Doctoral · La Jolla, California
Is Education, General at University of California-San Diego worth it?
Low confidence Low confidence: fewer than 40 graduates behind the earnings figures.
The verdict · all families, in-state, half paid with loans
Pays back fast: graduates typically recover the cost in about 1.3 years.
- Earnings 1 year after graduating
- $132,823
- Treasury AY2020-21, AY2021-22 pooled earnings cohort measured in CY2022, CY2023, inflation adjusted to 2024 dollars
- Earnings 4 years after graduating
- $141,094
- Treasury AY2017-2018, AY2018-2019 pooled earnings cohort measured in CY2022, CY2023, inflation adjusted to 2024 dollars
- Typical federal debt at graduation
- $46,625
- NSLDS pooled AY2022-23, AY2023-24 cohort
- Typical borrowing (no graduate net price is published)
- $49k (likely $49k – $49k)
- AcadYr 2024-25, reported in IPEDS DCY2025-26
- Earnings bump, year 4
- $72k a year vs bachelor's graduates 4 years out in CA
- 2023 ACS 5-year pooled, adjusted to 2024 dollars
- Payback
- 1.3 years (likely 0.9–2.0)
- Bump vs net cost plus loan interest
- 10-year net return
- $259k (likely $29k – $532k)
- Today's dollars
- 20-year net return
- $1.02M (likely $561k – $1.57M)
- Today's dollars
Change income, residency or loans Compare Education, General at other schools
Scorecard reports no net price for graduate programs; cost is based on what graduates typically borrowed.
Other majors at University of California-San Diego
- Computer Science (Master's)$231,397
- Computer and Information Sciences, General (Master's)$201,287
- Computer Engineering (Master's)$173,180
- Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering (Master's)$169,987
- Physics (Doctoral)$166,997
- Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration (Doctoral)$165,543
- Computer Science (Bachelor's)$159,487
- Engineering, Other (Master's)$158,915
- Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's)$149,271
- Computer Engineering (Bachelor's)$149,139
- Neurobiology and Neurosciences (Doctoral)$148,833
- Health and Medical Administrative Services (Master's)$145,693
Education, General at other schools in California
- University of California-Berkeley$130,547
- Stanford University$125,390
- Claremont Graduate University$118,397
- Azusa Pacific University$113,252
- University of California-Riverside$105,195
- University of California-Irvine$98,554
- University of California-Los Angeles$96,245
- University of California-Santa Barbara$89,989
- Northcentral University$80,493