University of California-San Diego

La Jolla, California · Public

Of 79 assessed programs, 78 leave graduates out-earning a typical California high-school graduate (about $36,976/yr) and 1 fall short. Another 121 could not be assessed.

What would this cost you?

My family earns and I expect to take

Family income	Net price per year
Under $30k	$7,525
$30k to $48k	$8,155
$48k to $75k	$9,942
$75k to $110k	$15,199
$110k and up	$28,785
All families (average)	$12,470

Net price is the yearly cost after grants and scholarships, by family income (College Scorecard). It reflects students who received federal aid.

Program earnings vs a high-school graduate

Earnings are measured four years after completion when available. Where four-year earnings are suppressed, one-year earnings are shown and marked 1-year earnings. One-year and four-year figures reflect different career stages and should not be compared as if measured at the same time.

79 of 200 programs could be assessed 40% have an earnings verdict

Programs by earnings versus a typical California high-school graduate.
Program	Degree	Median earnings	vs a high-school grad	Verdict	Median debt	Years to repay	Recent completers
Cognitive Science	Bachelor's Degree	$81,160	+$44,184	clears the bar	$17,427	0.4 yrs	759
Computer Science	Bachelor's Degree	$159,487	+$122,511	clears the bar	$16,166	0.1 yrs	591
International/Globalization Studies	Bachelor's Degree	$81,174	+$44,198	clears the bar	$15,500	0.4 yrs	537
Economics	Bachelor's Degree	$87,307	+$50,331	clears the bar	$14,667	0.3 yrs	430
Political Science	Bachelor's Degree	$67,713	+$30,737	clears the bar	$15,000	0.5 yrs	366
Chemistry	Bachelor's Degree	$77,249	+$40,273	clears the bar	$16,050	0.4 yrs	346
Public Health	Bachelor's Degree	$66,110	+$29,134	clears the bar	$15,000	0.5 yrs	345
Biology	Bachelor's Degree	$64,437	+$27,461	clears the bar	$17,450	0.6 yrs	322
Psychology	Bachelor's Degree	$51,679	+$14,703	clears the bar	$15,446	1.1 yrs	320
Communications and Media	Bachelor's Degree	$67,302	+$30,326	clears the bar	$13,193	0.4 yrs	278
Mathematics and Computer Science	Bachelor's Degree	$137,218	+$100,242	clears the bar	$18,887	0.2 yrs	269
Mathematics	Bachelor's Degree	$79,015	+$42,039	clears the bar	$16,250	0.4 yrs	239
Electrical Engineering	Bachelor's Degree	$118,150	+$81,174	clears the bar	$20,000	0.2 yrs	218
Counseling Psychology	Bachelor's Degree	$56,000	+$19,024	clears the bar	$15,000	0.8 yrs	200
Computer Science	Master's Degree	$231,397	+$194,421	clears the bar	$25,903	0.1 yrs	185
Neuroscience	Bachelor's Degree	$61,799	+$24,823	clears the bar	$19,000	0.8 yrs	179
Computer Engineering	Bachelor's Degree	$149,139	+$112,163	clears the bar	$18,414	0.2 yrs	167
Management Science	Bachelor's Degree	$89,451	+$52,475	clears the bar	$15,127	0.3 yrs	161
Mechanical Engineering	Bachelor's Degree	$104,229	+$67,253	clears the bar	$20,000	0.3 yrs	146
Applied Mathematics	Bachelor's Degree	$85,233	+$48,257	clears the bar	$15,249	0.3 yrs	146
Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology	Bachelor's Degree	$52,701	+$15,725	clears the bar	$18,367	1.2 yrs	135
Biochemistry and Molecular Biology	Bachelor's Degree	$72,491	+$35,515	clears the bar	$17,359	0.5 yrs	132
Sociology	Bachelor's Degree	$55,534	+$18,558	clears the bar	$13,000	0.7 yrs	131
Chemical Engineering	Bachelor's Degree	$96,798	+$59,822	clears the bar	$18,500	0.3 yrs	129
Biomedical Engineering	Master's Degree	$127,935	+$90,959	clears the bar	$37,282	0.4 yrs	123
Psychology, Other	Bachelor's Degree	$47,672 1-year earnings	+$10,696	clears the bar	$19,033	1.8 yrs	116
International Relations	Master's Degree	$101,102	+$64,126	clears the bar	$44,160	0.7 yrs	115
Research Psychology	Bachelor's Degree	$63,130	+$26,154	clears the bar	$14,814	0.6 yrs	113
Biology	Master's Degree	$87,940	+$50,964	clears the bar	$24,482	0.5 yrs	111
Civil Engineering	Bachelor's Degree	$91,745	+$54,769	clears the bar	$16,400	0.3 yrs	110
Electrical Engineering	Master's Degree	$169,987	+$133,011	clears the bar	$34,311	0.3 yrs	102
Human Development and Family Studies	Bachelor's Degree	$61,262	+$24,286	clears the bar	$19,000	0.8 yrs	99
Biomedical Engineering	Bachelor's Degree	$98,687	+$61,711	clears the bar	$20,000	0.3 yrs	92
Biology	Doctoral Degree	$129,900	+$92,924	clears the bar	insufficient data	insufficient data	85
Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering	Bachelor's Degree	$100,173	+$63,197	clears the bar	$20,008	0.3 yrs	83
Natural Resources and Conservation	Bachelor's Degree	$69,061	+$32,085	clears the bar	$18,000	0.6 yrs	80
History	Bachelor's Degree	$61,745	+$24,769	clears the bar	$16,756	0.7 yrs	78
Visual and Performing Arts, General	Bachelor's Degree	$45,915	+$8,939	clears the bar	$15,000	1.7 yrs	73
Biomathematics, Bioinformatics, and Computational Biology	Bachelor's Degree	$123,320	+$86,344	clears the bar	$18,000	0.2 yrs	71
Mechanical Engineering	Master's Degree	$128,129	+$91,153	clears the bar	insufficient data	insufficient data	70
Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services	Bachelor's Degree	$55,776	+$18,800	clears the bar	$14,497	0.8 yrs	65
