Information Sciencesat University of California-Los Angeles
Graduates earn $136,099/yr in their first year — about 117.0% above the national Information Sciences average. Base-case 10-year earnings $1,945K; scenarios range from $1,290K to $2,072K depending on AI disruption.
What this degree looks like at UCLA
UCLA’s elite reputation acts as a powerful signal to employers, but the real driver of your career trajectory is location. You’ll be studying in the heart of "Silicon Beach," a sprawling tech ecosystem with a distinct focus on media, entertainment, and gaming that rivals the Bay Area. Companies like Google, Snap, and Riot Games are local, and the recruiting pipeline is intense and direct. This proximity makes landing competitive internships—which often convert to high-paying full-time offers before graduation—far more accessible.
While the "AI risk" metric seems high, it reflects the rapid evolution of software development, not the obsolescence of its engineers. Your UCLA education will train you to work on foundational problems and cutting-edge systems, positioning you to build and manage AI tools, not be replaced by them. Your key advice: leverage the local ecosystem relentlessly. Attend tech meetups in Santa Monica and network with alumni from day one; your most valuable connections are right next door.
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 Information Sciences
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 Information Sciences offer shorter timelines, lower debt, and strong AI resilience for hands-on careers.
Compare Information Sciences trade programs on TradeSchoolOutlook →Frequently asked about Information Sciences at UCLA
How does University of California-Los Angeles's Information Sciences program score?
A score of 91/100 indicates strong financial outcomes. University of California-Los Angeles's Information Sciences graduates fare well on earnings, job market size, and return on investment.
How vulnerable is Information Sciences to AI automation?
AI won't 'replace' Information Sciences careers outright, but it is likely to reduce the number of job openings. We model 69% task exposure, which compresses field employment probability in our scenarios.
Why does University of California-Los Angeles rank so high for Information Sciences?
The #1 ranking out of 443 programs is driven by strong financial outcomes — graduates earn well, debt is manageable relative to income, and the job market supports the field.