Computer Scienceat University of California-San Diego
Graduates earn $112,006/yr in their first year — about 52.0% above the national Computer Science average. Base-case 10-year earnings $1,399K; scenarios range from $961K to $1,490K depending on AI disruption.
What this degree looks like at UC San Diego
The impressive earnings for UCSD graduates aren't just about a strong curriculum; they're a direct result of your location. San Diego is a major tech and biotech hub, with giants like Qualcomm, Viasat, and Illumina actively recruiting from campus. Beyond the local scene, your degree carries significant weight up the coast, opening doors at top-tier Bay Area and Seattle firms that see UCSD as a premier engineering talent pool. The program is famously rigorous and theoretical, which prepares you not just to code, but to build the complex systems that power major companies. The high AI risk score reflects that routine software tasks are becoming automated, but your UCSD education focuses on the higher-level architecture and research roles that are in greater demand than ever. To maximize this, start networking with local defense and biotech companies early; their unique engineering challenges offer incredible internship opportunities.
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 Science
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 Science offer shorter timelines, lower debt, and strong AI resilience for hands-on careers.
Compare Computer Science trade programs on TradeSchoolOutlook →Frequently asked about Computer Science at UC San Diego
What does a 90/100 DegreeOutlook Score mean for Computer Science at University of California-San Diego?
At 90/100, this is a high-performing program. The DegreeOutlook Score combines earnings, AI resilience, and ROI — and this program delivers on all three.
Should I worry about AI if I study Computer Science at University of California-San Diego?
The 72% AI task exposure score is above average. Our model shows this affecting job availability more than salaries — graduates may face stiffer competition for fewer positions.
Is University of California-San Diego one of the best schools for Computer Science?
Among 345 Computer Science programs, University of California-San Diego's #2 position reflects consistently above-average results across earnings, ROI, and employment probability.