Computer Engineeringat University of California-San Diego
Graduates earn $96,256/yr in their first year — about 22.0% above the national Computer Engineering average. Base-case 10-year earnings $1,416K; scenarios range from $997K to $1,532K depending on AI disruption.
What this degree looks like at UC San Diego
Your strong outcomes in Computer Engineering at UCSD reflect the program's rigor and its prime location. Nestled in the vibrant San Diego tech ecosystem, you're at the doorstep of leading companies like Qualcomm, General Atomics, and a flourishing biotech and startup scene, all hungry for top engineering talent. The Jacobs School of Engineering's reputation for deep technical expertise and research-driven learning ensures graduates are highly sought after for roles spanning hardware design, embedded systems, and complex software architecture. This regional demand creates robust recruiting pipelines, often leading to multiple competitive offers right out of college. Given the evolving landscape of AI, cultivating a specialization in areas like machine learning hardware or human-computer interaction, and actively pursuing internships that expose you to cutting-edge applications, will be crucial for long-term career resilience.
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 San Diego'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 Computer Engineering
How UC San Diego stacks up against other schools offering this major.
Other top programs at UC San Diego
Other highest-scoring programs offered at UC San Diego, ranked by DegreeOutlook Score.
Consider the trade route
Not sure a 4-year degree is the right path? Trade programs in Computer Engineering offer shorter timelines, lower debt, and strong AI resilience for hands-on careers.
Compare Computer Engineering trade programs on TradeSchoolOutlook →Frequently asked about Computer Engineering at UC San Diego
How does University of California-San Diego's Computer Engineering program score?
A score of 86/100 indicates strong financial outcomes. University of California-San Diego's Computer Engineering graduates fare well on earnings, job market size, and return on investment.
How vulnerable is Computer Engineering to AI automation?
AI won't 'replace' Computer Engineering careers outright, but it is likely to reduce the number of job openings. We model 71% task exposure, which compresses field employment probability in our scenarios.