Electrical Engineeringat University of California-Riverside
Graduates earn $66,430/yr in their first year — about 14.0% below the national Electrical Engineering average. Base-case 10-year earnings $945K; scenarios range from $779K to $998K depending on AI disruption.
What this degree looks like at UC Riverside
First-year earnings of $66,430 track close to the $77,516 national median for Electrical Engineering programs. This is a middle-of-the-road outcome on salary alone.
Every dollar of in-state tuition returns an estimated 16.7x in decade earnings — an exceptional ratio that places this among the highest-ROI Electrical Engineering programs nationally.
Some AI exposure exists in Electrical Engineering's typical career paths, with 56% of job tasks potentially affected. The pessimistic scenario still projects solid returns, with a 22% gap from the optimistic case.
At $19,250 in median debt against $66,430 in first-year earnings, graduates can expect to clear their loan balance in under six months of full earnings.
Ranked #154 of 262 Electrical Engineering programs, University of California-Riverside falls below the median. Stronger options exist, though cost and location may compensate.
Five-year earnings of $102,568 show a 54% jump from the $66,430 starting point — strong upward trajectory suggesting real career acceleration.
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 Riverside'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 Electrical Engineering
How UC Riverside stacks up against other schools offering this major.
Other top programs at UC Riverside
Other highest-scoring programs offered at UC Riverside, ranked by DegreeOutlook Score.
Consider the trade route
Not sure a 4-year degree is the right path? Trade programs in Electrical Engineering offer shorter timelines, lower debt, and strong AI resilience for hands-on careers.
Compare Electrical Engineering trade programs on TradeSchoolOutlook →Frequently asked about Electrical Engineering at UC Riverside
What is the DegreeOutlook Score for Electrical Engineering at University of California-Riverside?
This program scores 71/100 — a respectable number in isolation, but it ranks in the bottom half of Electrical Engineering programs nationally. The field is competitive, and stronger options exist.
Will AI replace Electrical Engineering careers?
With 56% of typical job tasks exposed to AI, this is one of the higher-risk fields. Our pessimistic scenario projects $779,072 in decade earnings vs $997,719 in the optimistic case — a meaningful gap.