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Princeton University vs University of California, Santa Barbara

On research quality in 2022–now, Princeton University ranks #40 in the world and University of California, Santa Barbara #154, of 28,054 institutions. Princeton University stands higher in 14 of the 17 fields both publish in, University of California, Santa Barbara in 3.

Research profiles alike: 0.95very similar shapes of research, whatever their size. How it is measured

Princeton University

United States · Princeton

World rank, 2022–now
#40
#14 all time
Works, 2022–now
8.8k
fractional
Top-10% rate
28.4%
share of its work among the world’s most cited
Open access
33%
of its works free to read

Strongest relative focus: General Decision Sciences, General Psychology, Discrete Mathematics and Combinatorics.

University of California, Santa Barbara

United States · Santa Barbara

World rank, 2022–now
#154
#31 all time
Works, 2022–now
6.6k
fractional
Top-10% rate
23.4%
share of its work among the world’s most cited
Open access
28%
of its works free to read

Strongest relative focus: Condensed Matter Physics, General Decision Sciences, Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics.

Who leads in each field?

Princeton University stands higher in 14 of 17 fields, University of California, Santa Barbara in 3. Each bar is that side’s standing among all institutions ranked in the field: the full bar is first place.

Princeton University 143 University of California, Santa Barbara
  1. —Agricultural and Biological Sciences#955
  2. #103Arts and Humanities#312
  3. #66Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology#706
  4. #26Chemistry#149
  5. #86Computer Science#141
  6. #2Decision Sciences#44
  7. #64Earth and Planetary Sciences#174
  8. #117Economics, Econometrics and Finance—
  9. #238Engineering#438
  10. #119Environmental Science#209
  11. —Materials Science#318
  12. #20Mathematics—
  13. —Medicine#2,138
  14. #70Neuroscience—
  15. #5Physics and Astronomy#23
  16. #214Psychology#414
  17. #107Social Sciences#252

Standing is the percentile of world rank within each field, 2022–now; the printed number is the rank itself. A dash means the field is too small there to rank. How sides are compared.

Where does each put its research?

Not who is better, but what each side chooses to work on. A country or institution that puts twice the world’s share of its research into a field sits at 2×, whatever its size.

  1. Veterinary0.3× 0.2×
  2. Mathematics3.1× 1.8×
  3. Dentistry0.1× 0.1×
  4. Pharmacology, Toxicology and Pharmaceutics0.5× 0.3×
  5. Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology1.1× 0.8×
  6. Chemical Engineering1.8× 1.2×
  7. Economics, Econometrics and Finance1.6× 1.2×
  8. Arts and Humanities2.4× 1.8×
  9. Physics and Astronomy5.2× 4.2×
  10. Energy0.9× 0.8×
  11. Immunology and Microbiology0.4× 0.3×
  12. Medicine0.2× 0.2×
  13. Nursing0.2× 0.2×
  14. Health Professions0.3× 0.3×
  15. Social Sciences1.2× 1.2×
  16. Computer Science1.2× 1.3×
  17. Engineering0.9× 0.9×
  18. Chemistry1.4× 1.6×
  19. Earth and Planetary Sciences2.2× 2.5×
  20. Business, Management and Accounting0.4× 0.5×
  21. Decision Sciences1.3× 1.5×
  22. Agricultural and Biological Sciences0.3× 0.4×
  23. Neuroscience1.6× 1.9×
  24. Environmental Science1.0× 1.4×
  25. Psychology0.9× 1.5×
  26. Materials Science0.9× 1.6×
Princeton UniversityUniversity of California, Santa Barbara

Location quotient in 2022–now: the share of each side’s research in the field over the world’s share. 1× is the world’s balance; the axis runs from a quarter of it to four times. Fields where Princeton University leans further are at the top, University of California, Santa Barbara’s at the bottom. How research profiles are compared.

How has their output grown?

1k2k3kPrinceton University2,150 in 2025University of California, Santa Barbara1,501 in 20251990200020102020

Fractional works per year. The latest, partial year is left off.

Which publishes more research, Princeton University or University of California, Santa Barbara?

Princeton University publishes 1.3× as much research as University of California, Santa Barbara in 2022–now (8.8k against 6.6k fractional works).

Whose research has more impact, Princeton University or University of California, Santa Barbara?

28.4% of Princeton University's research reaches the world's top 10% most cited, against 23.4% for University of California, Santa Barbara.

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