University of California-Riverside
Riverside, 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.
12% gap between the two groups
11% gap between the two groups
8% 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 | $8,852 |
| $30k–$48k | $9,840 |
| $48k–$75k | $13,111 |
| $75k–$110k | $16,571 |
| $110k+ | $30,393 |
How University of California-Riverside 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-Riverside students 10 years after entering, by cohort year as of 2024.
Best-paying majors at University of California-Riverside
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 Engineering | Associate's | $117,682 | $25,083 | +1,825% | Strong return |
| Biomedical/Medical Engineering | Master's | $98,201 | — | +1,760% | Strong return |
| Education, General | Master's | $97,883 | — | +1,749% | Strong return |
| Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering | Associate's | $102,568 | $19,250 | +1,516% | Strong return |
| Chemistry | Master's | $90,970 | — | +1,507% | Strong return |
| Mechanical Engineering | Associate's | $93,294 | $21,000 | +1,232% | Strong return |
| Biomedical/Medical Engineering | Associate's | $92,140 | $19,954 | +1,214% | Strong return |
| Chemical Engineering | Associate's | $90,784 | $17,182 | +1,213% | Strong return |
| Environmental/Environmental Health Engineering | Associate's | $81,979 | $18,068 | +951% | Strong return |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | Associate's | $74,583 | $16,500 | +755% | Strong return |
| Cell/Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences | Associate's | $73,399 | $18,000 | +708% | Strong return |
| Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology | Associate's | $68,378 | $16,958 | +572% | Strong return |
| Economics | Associate's | $66,935 | $17,666 | +526% | Strong return |
| Neurobiology and Neurosciences | Associate's | $65,261 | $19,000 | +470% | Strong return |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | Certificate | $92,291 | $76,013 | +457% | Strong return |
| Education, General | Certificate | $80,485 | $25,601 | +433% | Strong return |
| Mathematics | Associate's | $63,375 | $18,100 | +422% | Strong return |
| Business/Managerial Economics | Associate's | $62,909 | $18,000 | +409% | Strong return |
| Natural Resources Conservation and Research | Associate's | $61,938 | $16,250 | +391% | Strong return |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities | Associate's | $61,690 | $15,625 | +387% | Strong return |
| Social Sciences, Other | Associate's | $61,806 | $16,583 | +385% | Strong return |
| Philosophy | Associate's | $61,942 | $19,022 | +377% | Strong return |
| Public Policy Analysis | Associate's | $61,890 | $19,161 | +375% | Strong return |
| Biology, General | Associate's | $61,749 | $19,000 | +371% | Strong return |
| Political Science and Government | Associate's | $59,096 | $18,000 | +301% | 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-Riverside
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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