2025 Compare Cities Education:
San Marcos, CA vs Santa Barbara, CA

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Highlights
- Santa Barbara spends 2.1% more per student than San Marcos.
- The Student Teacher Ratio is 7.2% lower in Santa Barbara than in San Marcos. (lower means fewer students in each classroom).
- Santa Barbara had 0.2% more residents who had graduated High School compared to San Marcos
 San Marcos, CASanta Barbara, CAUnited States
 Expend. per Student  Unlock$16,705$15,905
 Educ. Expend. per Student$13,161  Unlock$13,142
 Instr. Expend. per Student  Unlock$7,862$7,999
 Pupil/Teacher Ratio22.65  Unlock16.23
 Students per Librarian  Unlock123874573
 Students per Counselor513  Unlock530
 Grade School Educ.  Unlock7.2%4.8%
 Some High School Educ.5.4%  Unlock6.3%
 High School Educ.  Unlock88.0%88.9%
 Some College Educ.20.5%  Unlock20.0%
 2 yr College Grad.  Unlock7.2%8.7%
 4 yr College Grad.40.9%  Unlock33.7%
 Masters Grad.  Unlock12.6%9.3%
 Professional Degree1.9%  Unlock2.2%
 Doctorate Degree  Unlock3.5%1.5%
Reviews for San Marcos    5 Reviews

Just an amazing place to live. I have lived in 7 states and almost countless cities. Sam Marcos is one of the best. This is literally the longest place I have lived  More

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Over 15 years ago

Is this area to expensive for the average income retired  More

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Over 18 years ago

Beautiful Mediterranean climate with bright sunshine and ocean breazes. City is just 15 minutes away from the  More

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Reviews for Santa Barbara    51 Reviews

I moved to Santa Barbara around 23 years ago to study at Brooks, which like most of the Santa Barbara that I knew—has been destroyed. Homelessness, drugs, gangs, high  More

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Over 4 years ago

I fell in love with Santa Barbara about thirty years ago and finally moved here a few years ago. Because of the price of homes, it is an expensive place to live. The  More

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If you like high crime, paying a $4,500 a month mortgage and crazy high taxes, this is the place for you. It’s too bad because it wasn’t always like this. When I moved  More

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