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Chemistry at University of California-Los Angeles

Los Angeles, CA · Public · Bachelor's Degree

DegreeOutlook Score (Base Case) — assumes in-state tuition

Optimistic

Base Case

Pessimistic

Earnings $42,358/yr (3% vs median)

AI Risk High (47% exposed)

Job Market Very Large (169,700 openings/yr)

ROI 11.8x earnings multiple (3.6x out-of-state)

Ranked #75 of 205 Chemistry programs Top 50%

How AI Changes the Outlook

Three scenarios based on how aggressively AI disrupts the career paths available to Chemistry graduates.

	Optimistic No Disruption	Base Case Gradual AI	Pessimistic Aggressive AI
10-Year Earnings	$659K	$649K	$577K
Earnings Multiple (In-State)	12.0x	11.8x	10.5x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State)	3.7x	3.6x	3.2x
Probability of Field Employment	57%	54%	38%
DegreeOutlook Score	60	60	58

10-Year Earnings Projection

*Year 1 uses actual reported earnings. Scenarios diverge as AI impact compounds over time.

4-Year Tuition, In-State (Sticker)

$54,988

Out-of-state: $178,096 (3.6x ROI)

4-Year Net Price (After Aid)

$56,052

-2% less than sticker · See by income

Median Debt at Graduation

$11,000

3.1 months of Year 1 earnings

Reported Earnings (5 Year)

$69,376

64% growth from Year 1

Program Analysis

Graduates earn $42,358/yr, roughly in line with the $41,256 national median for Chemistry. The value proposition here depends on cost, not earnings.

The 11.8x earnings multiple means ten-year projected earnings exceed tuition cost by an order of magnitude. By pure financial math, this is a standout.

AI risk is moderate — 47% task exposure — and the 12% scenario spread suggests disruption would dent but not destroy the earnings outlook.

With first-year pay of $42,358 far exceeding the $11,000 median debt, the payback timeline is measured in months, not years.

Ranked #75 out of 205 programs, University of California-Los Angeles's Chemistry offering sits in the upper half but doesn't break into the top tier.

Earnings growth from $42,358 to $69,376 over five years (64% increase) indicates that graduates in this field see meaningful salary progression.

About University of California-Los Angeles

University of California-Los Angeles's 9% admission rate places it in the top tier of selectivity nationally, one of the larger campuses at 33,040 students in Los Angeles, CA.

See all programs and financial aid at University of California-Los Angeles →

Top Career Paths

Natural sciences managers $161,180/yr

Computer and information research scientists $140,910/yr

Data scientists $112,590/yr

View all 14 career paths with salary ranges and AI risk →

Compare & Explore

Chemistry at Other Schools

Other Majors at University of California-Los Angeles

Consider the Trade Route?

Trade programs often mean less time in school, lower student debt, and hands-on career paths that tend to be more resilient to AI disruption.

Frequently Asked Questions

How does University of California-Los Angeles's Chemistry program score?

This program scores 60/100, reflecting respectable but not exceptional financial outcomes for Chemistry graduates.

How vulnerable is Chemistry to AI automation?

AI won't 'replace' Chemistry careers outright, but it is likely to reduce the number of job openings. We model 47% task exposure, which compresses field employment probability in our scenarios.

Scores use College Scorecard earnings, BLS employment projections, and AI task-exposure research. See full methodology →