Computer Science: California State University-Chico vs University of California-Berkeley
Head-to-Head
| California State University-Chico | University of California-Berkeley | |
|---|---|---|
| Earnings Multiple (In-State) | 35.5x | 32.6x |
| Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) | 14.3x | 10.6x |
| 4-Year Tuition (In-State) | $32,256 | $59,400 |
| Year 1 Earnings | $81,021 | $149,866 |
| 10-Year Earnings | $1,145K | $1,937K |
| Median Debt | $20,000 | $13,750 |
| Debt-to-Earnings Ratio | 3.0 months | 1.1 months |
| DegreeWorth Score (In-State) | 85/100 | 86/100 |
| Acceptance Rate | 93.7% | 11.7% |
Both programs have very high AI automation risk (72% task exposure) — the same career paths apply to Computer Science graduates regardless of school. See full AI analysis →
ROI Breakdown
How tuition costs translate into long-term earnings for Computer Science graduates.
| California State University-Chico | University of California-Berkeley | |
|---|---|---|
| 4-Year Tuition (In-State) | $32,256 | $59,400 |
| 4-Year Tuition (Out-of-State) | $79,776 | $182,508 |
| 10-Year Projected Earnings | $1,145K | $1,937K |
| Earnings Multiple (In-State) | 35.5x | 32.6x |
| Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) | 14.3x | 10.6x |
| 5-Year Salary Growth | +54% | +50% |
"Earnings Multiple" = projected 10-year earnings ÷ 4-year tuition. Higher is better. Not a discounted financial ROI.
AI Disruption Scenarios
Both schools share identical AI exposure for Computer Science (same career paths). The score differences below reflect how each school's earnings and ROI hold up under stress.
| California State University-Chico | University of California-Berkeley | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Optim. | Base | Pessim. | Optim. | Base | Pessim. | |
| 10-Year Earnings | $1,210K | $1,145K | $822K | $2,082K | $1,937K | $1,255K |
| Earnings Multiple (IS) | 37.5x | 35.5x | 25.5x | 35.0x | 32.6x | 21.1x |
| DegreeWorth Score | 87 | 85 | 75 | 88 | 86 | 77 |
For the full AI analysis of Computer Science career paths, see the California State University-Chico or University of California-Berkeley program pages.
Earnings Trajectory Comparison
Projected annual earnings for Computer Science graduates. Year 1 uses actual reported data.
Career Paths
Computer Science graduates from both schools map to the same career paths. Differences in earnings reflect school prestige, location, and employer networks.
| Career Path | Wage | Openings/yr | Growth | AI Risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Computer and information systems managers | $171,200 | 55,600 | +15.2% | 53% |
| Computer and information research scientists | $140,910 | 3,200 | +19.7% | 63% |
| Database architects | $135,980 | 4,000 | +8.7% | 94% |
| Software developers | $133,080 | 115,200 | +15.8% | 87% |
| Information security analysts | $124,910 | 16,000 | +28.5% | 65% |
| Data scientists | $112,590 | 23,400 | +33.5% | 64% |
| Computer occupations, all other | $108,970 | 31,300 | +8.2% | 57% |
| Software quality assurance analysts and testers | $102,610 | 14,000 | +10.0% | 88% |