Computer Engineering: University of California-Davis vs University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Head-to-Head
| University of California-Davis | University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign | |
|---|---|---|
| Earnings Multiple (In-State) | 21.8x | 18.7x |
| Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) | 7.2x | 8.7x |
| 4-Year Tuition (In-State) | $60,988 | $64,016 |
| Year 1 Earnings | $96,418 | $103,123 |
| 10-Year Earnings | $1,327K | $1,194K |
| Median Debt | $12,703 | $20,500 |
| Debt-to-Earnings Ratio | 1.6 months | 2.4 months |
| DegreeWorth Score (In-State) | 81/100 | 79/100 |
| Acceptance Rate | 41.6% | 43.7% |
Both programs have very high AI automation risk (71% task exposure) — the same career paths apply to Computer Engineering graduates regardless of school. See full AI analysis →
ROI Breakdown
How tuition costs translate into long-term earnings for Computer Engineering graduates.
| University of California-Davis | University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign | |
|---|---|---|
| 4-Year Tuition (In-State) | $60,988 | $64,016 |
| 4-Year Tuition (Out-of-State) | $184,096 | $138,004 |
| 10-Year Projected Earnings | $1,327K | $1,194K |
| Earnings Multiple (In-State) | 21.8x | 18.7x |
| Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) | 7.2x | 8.7x |
| 5-Year Salary Growth | +52% | +32% |
"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 Engineering (same career paths). The score differences below reflect how each school's earnings and ROI hold up under stress.
| University of California-Davis | University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Optim. | Base | Pessim. | Optim. | Base | Pessim. | |
| 10-Year Earnings | $1,432K | $1,327K | $946K | $1,282K | $1,194K | $869K |
| Earnings Multiple (IS) | 23.5x | 21.8x | 15.5x | 20.0x | 18.7x | 13.6x |
| DegreeWorth Score | 83 | 81 | 69 | 82 | 79 | 67 |
For the full AI analysis of Computer Engineering career paths, see the University of California-Davis or University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign program pages.
Earnings Trajectory Comparison
Projected annual earnings for Computer Engineering graduates. Year 1 uses actual reported data.
Career Paths
Computer Engineering 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Architectural and engineering managers | $167,740 | 14,500 | +3.8% | 41% |
| Computer hardware engineers | $155,020 | 4,700 | +7.3% | 73% |
| 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% |
| Engineering teachers, postsecondary | $106,120 | 4,100 | +8.1% | 50% |
| Software quality assurance analysts and testers | $102,610 | 14,000 | +10.0% | 88% |