Center, Admissions by source school, fall 1994 to fall 2025.
Santa Barbara high schools ranked by UC admit rate
Share of applicants admitted to at least one UC campus, fall 2023 to fall 2025. A school has its own page when the University of California printed both applicants and admits for at least 3 fall terms, including at least 2 falls from 2023 to 2025, and at least 30 applicants in those window years. A city page ranks those schools when the city has at least 3 of them, not counting online schools, and they are not already the whole county. A rate on this page counts only the years in which UC printed both the applicants and the admits.
| Rank | School | Type | Applied | Any UC | Berkeley | UCLA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Marcos High School | Public | 480 | 73% | 22% | 10% |
| 2 | Santa Barbara Senior High Scho | Public | 538 | 69% | 18% | 9% |
| 3 | Laguna Blanca School | Private | 76 | 62% | 25% | Not published |
| 4 | Bishop Garcia Diego High School | Private | 72 | 57% | 20% | 27% |
Santa Barbara combined
The 4 schools above added together, fall 2023 to fall 2025: 2 public and 2 private. The county and California rows count every school UC lists, published here or not.
| Applicants from | To | Applied | Admitted | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Barbara | Any UC campus | 1,166 | 810 | 69% |
| Santa Barbara | UC Berkeley | 719 | 146 | 20% |
| Santa Barbara | UCLA | 779 | 79 | 10% |
| Santa Barbara County | Any UC campus | 3,971 | 2,742 | 69% |
| California | Any UC campus | 393,310 | 283,716 | 72% |
Santa Barbara high schools ranked by UC Berkeley admit rate
4 of the city’s published schools have a UC Berkeley figure. A rate built on a handful of applicants moves a long way with one student, so the counts sit beside it.
| Rank | School | Admitted | UC Berkeley |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Laguna Blanca School | 15 of 61 | 25% |
| 2 | San Marcos High School | 65 of 291 | 22% |
| 3 | Bishop Garcia Diego High School | 3 of 15 | 20% |
| 4 | Santa Barbara Senior High Scho | 63 of 352 | 18% |
How to get into UC Berkeley: the GPA and SAT of admitted applicants
Santa Barbara high schools ranked by UCLA admit rate
3 of the city’s published schools have a UCLA figure. A rate built on a handful of applicants moves a long way with one student, so the counts sit beside it.
| Rank | School | Admitted | UCLA |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bishop Garcia Diego High School | 6 of 22 | 27% |
| 2 | San Marcos High School | 35 of 346 | 10% |
| 3 | Santa Barbara Senior High Scho | 38 of 411 | 9% |
How to get into UCLA: the GPA and SAT of admitted applicants
Questions
- What are the best high schools in Santa Barbara for UC admissions?
- By the share of applicants admitted to at least one UC campus from fall 2023 to fall 2025, among schools with at least 100 applicants, the highest in Santa Barbara were San Marcos High School (73%, 352 of 480) and Santa Barbara Senior High Scho (69%, 370 of 538). A school's rate reflects who chose to apply as much as the school itself.
- What is the UC acceptance rate for high schools in Santa Barbara?
- 69%. The 4 published high schools in Santa Barbara sent 1,166 applicants from fall 2023 to fall 2025, and 810 were admitted to at least one UC campus. Every high school in Santa Barbara County together, as UC counts them, had 69%; 1 of the 4 ranked schools in Santa Barbara was above that.
- Which high school in Santa Barbara gets the most students into UC Berkeley?
- San Marcos High School, with 65 admitted of 291 applicants from fall 2023 to fall 2025. All of Santa Barbara's published high schools together sent UC Berkeley 719 applicants and 146 were admitted (20%). Among schools with at least 30 UC Berkeley applicants, Laguna Blanca School had the highest rate, 25% (15 of 61).
- Which high school in Santa Barbara gets the most students into UCLA?
- Santa Barbara Senior High Scho, with 38 admitted of 411 applicants from fall 2023 to fall 2025. All of Santa Barbara's published high schools together sent UCLA 779 applicants and 79 were admitted (10%). Among schools with at least 30 UCLA applicants, San Marcos High School had the highest rate, 10% (35 of 346).
- Which high school in Santa Barbara sends the most UC applicants?
- Santa Barbara Senior High Scho, with 538 applicants from fall 2023 to fall 2025. Of the 4 published schools in Santa Barbara, 2 are public and 2 are private.
How to cite
Aristo Scholars, "Best high schools in Santa Barbara for UC admissions," https://aristoscholars.com/uc-chances/city/santa-barbara, updated October 31, 2026. Figures from the University of California Information Center, Admissions by source school, fall 1994 to fall 2025.
A school’s rate is not one student’s chance
These figures average every application a school sent, and they depend on who chose to apply. To read one profile, use Chance Me, start with a Specialist, or ask on the forum.