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Ethnic & Cultural Studies at University of California-Santa Barbara

Santa Barbara, CA · Public · Bachelor's Degree · Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies
33 /100
DegreeOutlook Score (Base Case) — assumes in-state tuition
33
Optimistic
33
Base Case
25
Pessimistic
Earnings $32,341/yr (0% vs median)
AI Risk Very High (69% exposed)
Job Market Small (8,000 openings/yr)
ROI 9.5x earnings multiple (3.1x out-of-state)
Ranked #29 of 92 Ethnic & Cultural Minority programs Top 50%

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 $586K $571K $509K
Earnings Multiple (In-State) 9.8x 9.5x 8.5x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) 3.2x 3.1x 2.8x
Probability of Field Employment 49% 41% 26%
DegreeOutlook Score 33 33 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)
$59,860
Out-of-state: $182,968 (3.1x ROI)
4-Year Net Price (After Aid)
$55,300
8% less than sticker · See by income
Median Debt at Graduation
$13,250
4.9 months of Year 1 earnings
Reported Earnings (5 Year)
$58,175
80% growth from Year 1

About University of California-Santa Barbara

University of California-Santa Barbara admits 28% of applicants, placing it among selective institutions, with 23,205 students enrolled in Santa Barbara, CA.

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

Top Career Paths

Area, ethnic, and cultural studies teachers, postsecondary $84,290/yr
Interpreters and translators $59,440/yr
View all 2 career paths with salary ranges and AI risk →

Compare & Explore

Compare this program → View all 92 schools offering Ethnic & Cultural Studies →

Ethnic & Cultural Studies at Other Schools

Columbia University in the City of New York ($55,206) Georgetown University ($51,388) California State University-East Bay ($47,511) American University ($46,206) Wellesley College ($43,926) University of Minnesota-Duluth ($41,926) Stanford University ($41,156) Arizona State University Campus Immersion ($40,719)

Other Majors at University of California-Santa Barbara

Computer Science ($107,776) Computer Engineering ($91,387) 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)

Explore the Trade Alternative

Compare Ethnic & Cultural Studies trade programs on TradeSchoolOutlook →

Not every career requires a four-year degree. Trade programs in related fields can offer competitive salaries with a fraction of the student loan burden.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the DegreeOutlook Score for Ethnic & Cultural Studies at University of California-Santa Barbara?
A score of 33/100 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 $509,084 in decade earnings vs $586,029 in the optimistic case — a meaningful gap.
Scores use College Scorecard earnings, BLS employment projections, and AI task-exposure research. See full methodology →