Computer and Information Sciences at University of California-Los Angeles

UCLA's computer science program doesn't just outperform the typical California CS degree—it obliterates the competition. First-year graduates earn $136,099, which is 2.5 times the California median and more than double the national average. Even compared to UC Berkeley's already-impressive $88,030, UCLA grads start $48,000 higher. This isn't a marginal difference; it's the gap between a comfortable middle-class salary and genuine tech industry compensation. The program ranks in the 95th percentile both nationally and within California, placing it among the absolute elite.

The financial picture gets better from there. With just $15,248 in median debt—less than the cost of many used cars—graduates face a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.11, meaning they could theoretically pay off their loans in about six weeks of work. By year four, earnings climb to $164,612, showing that these aren't flash-in-the-pan startup equity packages but sustainable career trajectories. The 27% Pell grant enrollment suggests this outcome isn't reserved only for wealthy students.

The catch, of course, is getting in: with a 9% admission rate, UCLA is harder to crack than most Ivy League schools. But for families whose children can clear that bar, this represents one of the best ROI propositions in American higher education—elite tech outcomes at public school debt levels.