Business Administrationat University of California-Merced
Graduates earn $46,378/yr in their first year — about 1.0% below the national Business Administration average. Base-case 10-year earnings $560K; scenarios range from $511K to $566K depending on AI disruption.
What this degree looks like at UC Merced
Graduates earn $46,378/yr, roughly in line with the $46,892 national median for Business Administration. The value proposition here depends on cost, not earnings.
The earnings-to-cost ratio of 9.9x signals a solid financial return — projected decade earnings comfortably exceed the tuition investment.
Some AI exposure exists in Business Administration's typical career paths, with 47% of job tasks potentially affected. The pessimistic scenario still projects solid returns, with a 10% gap from the optimistic case.
With first-year pay of $46,378 far exceeding the $16,000 median debt, the payback timeline is measured in months, not years.
At #496 of 1,169 Business Administration programs, University of California-Merced scores above the median — competitive but not a standout.
Earnings grow from $46,378 to $61,387 over five years — a 32% increase that's moderate and in line with typical career progression.
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 UC Merced'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 Administration
How UC Merced stacks up against other schools offering this major.
Other top programs at UC Merced
Other highest-scoring programs offered at UC Merced, ranked by DegreeOutlook Score.
Consider the trade route
Not sure a 4-year degree is the right path? Trade programs in Business Administration offer shorter timelines, lower debt, and strong AI resilience for hands-on careers.
Compare Business Administration trade programs on TradeSchoolOutlook →Frequently asked about Business Administration at UC Merced
What is the DegreeOutlook Score for Business Administration at University of California-Merced?
A score of 64/100 puts this program in competitive territory — solid outcomes, though not at the top of the Business Administration field.
Will AI replace Business Administration careers?
With 47% of typical job tasks exposed to AI, this is one of the higher-risk fields. Our pessimistic scenario projects $511,399 in decade earnings vs $566,325 in the optimistic case — a meaningful gap.