University of California-Los Angeles
Los Angeles, California
A 0–100 composite of ROI, graduate earnings, net price, debt and graduation rate. How it’s scored.
Estimated for a typical student paying the average net price over 4 years.
Graduate earnings clearly outpace the cost and debt — this degree pays back quickly.
The numbers behind the verdict
Lifetime ROI: the long view
Cumulative net gain over a high-school-only earner at different career lengths, with tuition and debt interest already subtracted. Built on IRS-verified federal earnings — not self-reported surveys.
Conservative: holds year-5 earnings flat (no raises). Adjust the assumptions, or see the highest 20-year ROI colleges.
Equity & access
Who the college serves and whether the payoff reaches everyone — earnings ten years after starting (IRS-linked), with access measures from federal enrollment data.
9% gap between the two groups
11% gap between the two groups
17% gap between the two groups
Undergraduate enrollment by race/ethnicity. Federal data does not report earnings by race.
Net price by family income
What students actually pay after grants and scholarships, by household income as of 2024.
| Family income | Average net price / yr |
|---|---|
| Family income $0–$30k | $5,579 |
| $30k–$48k | $6,682 |
| $48k–$75k | $9,811 |
| $75k–$110k | $14,142 |
| $110k+ | $29,682 |
How University of California-Los Angeles compares
This college against the California and national averages — higher earnings and lower cost/debt are better.
Graduate earnings over time
Median earnings of University of California-Los Angeles students 10 years after entering, by cohort year as of 2024.
Best-paying majors at University of California-Los Angeles
Fields of study ranked by their own ROI — earnings five years after graduating against the cost and debt. Click a major for the deep dive.
| Major | Credential | Earnings (5 yr) | Median debt | 10-yr ROI | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Computer and Information Sciences, General | Associate's | $218,770 | $15,156 | +5,575% | Strong return |
| Computer Engineering | Associate's | $191,628 | $13,500 | +4,785% | Strong return |
| Computer and Information Sciences, General | Certificate | $287,429 | — | +4,730% | Strong return |
| Mechanical Engineering | Master's | $165,864 | — | +4,716% | Strong return |
| Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology | Master's | $134,874 | — | +3,481% | Strong return |
| Public Health | Master's | $133,209 | — | +3,415% | Strong return |
| Chemistry | Master's | $117,249 | — | +2,779% | Strong return |
| Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering | Associate's | $127,528 | $16,979 | +2,538% | Strong return |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | Associate's | $123,885 | $19,420 | +2,352% | Strong return |
| Applied Mathematics | Certificate | $161,706 | — | +2,225% | Strong return |
| Business/Managerial Economics | Associate's | $118,000 | $17,332 | +2,224% | Strong return |
| Engineering, General | Certificate | $160,755 | — | +2,206% | Strong return |
| Biomedical/Medical Engineering | Associate's | $114,571 | $14,500 | +2,190% | Strong return |
| Mechanical Engineering | Associate's | $108,947 | $16,500 | +1,956% | Strong return |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | Certificate | $212,869 | $97,335 | +1,860% | Strong return |
| Psychology, General | Master's | $93,867 | — | +1,847% | Strong return |
| Chemical Engineering | Associate's | $105,166 | $17,000 | +1,823% | Strong return |
| Economics | Associate's | $100,784 | $15,000 | +1,725% | Strong return |
| Civil Engineering | Associate's | $102,084 | $17,529 | +1,713% | Strong return |
| Educational Administration and Supervision | Master's | $133,553 | $72,829 | +1,615% | Strong return |
| Applied Mathematics | Associate's | $95,647 | $14,400 | +1,569% | Strong return |
| Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering | Associate's | $97,069 | $19,000 | +1,526% | Strong return |
| Statistics | Associate's | $94,154 | $15,811 | +1,493% | Strong return |
| Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering | Certificate | $144,451 | $40,304 | +1,433% | Strong return |
| Mechanical Engineering | Certificate | $133,046 | $20,500 | +1,427% | Strong return |
Calculate your own ROI
Adjust the assumptions for your situation — the verdict, break-even and chart update live.
ROI at University of California-Los Angeles
Estimates from federal data; your result will vary. How this works.
Admissions & profile
Location
Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard. ROI is computed by Degree Return — see how. Read the methodology. Data as of 2024.
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