Ethnic & Cultural Studiesat University of California-Los Angeles
Graduates earn $29,914/yr in their first year — about 7.0% below the national Ethnic & Cultural Studies average. Base-case 10-year earnings $603K; scenarios range from $529K to $624K depending on AI disruption.
What this degree looks like at UCLA
While the initial earnings data might seem modest, a UCLA degree in this field is less about a direct career path and more about building a sophisticated toolkit for a changing world. You're not just learning theories; you're developing critical analysis, research, and communication skills within one of the world's most diverse cities. This prepares you for graduate programs like law or public policy, where the real earning potential is unlocked later.
In the near term, your UCLA network opens doors to L.A.'s vast non-profit, government, and education sectors. Graduates are primed for roles in community organizing, policy analysis, or even diversity and inclusion initiatives within the entertainment and tech industries. The key is translating your academic expertise into practical skills. Your actionable advice: from day one, pursue internships that apply your knowledge—whether at a social justice law firm, a city council office, or a museum—to build a professional resume that matches the power of your academic one.
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 Ethnic & Cultural Studies
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 Ethnic & Cultural Studies offer shorter timelines, lower debt, and strong AI resilience for hands-on careers.
Compare Ethnic & Cultural Studies trade programs on TradeSchoolOutlook →Frequently asked about Ethnic & Cultural Studies at UCLA
What is the DegreeOutlook Score for Ethnic & Cultural Studies at University of California-Los Angeles?
A score of 33/100 indicates below-average financial outcomes for Ethnic & Cultural Studies. Earnings, ROI, or AI risk factors are pulling the score down.
Will AI replace Ethnic & Cultural Studies careers?
With 69% of typical job tasks exposed to AI, this is one of the higher-risk fields. Our pessimistic scenario projects $529,398 in decade earnings vs $624,219 in the optimistic case — a meaningful gap.