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Mechanical Engineering: University of California-Berkeley vs University of California-Los Angeles

Side-by-side ROI comparison · Bachelor's Degree
Return on Investment
10-year earnings ÷ tuition · higher is better
University of California-Berkeley
Berkeley, CA
University of California-Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA
In-State
16.4x
$59,400 tuition
17.6x
$54,988 tuition
Out-of-State
5.3x
$182,508 tuition
5.4x
$178,096 tuition
$975,793 10-yr earnings · Public
$968,878 10-yr earnings · Public

Head-to-Head

University of California-Berkeley University of California-Los Angeles
Earnings Multiple (In-State) 16.4x 17.6x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) 5.3x 5.4x
4-Year Tuition (In-State) $59,400 $54,988
Year 1 Earnings $88,497 $79,016
10-Year Earnings $976K $969K
Median Debt $13,000 $16,500
Debt-to-Earnings Ratio 1.8 months 2.5 months
DegreeWorth Score (In-State) 67/100 67/100
Acceptance Rate 11.7% 8.7%

Both programs have very high AI automation risk (53% task exposure) — the same career paths apply to Mechanical Engineering graduates regardless of school. See full AI analysis →

ROI Breakdown

How tuition costs translate into long-term earnings for Mechanical Engineering graduates.

University of California-Berkeley University of California-Los Angeles
4-Year Tuition (In-State) $59,400 $54,988
4-Year Tuition (Out-of-State) $182,508 $178,096
10-Year Projected Earnings $976K $969K
Earnings Multiple (In-State) 16.4x 17.6x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) 5.3x 5.4x
5-Year Salary Growth +27% +38%

"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 Mechanical Engineering (same career paths). The score differences below reflect how each school's earnings and ROI hold up under stress.

University of California-Berkeley University of California-Los Angeles
Optim. Base Pessim. Optim. Base Pessim.
10-Year Earnings $1,034K $976K $813K $1,027K $969K $808K
Earnings Multiple (IS) 17.4x 16.4x 13.7x 18.7x 17.6x 14.7x
DegreeWorth Score 70 67 60 70 67 60

For the full AI analysis of Mechanical Engineering career paths, see the University of California-Berkeley or University of California-Los Angeles program pages.

Earnings Trajectory Comparison

Projected annual earnings for Mechanical Engineering graduates. Year 1 uses actual reported data.

Tuition Gap (In-State)
$4,412
University of California-Los Angeles saves you this
Year 1 Earnings Gap
$9,481/yr
University of California-Berkeley grads earn more
ROI Range (In-State)
16.4x / 17.6x
Out-of-state: 5.3x / 5.4x

Career Paths

Mechanical Engineering 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
Architectural and engineering managers $167,740 14,500 +3.8% 41%
Aerospace engineers $134,830 4,500 +6.1% 57%
Engineering teachers, postsecondary $106,120 4,100 +8.1% 50%
Mechanical engineers $102,320 18,100 +9.1% 66%
Cost estimators $77,070 16,900 -4.2% 50%
Want to compare different schools or majors? Try the freeform comparison tool →

Explore Each Program

Mechanical Engineering at University of California-Berkeley → Mechanical Engineering at University of California-Los Angeles →

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Mechanical Engineering Overview

View all schools offering Mechanical Engineering →

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is better for Mechanical Engineering: University of California-Berkeley or University of California-Los Angeles?
University of California-Berkeley scores 67/100 while University of California-Los Angeles scores 67/100. University of California-Los Angeles has significantly lower tuition, which drives its higher ROI. The best choice depends on whether you prioritize raw earnings or return on investment.
Which school has better ROI for Mechanical Engineering?
University of California-Berkeley has an in-state earnings multiple of 16.4x vs University of California-Los Angeles's 17.6x. That means University of California-Los Angeles grads earn more per dollar spent on tuition.
How do University of California-Berkeley and University of California-Los Angeles compare on Mechanical Engineering earnings?
Year 1 median earnings are $88,497 at University of California-Berkeley vs $79,016 at University of California-Los Angeles. Over 10 years, the projected totals are $975,793 vs $968,878 — a difference of $6,915.
How much does Mechanical Engineering cost at each school?
Four-year in-state tuition is $59,400 at University of California-Berkeley and $54,988 at University of California-Los Angeles. Median debt at graduation is $13,000 vs $16,500. Both programs lead to the same Mechanical Engineering career paths — the cost difference is the main factor in ROI.
Data: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (earnings, debt), Bureau of Labor Statistics 2024-2034 (employment projections), OpenAI GPTs-are-GPTs research (AI task exposure), Felten et al. AIOE. Scenarios use a continuous weighting function combining AI exposure and BLS job growth projections. "Earnings Multiple" is total 10-year projected earnings divided by tuition — not a discounted financial ROI. Last updated 2025.