University of California-Riverside
UC Riverside's main campus occupies 1,900 acres in a suburban setting, with an additional branch in Palm Desert. Originally founded as a citrus research station, the university maintains a strong emphasis on scientific inquiry. Students are known as the Highlanders, a nod to the campus's location in the foothills of Box Springs Mountain. The campus is also home to the UC Riverside School of Medicine, the first new research-based public medical school in 40 years.
Financial Aid
The sticker price is rarely what families actually pay. UC Riverside's grant and scholarship aid lowers the net price for most income brackets. 47% of students receive Pell Grants; 33% take federal loans.
Net Price by Family Income
Academic Year 2025| Income Bracket | Avg Net Price | 4-Year Net Cost |
|---|---|---|
| $0 – $30K | $8,240 | $32,960 |
| $30K – $48K | $9,615 | $38,460 |
| $48K – $75K | $12,449 | $49,796 |
| $75K – $110K | $17,297 | $69,188 |
| $110K+ | $29,624 | $118,496 |
| Sticker price (no aid) | $14,170 | $56,680 |
Programs at UC Riverside
43 degree programs ranked by DegreeOutlook Score. Click any program for AI scenario analysis and 10-year earnings projections.
| Degree Program | DW Score | 1-yr Earnings | AI Risk | ROI |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Computer Engineering Compare across schools → |
81
|
$65,049/yr | Very High | 19.8x |
| Computer Science Compare across schools → |
72
|
$81,034/yr | Very High | 13.3x |
|
Electrical Engineering
Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering Compare across schools → |
71
|
$66,430/yr | Very High | 17.1x |
| Mechanical Engineering Compare across schools → |
70
|
$62,554/yr | Very High | 15.5x |
| Chemical Engineering Compare across schools → |
69
|
$68,245/yr | High | 15.0x |
|
Information Science
Information Science/Studies Compare across schools → |
68
|
$76,090/yr | Very High | 12.4x |
|
Business Administration
Business Administration, Management and Operations Compare across schools → |
68
|
$43,213/yr | High | 12.2x |
|
Biomedical Engineering
Biomedical/Medical Engineering Compare across schools → |
66
|
$61,342/yr | High | 15.3x |
|
Environmental Engineering
Environmental/Environmental Health Engineering Compare across schools → |
63
|
$59,309/yr | Very High | 13.5x |
| Economics Compare across schools → |
56
|
$37,149/yr | Very High | 10.8x |
|
Social Sciences Studies
Social Sciences, Other Compare across schools → |
50
|
$39,934/yr | High | 9.9x |
| Chemistry Compare across schools → |
50
|
$39,676/yr | High | 8.9x |
| Public Policy Analysis Compare across schools → |
49
|
$39,867/yr | High | 9.9x |
|
Microbiology & Immunology
Microbiological Sciences and Immunology Compare across schools → |
47
|
$43,086/yr | High | 6.6x |
|
Business Economics
Business/Managerial Economics Compare across schools → |
47
|
$37,496/yr | Very High | 10.1x |
|
Cell Biology
Cell/Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences Compare across schools → |
43
|
$31,148/yr | High | 11.9x |
|
Political Science
Political Science and Government Compare across schools → |
43
|
$30,060/yr | Very High | 9.4x |
| History Compare across schools → |
39
|
$29,824/yr | High | 8.3x |
| Mathematics Compare across schools → |
38
|
$27,227/yr | Very High | 10.2x |
|
Biochemistry
Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology Compare across schools → |
37
|
$30,077/yr | High | 11.1x |
|
Biology
Biology, General Compare across schools → |
37
|
$26,863/yr | High | 9.9x |
|
Natural Resources & Conservation Research
Natural Resources Conservation and Research Compare across schools → |
36
|
$30,521/yr | High | 9.9x |
| Sociology Compare across schools → |
36
|
$29,367/yr | High | 8.5x |
|
International Relations
International Relations and National Security Studies Compare across schools → |
34
|
$27,021/yr | High | 9.0x |
| Research and Experimental Psychology Compare across schools → |
31
|
$25,654/yr | High | 3.5x |
|
Neuroscience
Neurobiology and Neurosciences Compare across schools → |
31
|
$19,286/yr | High | 10.5x |
|
Ethnic & Cultural Studies
Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies Compare across schools → |
30
|
$31,443/yr | Very High | 8.4x |
| Philosophy Compare across schools → |
30
|
$25,171/yr | Very High | 9.9x |
|
Romance Languages
Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics Compare across schools → |
30
|
$24,453/yr | Very High | 8.6x |
|
English
English Language and Literature, General Compare across schools → |
30
|
$23,139/yr | Very High | 9.2x |
| Anthropology Compare across schools → |
29
|
$26,178/yr | High | 6.8x |
|
Liberal Arts & Humanities
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities Compare across schools → |
28
|
$23,203/yr | Low | 9.9x |
| Sustainability Studies Compare across schools → |
27
|
$30,698/yr | High | 4.4x |
|
Fine Arts
Fine and Studio Arts Compare across schools → |
26
|
$21,792/yr | Moderate | 6.3x |
|
Film & Photography
Film/Video and Photographic Arts Compare across schools → |
24
|
$24,840/yr | High | 7.4x |
| Music Compare across schools → |
24
|
$20,408/yr | High | 2.6x |
| Statistics Compare across schools → |
23
|
$29,138/yr | Very High | 4.1x |
| Physics Compare across schools → |
23
|
$19,977/yr | Very High | 2.5x |
|
Linguistics
Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services Compare across schools → |
21
|
$20,212/yr | Very High | 6.1x |
|
International Studies
International/Global Studies Compare across schools → |
20
|
$21,428/yr | Moderate | 7.6x |
| Social and Philosophical Foundations of Education Compare across schools → |
19
|
$23,447/yr | High | 3.1x |
|
Geosciences
Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences Compare across schools → |
19
|
$22,998/yr | High | 3.1x |
|
Rhetoric & Writing
Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies Compare across schools → |
18
|
$21,765/yr | Very High | 5.7x |
More Colleges in California
Top-scored 4-year colleges and universities elsewhere in California, ranked by average DegreeOutlook Score across their programs.