Economics: Harvard University vs University of California-Santa Barbara
Head-to-Head
| Harvard University | University of California-Santa Barbara | |
|---|---|---|
| Earnings Multiple (In-State) | 5.4x | 15.5x |
| Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) | 5.4x | 5.1x |
| 4-Year Tuition (In-State) | $236,304 | $59,860 |
| Year 1 Earnings | $103,993 | $66,334 |
| 10-Year Earnings | $1,267K | $926K |
| Median Debt | $6,617 | $13,440 |
| Debt-to-Earnings Ratio | 0.8 months | 2.4 months |
| DegreeWorth Score (In-State) | 65/100 | 73/100 |
| Acceptance Rate | 3.5% | 27.8% |
Both programs have very high AI automation risk (56% task exposure) — the same career paths apply to Economics graduates regardless of school. See full AI analysis →
ROI Breakdown
How tuition costs translate into long-term earnings for Economics graduates.
| Harvard University | University of California-Santa Barbara | |
|---|---|---|
| 4-Year Tuition (In-State) | $236,304 | $59,860 |
| 4-Year Tuition (Out-of-State) | $236,304 | $182,968 |
| 10-Year Projected Earnings | $1,267K | $926K |
| Earnings Multiple (In-State) | 5.4x | 15.5x |
| Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) | 5.4x | 5.1x |
| 5-Year Salary Growth | +55% | +63% |
"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 Economics (same career paths). The score differences below reflect how each school's earnings and ROI hold up under stress.
| Harvard University | University of California-Santa Barbara | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Optim. | Base | Pessim. | Optim. | Base | Pessim. | |
| 10-Year Earnings | $1,355K | $1,267K | $995K | $976K | $926K | $762K |
| Earnings Multiple (IS) | 5.7x | 5.4x | 4.2x | 16.3x | 15.5x | 12.7x |
| DegreeWorth Score | 67 | 65 | 58 | 75 | 73 | 65 |
For the full AI analysis of Economics career paths, see the Harvard University or University of California-Santa Barbara program pages.
Earnings Trajectory Comparison
Projected annual earnings for Economics graduates. Year 1 uses actual reported data.
Career Paths
Economics 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Managers, all other | $136,550 | 106,700 | +4.5% | 47% |
| Economics teachers, postsecondary | $119,980 | 1,200 | +2.1% | 48% |
| Economists | $115,440 | 900 | +1.2% | 61% |
| Data scientists | $112,590 | 23,400 | +33.5% | 64% |
| Statisticians | $103,300 | 2,000 | +8.5% | 66% |
| Market research analysts and marketing specialists | $76,950 | 87,200 | +6.7% | 55% |
| Secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education | $64,580 | 66,200 | -1.6% | 33% |
| Survey researchers | $63,380 | 700 | -5.2% | 62% |