Mathematicsat University of California-Santa Barbara
Graduates earn $46,447/yr in their first year — about 9.0% below the national Mathematics average. Base-case 10-year earnings $726K; scenarios range from $611K to $758K depending on AI disruption.
What this degree looks like at UC Santa Barbara
First-year earnings of $46,447 track close to the $50,797 national median for Mathematics programs. This is a middle-of-the-road outcome on salary alone.
The 12.1x 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 19% scenario spread suggests disruption would dent but not destroy the earnings outlook.
At $17,000 in median debt against $46,447 in first-year earnings, graduates can expect to clear their loan balance in under six months of full earnings.
Ranked #83 out of 253 programs, University of California-Santa Barbara's Mathematics offering sits in the upper half but doesn't break into the top tier.
Earnings growth from $46,447 to $75,626 over five years (63% 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 Mathematics
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 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 Santa Barbara
How does University of California-Santa Barbara's Mathematics program score?
This program scores 61/100, 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.