English Language and Literature/Letters, Other	Bachelor's Degree	$57,900	+$20,924	clears the bar	$18,000	0.9 yrs	62
Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology	Master's Degree	$66,412	+$29,436	clears the bar	$34,436	1.2 yrs	61
Anthropology	Bachelor's Degree	$56,982	+$20,006	clears the bar	$13,500	0.7 yrs	61
Civil Engineering	Master's Degree	$112,223	+$75,247	clears the bar	$20,500	0.3 yrs	57
Engineering, Other	Bachelor's Degree	$88,159	+$51,183	clears the bar	$18,954	0.4 yrs	56
Statistics	Bachelor's Degree	$96,746	+$59,770	clears the bar	$18,583	0.3 yrs	56
Education	Master's Degree	$73,566	+$36,590	clears the bar	$31,045	0.8 yrs	55
Physics	Bachelor's Degree	$95,018	+$58,042	clears the bar	$18,000	0.3 yrs	53
Microbiological Sciences and Immunology	Bachelor's Degree	$64,428	+$27,452	clears the bar	$13,811	0.5 yrs	51
Public Policy Analysis	Master's Degree	$53,035 1-year earnings	+$16,059	clears the bar	$33,242	2.1 yrs	49
Chemistry	Doctoral Degree	$136,333	+$99,357	clears the bar	insufficient data	insufficient data	48
Theatre	Bachelor's Degree	$41,389	+$4,413	clears the bar	$14,458	3.3 yrs	47
Computer Engineering	Master's Degree	$173,180	+$136,204	clears the bar	insufficient data	insufficient data	42
Fine Arts	Bachelor's Degree	$48,506	+$11,530	clears the bar	$14,833	1.3 yrs	42
Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies	Bachelor's Degree	$53,319	+$16,343	clears the bar	$24,237	1.5 yrs	35
Engineering, Other	Master's Degree	$158,915	+$121,939	clears the bar	insufficient data	insufficient data	35
Urban Studies/Affairs	Bachelor's Degree	$71,380	+$34,404	clears the bar	$15,499	0.5 yrs	35
Pharmacy	Master's Degree	$117,115 1-year earnings	+$80,139	clears the bar	insufficient data	insufficient data	32
Philosophy	Bachelor's Degree	$24,669 1-year earnings	-$12,307	falls short	$15,000	insufficient data	31
English	Bachelor's Degree	$56,097	+$19,121	clears the bar	$13,555	0.7 yrs	30
Computer and Information Science	Master's Degree	$201,287	+$164,311	clears the bar	insufficient data	insufficient data	26
Music	Bachelor's Degree	$58,071	+$21,095	clears the bar	$19,500	0.9 yrs	26
Medical Clinical Sciences/Graduate Medical Studies	Master's Degree	$132,783	+$95,807	clears the bar	insufficient data	insufficient data	25
Geology and Earth Science	Doctoral Degree	$100,332	+$63,356	clears the bar	insufficient data	insufficient data	22
Biological/Biosystems Engineering	Bachelor's Degree	$111,677	+$74,701	clears the bar	$18,716	0.3 yrs	20
Theatre	Master's Degree	$48,041	+$11,065	clears the bar	insufficient data	insufficient data	17
Physics	Doctoral Degree	$166,997	+$130,021	clears the bar	insufficient data	insufficient data	16
Education	Doctoral Degree	$131,358	+$94,382	clears the bar	insufficient data	insufficient data	14
Neuroscience	Doctoral Degree	$148,833	+$111,857	clears the bar	insufficient data	insufficient data	13
Music	Doctoral Degree	$68,693	+$31,717	clears the bar	insufficient data	insufficient data	12
History	Doctoral Degree	$79,871	+$42,895	clears the bar	insufficient data	insufficient data	11
Political Science	Doctoral Degree	$104,566	+$67,590	clears the bar	insufficient data	insufficient data	9
Counseling Psychology	Doctoral Degree	$130,000	+$93,024	clears the bar	insufficient data	insufficient data	8
Healthcare Administration	Master's Degree	$145,693	+$108,717	clears the bar	$41,000	0.4 yrs	8
Business Administration	Master's Degree	$149,271	+$112,295	clears the bar	$92,221	0.8 yrs	0
Visual and Performing Arts, Other	Bachelor's Degree	$64,822	+$27,846	clears the bar	$19,968	0.7 yrs	insufficient data
Medicine	Doctoral Degree	$118,330	+$81,354	clears the bar	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data
Pharmacy	Doctoral Degree	$165,543	+$128,567	clears the bar	$137,223	1.1 yrs	insufficient data
Cell/Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	769
Management Science	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	302
Computer and Information Science	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	168
Applied Mathematics	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	119
Medicine	First Professional Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	79
Pharmacy	First Professional Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	66
Social Sciences, Other	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	59
Real Estate Development	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	52
Education	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	52
Geology and Earth Science	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	52
Chemistry	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	51
Public Health	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	51
Interdisciplinary Studies	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	45
Computer Science	Doctoral Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	43
IT Administration and Management	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	42
