Mathematicsat University of California-San Diego
Graduates earn $52,339/yr in their first year — about 3.0% above the national Mathematics average. Base-case 10-year earnings $658K; scenarios range from $569K to $680K depending on AI disruption.
What this degree looks like at UC San Diego
Graduates earn $52,339/yr, roughly in line with the $50,797 national median for Mathematics. The value proposition here depends on cost, not earnings.
The 10.8x earnings multiple means ten-year projected earnings exceed tuition cost by an order of magnitude. By pure financial math, this is a standout.
AI risk is moderate — 65% task exposure — and the 16% scenario spread suggests disruption would dent but not destroy the earnings outlook.
With first-year pay of $52,339 far exceeding the $16,250 median debt, the payback timeline is measured in months, not years.
Ranked #73 out of 253 programs, University of California-San Diego's Mathematics offering sits in the upper half but doesn't break into the top tier.
The five-year earnings trajectory from $52,339 to $70,456 shows 35% growth, reflecting steady but unremarkable salary progression.
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 Mathematics
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 Mathematics offer shorter timelines, lower debt, and strong AI resilience for hands-on careers.
Compare Mathematics trade programs on TradeSchoolOutlook →Frequently asked about Mathematics at UC San Diego
How does University of California-San Diego's Mathematics program score?
This program scores 62/100, reflecting respectable but not exceptional financial outcomes for Mathematics graduates.
How vulnerable is Mathematics to AI automation?
AI won't 'replace' Mathematics careers outright, but it is likely to reduce the number of job openings. We model 65% task exposure, which compresses field employment probability in our scenarios.