International Studiesat University of California-San Diego
Graduates earn $45,168/yr in their first year — about 30.0% above the national International Studies average. Base-case 10-year earnings $664K; scenarios range from $621K to $673K depending on AI disruption.
What this degree looks like at UC San Diego
Your strong performance here reflects UCSD's rigorous academic environment and its prime location. The San Diego region is a hub for international business, defense, and cross-border innovation, directly impacting the value of this degree. You'll find graduates leveraging their critical thinking and language skills in a variety of roles, from international project management at biotech firms like Illumina to policy analysis for NGOs and government agencies with global reach.
The program's interdisciplinary nature, likely emphasizing research methods and regional expertise, prepares you for complex challenges that automation simply cannot replicate, explaining the moderate AI risk. Many graduates find success in roles requiring nuanced cultural understanding, negotiation, and strategic communication. To maximize your trajectory, actively seek out internships that provide direct exposure to global operations, particularly those requiring strong analytical or cross-cultural communication skills.
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 International Studies
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 International Studies offer shorter timelines, lower debt, and strong AI resilience for hands-on careers.
Compare International Studies trade programs on TradeSchoolOutlook →Frequently asked about International Studies at UC San Diego
What does a 50/100 DegreeOutlook Score mean for International Studies at University of California-San Diego?
At 50/100, University of California-San Diego's International Studies program delivers middling returns. School cost and personal fit become important decision factors.
Is University of California-San Diego one of the best schools for International Studies?
Among 81 International Studies programs, University of California-San Diego's #3 position reflects consistently above-average results across earnings, ROI, and employment probability.