Business Economicsat University of California-Los Angeles
Graduates earn $83,604/yr in their first year — about 57.0% above the national Business Economics average. Base-case 10-year earnings $944K; scenarios range from $794K to $1,010K depending on AI disruption.
What this degree looks like at UCLA
Your strong starting point reflects UCLA's elite academic rigor and its prime location within the diverse, competitive Los Angeles economy. The program's analytical depth and quantitative focus are highly valued across industries, from major financial institutions and consulting firms in downtown LA to tech and entertainment companies across Southern California. You'll find graduates leveraging their skills in roles like financial analysis, market research, and data strategy, often benefiting from UCLA's powerful alumni network and direct recruiting pipelines.
The projected AI risk highlights that many core analytical and forecasting tasks are ripe for automation. However, this also underscores the growing demand for professionals who can not only perform these analyses but also interpret complex data, apply critical thinking, and communicate strategic insights. To thrive, focus on developing complementary 'human' skills like ethical reasoning, creative problem-solving, and cross-functional leadership, ensuring you're guiding AI, not merely competing with it.
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 UCLA'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 Business Economics
How UCLA stacks up against other schools offering this major.
Other top programs at UCLA
Other highest-scoring programs offered at UCLA, ranked by DegreeOutlook Score.
Consider the trade route
Not sure a 4-year degree is the right path? Trade programs in Business Economics offer shorter timelines, lower debt, and strong AI resilience for hands-on careers.
Compare Business Economics trade programs on TradeSchoolOutlook →Frequently asked about Business Economics at UCLA
What does a 77/100 DegreeOutlook Score mean for Business Economics at University of California-Los Angeles?
At 77/100, this is a high-performing program. The DegreeOutlook Score combines earnings, AI resilience, and ROI — and this program delivers on all three.
Should I worry about AI if I study Business Economics at University of California-Los Angeles?
The 53% AI task exposure score is above average. Our model shows this affecting job availability more than salaries — graduates may face stiffer competition for fewer positions.
Is University of California-Los Angeles one of the best schools for Business Economics?
Among 81 Business Economics programs, University of California-Los Angeles's #2 position reflects consistently above-average results across earnings, ROI, and employment probability.