Architecture at University of California-Los Angeles

UCLA's architecture bachelor's program shows estimated debt and earnings right at California's median—roughly $28,000 borrowed for first-year earnings around $51,000. These figures come from comparable architecture programs in California, since UCLA's graduate sample was too small for the Department of Education to publish. While that debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.54 looks manageable on paper, the bigger question is whether this four-year degree sets up a viable career path.

Architecture is famously a field where a professional master's degree (M.Arch) is typically required for licensure. That means most graduates face another 2-3 years of expensive graduate education before they can practice independently. The modest $51,000 starting salary—just 4% above the national median for architecture bachelor's programs—won't leave much room to save for that additional schooling. California's other top programs like Cal Poly SLO and Pomona show higher initial earnings ($61,000 and $58,000 respectively), which could make a material difference when financing graduate school.

The real financial calculus here depends on your child's specific path. If they're planning to pursue the M.Arch immediately and accumulate another substantial debt load, starting from $28,000 in undergraduate debt matters. If UCLA offers significant advantages for graduate school placement or they're entering a non-licensure track in the field, the competitive prestige might justify these middle-of-the-pack numbers. But absent those advantages, peer programs are showing better earnings outcomes for similar or lower debt.