Social and Philosophical Foundations of Education at University of California-Riverside

UC Riverside's Social and Philosophical Foundations of Education program produces first-year earnings of just $23,447—roughly $10,000 below the national median for this degree. That 5th percentile national ranking is alarming until you understand the California context: this program actually sits at the state's median for these degrees, with all four California schools clustered at similar earnings levels. The real story here isn't that UC Riverside underperforms—it's that California's education foundations programs collectively lag far behind the national market.

The $15,000 debt load is manageable in absolute terms, creating a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.64. However, graduates are earning roughly what many California high school graduates make without a degree. For a family investing in a UC education, even at in-state tuition rates, these numbers demand serious reflection about career trajectory. Education foundations degrees typically lead to graduate study or alternative career pathways, but that first-year figure suggests many graduates aren't immediately finding professional-level positions.

If your child is passionate about educational philosophy and theory, understand this is likely a stepping stone degree rather than a direct career pathway. The moderate debt won't crush them financially, but the low initial earnings mean they'll need a clear plan—whether that's graduate school, teaching certification through another route, or pivoting to adjacent fields where this humanities background adds value.