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Computer Engineering at University of California-San Diego

La Jolla, CA · Public · Bachelor's Degree
86 /100
DegreeOutlook Score (Base Case) — assumes in-state tuition
88
Optimistic
86
Base Case
80
Pessimistic
Earnings $96,256/yr (22% vs median)
AI Risk Very High (71% exposed)
Job Market Very Large (167,700 openings/yr)
ROI 23.2x earnings multiple (7.7x out-of-state)
Ranked #10 of 174 Computer Engineering programs Top 10%

How AI Changes the Outlook

Three scenarios based on how aggressively AI disrupts the career paths available to Computer Engineering graduates.

Optimistic
No Disruption		 Base Case
Gradual AI		 Pessimistic
Aggressive AI
10-Year Earnings $1,532K $1,416K $997K
Earnings Multiple (In-State) 25.1x 23.2x 16.3x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) 8.3x 7.7x 5.4x
Probability of Field Employment 84% 74% 43%
DegreeOutlook Score 88 86 80

10-Year Earnings Projection

*Year 1 uses actual reported earnings. Scenarios diverge as AI impact compounds over time.

4-Year Tuition, In-State (Sticker)
$61,060
Out-of-state: $184,168 (7.7x ROI)
4-Year Net Price (After Aid)
$47,000
23% less than sticker · See by income
Median Debt at Graduation
$18,414
2.3 months of Year 1 earnings
Reported Earnings (5 Year)
$154,498
61% growth from Year 1

Program Analysis

University of California-San Diego's Computer Engineering graduates start at $96,256/yr — above the $78,694 national average, though not by a wide margin.

The 23.2x earnings multiple means ten-year projected earnings exceed tuition cost by an order of magnitude. By pure financial math, this is a standout.

AI exposure is significant at 71% of job tasks, producing a 35% spread between best and worst-case decade earnings. The field isn't immune to disruption.

Loan repayment is a non-issue here — $18,414 in median debt clears quickly against $96,256 in annual earnings.

A #10 ranking out of 174 Computer Engineering programs nationally puts University of California-San Diego in the top 10% — a strong but not elite position.

Earnings growth from $96,256 to $154,498 over five years (61% increase) indicates that graduates in this field see meaningful salary progression.

About University of California-San Diego

Admission to University of California-San Diego is competitive, with 25% of applicants accepted, serving a student body of 33,787 in La Jolla, CA.

See all programs and financial aid at University of California-San Diego →

Top Career Paths

Architectural and engineering managers $167,740/yr
Computer hardware engineers $155,020/yr
Database architects $135,980/yr
View all 7 career paths with salary ranges and AI risk →

Compare & Explore

Compare this program → View all 174 schools offering Computer Engineering →

Computer Engineering at Other Schools

University of Washington-Seattle Campus ($141,588) University of Washington-Bothell Campus ($141,588) University of Virginia-Main Campus ($118,232) California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo ($111,560) Duke University ($111,145) Santa Clara University ($103,804) University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign ($103,123) Columbia University in the City of New York ($102,083)

Compare Computer Engineering

University of California-San Diego vs University of Washington-Seattle Campus → University of California-San Diego vs University of Washington-Bothell Campus → University of California-San Diego vs California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo → University of California-San Diego vs University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign →

Other Majors at University of California-San Diego

Computer Science ($112,006) Mathematics and Computer Science ($89,651) Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering ($80,687) Biomathematics, Bioinformatics, and Computational Biology ($76,592) Mechanical Engineering ($69,555) Biological/Biosystems Engineering ($67,016) Civil Engineering ($65,478) Aerospace, Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering ($65,401)

Consider the Trade Route?

Compare Computer Engineering trade programs on TradeSchoolWorth →

Trade programs often mean less time in school, lower student debt, and hands-on career paths that tend to be more resilient to AI disruption.

Frequently Asked Questions

How does University of California-San Diego's Computer Engineering program score?
A score of 86/100 indicates strong financial outcomes. University of California-San Diego's Computer Engineering graduates fare well on earnings, job market size, and return on investment.
How vulnerable is Computer Engineering to AI automation?
AI won't 'replace' Computer Engineering careers outright, but it is likely to reduce the number of job openings. We model 71% task exposure, which compresses field employment probability in our scenarios.
Scores use College Scorecard earnings, BLS employment projections, and AI task-exposure research. See full methodology →