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Computer Engineering at University of California-Santa Barbara

Santa Barbara, CA · Public · Bachelor's Degree
86 /100
DegreeOutlook Score (Base Case) — assumes in-state tuition
87
Optimistic
86
Base Case
80
Pessimistic
Earnings $91,387/yr (16% vs median)
AI Risk Very High (71% exposed)
Job Market Very Large (167,700 openings/yr)
ROI 21.3x earnings multiple (7.0x out-of-state)
Ranked #11 of 174 Computer Engineering programs Top 10%

How AI Changes the Outlook

Three scenarios based on how aggressively AI disrupts the career paths available to Computer Engineering graduates.

Optimistic
No Disruption		 Base Case
Gradual AI		 Pessimistic
Aggressive AI
10-Year Earnings $1,373K $1,275K $916K
Earnings Multiple (In-State) 22.9x 21.3x 15.3x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) 7.5x 7.0x 5.0x
Probability of Field Employment 84% 74% 43%
DegreeOutlook Score 87 86 80

10-Year Earnings Projection

*Year 1 uses actual reported earnings. Scenarios diverge as AI impact compounds over time.

4-Year Tuition, In-State (Sticker)
$59,860
Out-of-state: $182,968 (7.0x ROI)
4-Year Net Price (After Aid)
$55,300
8% less than sticker · See by income
Median Debt at Graduation
$14,410
1.9 months of Year 1 earnings
Reported Earnings (5 Year)
$139,942
53% growth from Year 1

Program Analysis

Graduates earn $91,387/yr, edging above the $78,694 national average for Computer Engineering — a modest premium that suggests solid regional demand.

The 21.3x earnings multiple means ten-year projected earnings exceed tuition cost by an order of magnitude. By pure financial math, this is a standout.

AI exposure is significant at 71% of job tasks, producing a 33% spread between best and worst-case decade earnings. The field isn't immune to disruption.

At $14,410 in median debt against $91,387 in first-year earnings, graduates can expect to clear their loan balance in under six months of full earnings.

A #11 ranking out of 174 Computer Engineering programs nationally puts University of California-Santa Barbara in the top 10% — a strong but not elite position.

Earnings growth from $91,387 to $139,942 over five years (53% increase) indicates that graduates in this field see meaningful salary progression.

About University of California-Santa Barbara

University of California-Santa Barbara admits 28% of applicants, placing it among selective institutions, serving a student body of 23,205 in Santa Barbara, CA.

See all programs and financial aid at University of California-Santa Barbara →

Top Career Paths

Architectural and engineering managers $167,740/yr
Computer hardware engineers $155,020/yr
Database architects $135,980/yr
View all 7 career paths with salary ranges and AI risk →

Compare & Explore

Compare this program → View all 174 schools offering Computer Engineering →

Computer Engineering at Other Schools

University of Washington-Seattle Campus ($141,588) University of Washington-Bothell Campus ($141,588) University of Virginia-Main Campus ($118,232) California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo ($111,560) Duke University ($111,145) Santa Clara University ($103,804) University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign ($103,123) Columbia University in the City of New York ($102,083)

Compare Computer Engineering

University of California-Santa Barbara vs University of Washington-Seattle Campus → University of California-Santa Barbara vs University of Washington-Bothell Campus → University of California-Santa Barbara vs California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo → University of California-Santa Barbara vs University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign →

Other Majors at University of California-Santa Barbara

Computer Science ($107,776) Mechanical Engineering ($81,108) Chemical Engineering ($79,737) Economics ($66,334) Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods ($66,099) Applied Mathematics ($59,638) Statistics ($55,110) Physics ($53,597)

Is a Trade Program a Better Fit?

Compare Computer Engineering trade programs on TradeSchoolWorth →

For students who prefer applied learning, trade programs can deliver strong earnings with significantly less debt and shorter time to employment.

Frequently Asked Questions

How does University of California-Santa Barbara's Computer Engineering program score?
A score of 86/100 indicates strong financial outcomes. University of California-Santa Barbara'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.
Scores use College Scorecard earnings, BLS employment projections, and AI task-exposure research. See full methodology →