Materials Engineeringat University of California-Davis
Graduates earn $74,110/yr in their first year — about 4.0% above the national Materials Engineering average. Base-case 10-year earnings $727K; scenarios range from $645K to $754K depending on AI disruption.
What this degree looks like at UC Davis
At $74,110/yr, Materials Engineering graduates from University of California-Davis land near the $71,341 national average — neither a standout nor a red flag.
Every dollar of in-state tuition returns an estimated 11.9x in decade earnings — an exceptional ratio that places this among the highest-ROI Materials Engineering programs nationally.
Some AI exposure exists in Materials Engineering's typical career paths, with 48% of job tasks potentially affected. The pessimistic scenario still projects solid returns, with a 14% gap from the optimistic case.
The median debt load of $18,777 represents less than half a year of starting salary — among the lightest debt-to-income ratios we track.
Ranked #28 of 33 Materials Engineering programs, University of California-Davis falls below the median. Stronger options exist, though cost and location may compensate.
Three scenarios, ten years out
Each scenario is a different assumption about how AI reshapes the career paths this major feeds into. Earnings projections stack the full 10-year cumulative trajectory; scores use the same 0–100 metric as the hero, recomputed under that scenario's assumptions.
10 year projection
Year-by-year earnings under each scenario. Base case reflects BLS growth patterns applied to UC Davis's starting earnings; optimistic and pessimistic adjust for AI's effect on each career path this major feeds into.
Common career destinations for this program's graduates, weighted by the school's specific occupation mix. Salary is BLS national median; AI risk is per-role task-exposure research.
Peer schools offering Materials Engineering
How UC Davis stacks up against other schools offering this major.
Other top programs at UC Davis
Other highest-scoring programs offered at UC Davis, ranked by DegreeOutlook Score.
Frequently asked about Materials Engineering at UC Davis
What is the DegreeOutlook Score for Materials Engineering at University of California-Davis?
This program scores 55/100 — a respectable number in isolation, but it ranks in the bottom half of Materials Engineering programs nationally. The field is competitive, and stronger options exist.
Will AI replace Materials Engineering careers?
With 48% of typical job tasks exposed to AI, this is one of the higher-risk fields. Our pessimistic scenario projects $645,077 in decade earnings vs $754,130 in the optimistic case — a meaningful gap.