Program Analysis
First-year earnings of $31,140 track close to the $32,228 national median for Ethnic & Cultural Minority programs. This is a middle-of-the-road outcome on salary alone.
The earnings-to-cost ratio of 9.7x signals a solid financial return — projected decade earnings comfortably exceed the tuition investment.
Some AI exposure exists in Ethnic & Cultural Minority's typical career paths, with 69% of job tasks potentially affected. The pessimistic scenario still projects solid returns, with a 13% gap from the optimistic case.
Median debt of $19,500 represents roughly 8 months of the $31,140 starting salary — a manageable burden by most borrower standards.
At #42 of 92 Ethnic & Cultural Minority programs, University of California-Santa Cruz scores above the median — competitive but not a standout.
Five-year earnings of $56,551 show a 82% jump from the $31,140 starting point — strong upward trajectory suggesting real career acceleration.