Computer Science at University of California-Los Angeles

UCLA's computer science program sits in an unusual position: while peer California programs suggest first-year earnings around $68,000 against estimated debt of $16,500, other UC and elite California schools report outcomes far above that benchmark. Berkeley CS graduates earn $150,000 in their first year, and even USC clears $137,000. Given UCLA's 9% admission rate and academic reputation comparable to Berkeley's, the reliance on estimates here raises questions about whether this program's actual outcomes align with state averages or with its true peer institutions.

The debt picture looks manageable—a 0.24 ratio means roughly three months of gross pay to cover loans—but if UCLA graduates track closer to Berkeley than to the state median, that's the difference between a solid tech career launch and an elite one. The challenge is that suppressed data means we can't see where UCLA actually falls in that spectrum. For families paying non-resident tuition or taking on additional private debt, that uncertainty matters significantly.

The safest assumption: UCLA likely outperforms the state average given its selectivity and research strength, but quantifying that advantage isn't possible here. If your child has admission offers from schools with reported outcomes in the $130,000+ range, those provide more certainty. If UCLA is the reach school and affordability matters, the estimated debt is reasonable enough to justify the gamble on what's probably stronger real-world placement than these peer-program averages suggest.