Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering at University of California-Los Angeles

UCLA's electrical engineering program delivers strong earnings with exceptionally low debt—graduates start at $85,369 and reach $110,760 by year four, while borrowing a median of just $17,877. That debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.21 means graduates could theoretically pay off their loans in less than three months of gross salary, making this one of the most financially accessible pathways into electrical engineering you'll find. The 30% earnings growth over four years suggests graduates are advancing into more senior technical roles rather than plateauing early.

The California context reveals an interesting nuance: while UCLA sits at the 95th percentile nationally for earnings, it's at the 60th percentile among California programs. That's because California's top engineering schools—particularly UC Berkeley—set an extraordinarily high bar. Still, UCLA graduates earn more than the state median for this major ($78,247) while carrying essentially the same debt load, and they're competing successfully in one of the nation's strongest engineering job markets.

For families concerned about engineering school costs, this represents an excellent value proposition. The combination of UCLA's 9% admission rate, strong alumni network, and location in a major tech hub translates into solid career outcomes without the debt burden typical of many engineering programs. The main challenge is getting admitted—but if your child can clear that hurdle, the financial return is clear.