Computer Engineeringat University of California-Santa Barbara
Graduates earn $91,387/yr in their first year — about 16.0% above the national Computer Engineering average. Base-case 10-year earnings $1,275K; scenarios range from $916K to $1,373K depending on AI disruption.
What this degree looks like at UC Santa Barbara
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.
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 Santa Barbara'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 Engineering
How UC Santa Barbara stacks up against other schools offering this major.
Other top programs at UC Santa Barbara
Other highest-scoring programs offered at UC Santa Barbara, ranked by DegreeOutlook Score.
Consider the trade route
Not sure a 4-year degree is the right path? Trade programs in Computer Engineering offer shorter timelines, lower debt, and strong AI resilience for hands-on careers.
Compare Computer Engineering trade programs on TradeSchoolOutlook →Frequently asked about Computer Engineering at UC Santa Barbara
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.