UC Santa Barbara loses top party school ranking amid campus safety scandals

The University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB) has lost its ranking as the top party school in the United States. After being named number one in Niche’s 2026 rankings, the university fell out of the top 25 in the 2027 rankings.

The decline follows a series of violent incidents and sexual assaults on campus that have raised significant concerns regarding student safety. Recently, 24-year-old Arian Eteghaei was sentenced to between 30 years and life in prison for the sexual assault of multiple women while attending the university.

Other reported incidents include a midmorning groping attack on a pedestrian in June and an alleged rape and strangulation reported on campus in May. These events have led to increased scrutiny of university administration and sparked safety campaigns and vigils within the academic community.