Ethnic & Cultural Studies at University of California-San Diego
La Jolla, CA · Public · Bachelor's Degree · Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies
DegreeOutlook Score (Base Case) — assumes in-state tuition
32
Optimistic
32
Base Case
25
Pessimistic
Earnings
$30,984/yr (-4% vs median)
AI Risk
Very High (69% exposed)
Job Market
Small (8,000 openings/yr)
ROI
9.6x earnings multiple (3.2x out-of-state)
How AI Changes the Outlook
Three scenarios based on how aggressively AI disrupts the career paths available to Ethnic & Cultural Studies graduates.
| Optimistic No Disruption |
Base Case Gradual AI |
Pessimistic Aggressive AI |
|
|---|---|---|---|
| 10-Year Earnings | $606K | $588K | $520K |
| Earnings Multiple (In-State) | 9.9x | 9.6x | 8.5x |
| Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) | 3.3x | 3.2x | 2.8x |
| Probability of Field Employment | 49% | 41% | 26% |
| DegreeOutlook Score | 32 | 32 | 25 |
10-Year Earnings Projection
*Year 1 uses actual reported earnings. Scenarios diverge as AI impact compounds over time.
4-Year Tuition, In-State (Sticker)
$61,060
Out-of-state: $184,168 (3.2x ROI)
Median Debt at Graduation
$24,237
9.4 months of Year 1 earnings
Reported Earnings (5 Year)
$59,797
93% growth from Year 1
About University of California-San Diego
University of California-San Diego admits 25% of applicants, placing it among selective institutions, with 33,787 students enrolled in La Jolla, CA.
See all programs and financial aid at University of California-San Diego →Top Career Paths
Area, ethnic, and cultural studies teachers, postsecondary
$84,290/yr
Interpreters and translators
$59,440/yr
Compare & Explore
Ethnic & Cultural Studies at Other Schools
Other Majors at University of California-San Diego
Consider the Trade Route?
Trade programs often mean less time in school, lower student debt, and hands-on career paths that tend to be more resilient to AI disruption.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the DegreeOutlook Score for Ethnic & Cultural Studies at University of California-San Diego?
A score of 32/100 indicates below-average financial outcomes for Ethnic & Cultural Studies. Earnings, ROI, or AI risk factors are pulling the score down.
Will AI replace Ethnic & Cultural Studies careers?
With 69% of typical job tasks exposed to AI, this is one of the higher-risk fields. Our pessimistic scenario projects $519,715 in decade earnings vs $606,015 in the optimistic case — a meaningful gap.
Scores use College Scorecard earnings, BLS employment projections, and AI task-exposure research.
See full methodology →