Bachelor's · La Jolla, California
Is Mathematics at University of California-San Diego worth it?
High confidence High confidence: 100+ 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 2.9 years.
- Earnings 1 year after graduating
- $58,822
- Treasury AY2020-21, AY2021-22 pooled earnings cohort measured in CY2022, CY2023, inflation adjusted to 2024 dollars
- Earnings 4 years after graduating
- $84,872
- Treasury AY2017-2018, AY2018-2019 pooled earnings cohort measured in CY2022, CY2023, inflation adjusted to 2024 dollars
- Typical federal debt at graduation
- $15,500
- NSLDS pooled AY2022-23, AY2023-24 cohort
- Net cost to graduate, all families
- $63k (likely $63k – $67k)
- AcadYr 2024-25, reported in IPEDS DCY2025-26
- Earnings bump, year 4
- $45k a year vs high-school graduates aged 25–34 in CA
- 2023 ACS 5-year pooled, adjusted to 2024 dollars
- Payback
- 2.9 years (likely 2.5–3.5)
- Bump vs net cost plus loan interest
- 10-year net return
- $178k (likely $105k – $254k)
- Today's dollars
- 20-year net return
- $715k (likely $540k – $908k)
- Today's dollars
- Odds of finishing (school-wide)
- 86%
- Fall 2019 or AcadYr 2019-20 cohort (differs by institutional calendar), reported in IPEDS DCY2025-26
- Borrowers making progress / in default, 2 years in
- not reported / ≤ 20%
- NSLDS AY2016-17, AY2017-18 pooled cohorts measured in 2018-19, 2019-20
Change income, residency or loans Compare Mathematics at other schools
🔭 Getting ready in high school
Students heading toward math & physical science majors like this one often take these classes. Every school offers a different mix, so check with your counselor.
AP classes
- AP Calculus BC
- AP Statistics
- AP Physics C: Mechanics
- AP Chemistry
IB Higher Level
- Mathematics: Analysis and Approaches HL
- Physics HL or Chemistry HL
Build my roadmap 🗺️ Middle school to career, plus high schools near you that offer these classes.
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
Mathematics at other schools in California
- University of California-Los Angeles$99,269
- Occidental College$88,080
- University of California-Santa Barbara$85,391
- California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo$83,187
- University of California-Berkeley$80,654
- California State University-Fullerton$80,055
- California State University-Chico$77,891
- University of California-Irvine$77,472
- University of California-Davis$72,640
- San Francisco State University$71,323