Chemical Engineering at University of California-Los Angeles

UCLA's Chemical Engineering graduates earn $76,680 in their first year—about $8,400 more than the typical California ChemE grad and $3,700 above the national median. That's solid performance, though it trails what Berkeley and UCSB grads make by a meaningful margin. By year four, earnings climb to $92,741, showing healthy 21% growth that suggests graduates are advancing into better roles rather than plateauing early.

The debt picture makes this program particularly attractive: $18,205 is lower than both the state and national medians, creating a debt-to-earnings ratio of just 0.24. That means graduates owe less than three months of their first-year salary—manageable by any standard. While UCLA ranks in the 60th percentile among California ChemE programs for earnings (middle of the pack), it actually keeps debt lower than 85% of programs nationally, which tilts the value equation favorably.

For families deciding between UCLA and other UC options, the tradeoff is clear: Berkeley and UCSB grads earn about $5,000-$7,000 more initially, but UCLA's combination of strong earning potential, low debt, and steady career trajectory makes it a safe bet. At this price point and with these outcomes, you're getting legitimate engineering career preparation without the debt burden that could constrain early-career choices.