Chemistryat University of California-Los Angeles
Graduates earn $42,358/yr in their first year — about 3.0% above the national Chemistry average. Base-case 10-year earnings $649K; scenarios range from $577K to $659K depending on AI disruption.
What this degree looks like at UCLA
Your UCLA Chemistry degree comes from a globally recognized research powerhouse, a reputation that opens doors. The program’s rigorous scientific training, combined with its prime Los Angeles location, creates unique career trajectories. You're not just learning fundamental chemistry; you're developing high-level analytical and problem-solving skills highly valued across diverse industries. Many graduates successfully pivot into burgeoning fields like data science, computational chemistry, or biotech management within Southern California’s vibrant tech and health sectors. Employers, from innovative startups to established pharmaceutical and materials science companies, actively recruit for this blend of scientific rigor and adaptability. While some routine lab functions face increasing automation, your deep understanding of scientific principles positions you to *leverage* AI, not be replaced by it. To thrive, actively seek internships that integrate your chemistry knowledge with computational skills or project management experience, broadening your impact beyond the bench.
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 Chemistry
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 Chemistry offer shorter timelines, lower debt, and strong AI resilience for hands-on careers.
Compare Chemistry trade programs on TradeSchoolOutlook →Frequently asked about Chemistry at UCLA
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.