Area Studies	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	$11,000	insufficient data	34
Chemical Engineering	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	30
Materials Engineering	Doctoral Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	27
Materials Engineering	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	26
Mathematics	Doctoral Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	25
Biomedical Engineering	Doctoral Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	24
Mechanical Engineering	Doctoral Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	22
Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	21
Civil Engineering	Doctoral Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	20
Electrical Engineering	Doctoral Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	20
Engineering, Other	Doctoral Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	17
Biomathematics, Bioinformatics, and Computational Biology	Doctoral Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	15
Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology	Doctoral Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	15
Physics	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	15
Economics	Doctoral Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	15
Mathematics	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	14
Design	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	$16,643	insufficient data	14
Geology and Earth Science	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	13
Engineering Science	Doctoral Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	12
Research Psychology	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	12
Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology	First Professional Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	12
Systems Engineering	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	10
Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	10
Biomathematics, Bioinformatics, and Computational Biology	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	10
Research Psychology	Doctoral Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	10
Economics	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	10
Visual and Performing Arts, General	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	10
Zoology/Animal Biology	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	8
Neuroscience	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	8
Physical Sciences, Other	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	8
International Relations	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	8
Dance	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	8
Chemical Engineering	Doctoral Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	7
Engineering Physics	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	7
English Language and Literature/Letters, Other	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	7
Engineering Physics	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	6
Liberal Arts and General Studies	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	6
Cognitive Science	Doctoral Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	6
Computational Science	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	6
Philosophy	Doctoral Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	6
Religion/Religious Studies	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	6
Anthropology	Doctoral Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	6
Fine Arts	Doctoral Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	6
Music	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	6
Area Studies	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	5
Communications and Media	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	5
Engineering Physics	Doctoral Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	5
Systems Engineering	Doctoral Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	5
English Language and Literature/Letters, Other	Doctoral Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	5
Political Science	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	5
Management Science	Doctoral Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	5
Communications and Media	Doctoral Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	4
Teacher Education (by subject)	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	4
Computer Engineering	Doctoral Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	4
Sociology	Doctoral Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	4
Sociology	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	4

Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, release 2026-06-10. Earnings are medians measured four years after completion where available (programs shown with a 1-year figure are marked), compared with the state high-school-graduate benchmark ($36,976/yr). Debt is federal loans only. Suppressed values are shown as insufficient data, never imputed. Figures describe past graduates and are never a promise.