Students at UC Davis earn substantially more than similar students at other institutions, with graduates seeing nearly $16,621 in additional earnings compared to peers nationwide.
This earnings advantage extends across income levels, making UC Davis one of the most effective mobility engines in public higher education.
Azimuth ranks the University of California-Davis among the top research universities nationwide, placing it in the 94th percentile for overall return on investment among public four-year institutions. What makes UC Davis exceptional is its rare combination of academic excellence and economic mobility—nearly 31% of students receive Pell Grants and over 40% are first-generation college students, yet graduates consistently achieve some of the strongest long-term earnings in the country.
UC Davis delivers on its promise of upward mobility through consistently strong outcomes across diverse academic programs. Graduates earn a median of $80,838 ten years after enrollment, with the university generating nearly $16,621 in earnings beyond what similar students achieve at other institutions. This performance reflects both the university's strength in high-return fields like computer engineering, applied economics, and the sciences, and its ability to support students from all backgrounds into successful careers.
As a flagship UC campus, Davis combines the resources and reputation of a major research university with genuine accessibility. The university maintains strong graduation rates across income levels while delivering some of the best economic mobility outcomes in American higher education. For families seeking both academic prestige and financial security, UC Davis represents one of the most reliable pathways to long-term success.
UC Davis offers a diverse program portfolio with particularly strong outcomes in STEM fields and applied disciplines. Computer Engineering stands out with the highest median earnings at $82,440, reflecting the university's strength in technical fields and proximity to Silicon Valley employers. Applied Economics demonstrates the university's ability to combine strong enrollment (606 graduates) with solid financial returns, generating the highest aggregate return among all programs.
The university's largest program, Behavioral Neuroscience, enrolls 806 students and provides a foundation for careers in healthcare, research, and graduate study, though early-career earnings of $33,157 reflect the field's typical trajectory toward higher-paying positions after additional training. Even programs with more modest initial earnings benefit from UC Davis's research university reputation and extensive alumni network, which help graduates advance more quickly than peers from less prestigious institutions.
What makes UC Davis particularly valuable is the breadth of strong programs across disciplines. While technical fields like Computer Engineering offer the highest immediate returns, the university's research focus and academic rigor create value across majors. Students benefit from small class sizes in upper-division courses, extensive research opportunities, and faculty connections that open doors to graduate school and career advancement. This comprehensive approach helps explain why UC Davis graduates consistently exceed earnings expectations regardless of their chosen field of study.
Graduates of UC Davis achieve exceptionally strong long-term financial outcomes that place the university among the top performers nationally. Ten years after enrollment, graduates earn a median of $80,838, ranking in the 94th percentile among all public universities. Even more impressive is the university's ability to generate earnings beyond expectations—UC Davis graduates earn nearly $16,621 more than similar students at other institutions, reflecting one of the strongest value-added performances in American higher education.
Program-level outcomes vary significantly but trend toward strong returns across most fields. Computer Engineering leads with median earnings of $82,440, demonstrating the university's strength in high-demand technical fields. Applied Economics, the program with the highest aggregate return, combines solid enrollment of 606 graduates with competitive median earnings of $47,553. Even in traditionally lower-earning fields, UC Davis graduates often outperform national expectations—though programs like Cinematography show more modest early-career earnings around $22,482, the university's overall reputation and alumni network help boost long-term prospects across disciplines.
The university's location in California's Central Valley, with proximity to both Silicon Valley and Sacramento, provides graduates access to diverse high-paying job markets while benefiting from the state's generally strong wage levels. This geographic advantage, combined with UC Davis's research university credentials and extensive alumni network, helps explain why graduates consistently exceed earnings expectations regardless of their chosen field of study.
UC Davis offers strong affordability, particularly for low- and middle-income families, despite its status as a top-tier research university. Low-income students pay an average net price of just $8,594 annually, well below the national average and ranking in the 81st percentile for affordability among public universities. Middle-income families see net costs around $12,304 per year, while higher-income families pay about $31,258—a premium that reflects the university's quality but remains competitive with other flagship institutions.
The university's financial aid structure helps keep debt levels manageable for most students. Typical graduates leave with about $13,000 in federal student loan debt, significantly lower than national averages and very reasonable given UC Davis's strong earning potential. Parent PLUS borrowing averages $23,845, which while substantial, aligns with what families typically see at research universities of this caliber. The combination of generous need-based aid and strong post-graduation earnings creates a sustainable financial model for most families.
What makes UC Davis particularly attractive from an affordability standpoint is how the investment pays off over time. With graduates earning well above national averages and the university's 0% federal loan default rate, families can feel confident that the upfront costs translate into genuine long-term value. The university's strong track record of supporting students to graduation and career success makes it one of the more reliable investments in public higher education.
University Of California-Davis Hub Overview
Executive summary with admissions, cost, outcomes, and program analysis
