University profile

UC Santa Barbara

Location: Santa Barbara, CA

Minimum graduate stipend

$38,088 to $50,220/yr Official

Paid over 12 months · 2026-2027 · Fall 2026 scale, effective Oct 2026 · GSR 1 ($3,174/mo) to GSR 5 ($4,185/mo), 12-month, annualized by arithmetic from the published monthly scale. GSR 1 is $2,996/mo until October 2026. GSR rates are uniform across all UC campuses. The GSR 1 step is eliminated in 2029. Actual packages usually mix TA quarters, GSR summers and fellowships. Source is the union transcription of the contract scale.

Official: published by the university · Source: UAW 4811 ASE Salary Scales (UC-UAW contract scale through 2029) · Verified 2026-09-28

Other stipend figures

Supporting detail: pay scales, specific schools or departments, and prior years. These are not the headline figure above.

University-wide · Ta scale $36,900 per 9-month appointment Official Paid over 9 months · 2026-2027 · Fall 2026 scale, effective Oct 2026 · TA 1 (50%) $4,100/mo x 9 months ($3,929 until October 2026). Source: UAW 4811 ASE Salary Scales (UC-UAW contract scale through 2029) · Verified 2026-09-28
University-wide · Gsr scale $35,952 to $48,456/yr Official Paid over 12 months · 2025-2026 · GSR Step 1 ($35,952) to Step 5 ($48,456), 12-month. Annualized by arithmetic from the published monthly scale. Actual packages usually mix TA quarters, GSR summers and fellowships. UC tables change in Fall 2026. Source: UAW 4811 ASE Salary Scales (UC contract scale) · Verified 2026-09-27
University-wide · Ta scale $35,361 per 9-month appointment Official Paid over 9 months · 2025-2026 · TA1 (50%) $3,929/mo x 9 months. Annualized by arithmetic from the published monthly scale. Actual packages usually mix TA quarters, GSR summers and fellowships. UC tables change in Fall 2026. Source: UAW 4811 ASE Salary Scales (UC contract scale) · Verified 2026-09-27

Cost of living in Santa Barbara, CA

City-median rent is a city-level figure, not a near-campus price; university graduate housing lines are the university's own published rates. Each line is labeled with its own source.

Rent, 1-bedroom (city median) $2,900/mo Estimated City median 1BR. City of Santa Barbara, not Isla Vista/Goleta. Source: Zumper city median asking rent (Sept 2026) · Verified 2026-09-27
Rent, 2-bedroom split two ways (university graduate housing, shared, per person) $899 to $1,029/mo Official San Clemente per person: 4-bedroom $899; 2-bedroom $1,029. 2026-27. Utilities, parking and Wi-Fi included. New graduate students get priority. Source: UC Santa Barbara Housing: Rates · Verified 2026-09-29
Rent, 2-bedroom split two ways (city median) $2,100/mo Estimated City median 2BR, split two ways. City of Santa Barbara, not Isla Vista/Goleta. Source: Zumper city median asking rent (Sept 2026) · Verified 2026-09-27
Utilities Not yet available
Public transit Free with student ID Official SBMTD buses free with student ID (paid through registration fees). Students ride all MTD buses between Goleta and Carpinteria by tapping their student ID. It is funded by a transit fee included in registration fees; the current fee amount was not confirmed. Source: UCSB Transportation & Parking: Santa Barbara MTD · Verified 2026-09-28
Parking $120/quarter Official Student 'C' commuter $120 per quarter. Year not stated. Graduate students employed at least 45% qualify for the staff 'B' permit at $450 per year ($37.50 per month). Requires living more than 2 miles from campus. San Clemente graduate apartments include a permit at no extra charge. Source: UCSB Transportation & Parking Services: Student Parking Permits · Verified 2026-09-28
Groceries (state-level estimate) $375/mo Estimated State-level estimate (California). About $4,500/yr, single adult; not a city basket. Source: MIT Living Wage food cost via Bankrate · Verified 2026-09-27

Master's tuition

Published tuition (before any aid). PhD students usually have tuition waived; their offer letter confirms. This is not part of the stipend-versus-cost-of-living comparison.

Master's tuition at UC Santa Barbara Not yet available

PhD program profiles at UC Santa Barbara

No PhD program profiles at this university yet.