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Computer and Information Sciences, General: University of California-Los Angeles vs University of Wisconsin-Madison

Side-by-side ROI comparison · Bachelor's Degree
Return on Investment
10-year earnings ÷ tuition · higher is better
University of California-Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA
University of Wisconsin-Madison
Madison, WI
In-State
35.4x
$54,988 tuition
24.2x
$44,820 tuition
Out-of-State
10.9x
$178,096 tuition
6.7x
$162,412 tuition
$1,944,596 10-yr earnings · Public
$1,083,833 10-yr earnings · Public

Head-to-Head

University of California-Los Angeles University of Wisconsin-Madison
Earnings Multiple (In-State) 35.4x 24.2x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) 10.9x 6.7x
4-Year Tuition (In-State) $54,988 $44,820
Year 1 Earnings $136,099 $80,566
10-Year Earnings $1,945K $1,084K
Median Debt $15,156 $20,500
Debt-to-Earnings Ratio 1.3 months 3.1 months
DegreeWorth Score (In-State) 87/100 85/100
Acceptance Rate 8.7% 43.4%

Both programs have very high AI automation risk (69% task exposure) — the same career paths apply to Computer and Information Sciences, General graduates regardless of school. See full AI analysis →

ROI Breakdown

How tuition costs translate into long-term earnings for Computer and Information Sciences, General graduates.

University of California-Los Angeles University of Wisconsin-Madison
4-Year Tuition (In-State) $54,988 $44,820
4-Year Tuition (Out-of-State) $178,096 $162,412
10-Year Projected Earnings $1,945K $1,084K
Earnings Multiple (In-State) 35.4x 24.2x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) 10.9x 6.7x
5-Year Salary Growth +61% +47%

"Earnings Multiple" = projected 10-year earnings ÷ 4-year tuition. Higher is better. Not a discounted financial ROI.

AI Disruption Scenarios

Both schools share identical AI exposure for Computer and Information Sciences, General (same career paths). The score differences below reflect how each school's earnings and ROI hold up under stress.

University of California-Los Angeles University of Wisconsin-Madison
Optim. Base Pessim. Optim. Base Pessim.
10-Year Earnings $2,072K $1,945K $1,290K $1,136K $1,084K $802K
Earnings Multiple (IS) 37.7x 35.4x 23.5x 25.3x 24.2x 17.9x
DegreeWorth Score 89 87 79 87 85 74

For the full AI analysis of Computer and Information Sciences, General career paths, see the University of California-Los Angeles or University of Wisconsin-Madison program pages.

Earnings Trajectory Comparison

Projected annual earnings for Computer and Information Sciences, General graduates. Year 1 uses actual reported data.

Tuition Gap (In-State)
$10,168
University of Wisconsin-Madison saves you this
Year 1 Earnings Gap
$55,533/yr
University of California-Los Angeles grads earn more
ROI Range (In-State)
35.4x / 24.2x
Out-of-state: 10.9x / 6.7x

Career Paths

Computer and Information Sciences, General graduates from both schools map to the same career paths. Differences in earnings reflect school prestige, location, and employer networks.

Career Path Wage Openings/yr Growth AI Risk
Computer and information systems managers $171,200 55,600 +15.2% 53%
Computer and information research scientists $140,910 3,200 +19.7% 63%
Database architects $135,980 4,000 +8.7% 94%
Software developers $133,080 115,200 +15.8% 87%
Computer network architects $130,390 11,200 +11.9% 61%
Information security analysts $124,910 16,000 +28.5% 65%
Data scientists $112,590 23,400 +33.5% 64%
Computer occupations, all other $108,970 31,300 +8.2% 57%
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Explore Each Program

Computer and Information Sciences, General at University of California-Los Angeles → Computer and Information Sciences, General at University of Wisconsin-Madison →

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Computer and Information Sciences, General Overview

View all schools offering Computer and Information Sciences, General →

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is better for Computer and Information Sciences, General: University of California-Los Angeles or University of Wisconsin-Madison?
University of California-Los Angeles scores 87/100 while University of Wisconsin-Madison scores 85/100. University of Wisconsin-Madison has significantly lower tuition, which drives its competitive ROI. The best choice depends on whether you prioritize raw earnings or return on investment.
Which school has better ROI for Computer and Information Sciences, General?
University of California-Los Angeles has an in-state earnings multiple of 35.4x vs University of Wisconsin-Madison's 24.2x. That means University of California-Los Angeles grads earn more per dollar spent on tuition.
How do University of California-Los Angeles and University of Wisconsin-Madison compare on Computer and Information Sciences, General earnings?
Year 1 median earnings are $136,099 at University of California-Los Angeles vs $80,566 at University of Wisconsin-Madison. Over 10 years, the projected totals are $1,944,596 vs $1,083,833 — a difference of $860,763.
How much does Computer and Information Sciences, General cost at each school?
Four-year in-state tuition is $54,988 at University of California-Los Angeles and $44,820 at University of Wisconsin-Madison. Median debt at graduation is $15,156 vs $20,500. Both programs lead to the same Computer and Information Sciences, General career paths — the cost difference is the main factor in ROI.
Data: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (earnings, debt), Bureau of Labor Statistics 2024-2034 (employment projections), OpenAI GPTs-are-GPTs research (AI task exposure), Felten et al. AIOE. Scenarios use a continuous weighting function combining AI exposure and BLS job growth projections. "Earnings Multiple" is total 10-year projected earnings divided by tuition — not a discounted financial ROI. Last updated 2025.