University Of California-Davis

UC Davis's published cost of attendance is $41,238, but financial aid reshapes that figure substantially across income levels. Low-income families see a net price of approximately $9,211, middle-income families pay around $11,951, and higher-income families pay approximately $31,272. Azimuth ranks UC Davis #151 for post-graduation affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions — placing it in the 89.5th percentile for post-graduation affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. The gap between sticker price and net price shows how institutional aid affects real costs — [net price and sticker price can differ substantially](/analysis/is-college-worth-it-part-1-the-net-price-illusion/).

The university offers work-study as part of its aid structure and participates in federal, state, and institutional aid programs. Families apply using the FAFSA, with institutional grants available to qualifying students.

Median federal student loan debt at graduation is $13,000, and families using Parent PLUS borrow a median of $25,733; private or institutional loans may add further borrowing that falls outside these federal-only figures — see the [Parent PLUS risk framework](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) for how household context shapes PLUS decisions. For a graduate at UC Davis's median four-year earnings of $73,086, median federal debt of $13,000 projects to a monthly payment of about $147 under standard 10-year repayment. For personalized projections including Parent PLUS scenarios, see the [Financial GPS tool](/analysis/financial-gps-framework/).

Graduates of University of California-Davis earn median earnings of $73,086 four years after enrollment — in the 74.1 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $10,789 more than similar students at comparable institutions, placing University of California-Davis in the 86.9 percentile for [earnings beyond expectations](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/) among nonprofit four-year institutions. Azimuth ranks University of California-Davis #340 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions — in the 77.1 percentile for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions.

The earnings pattern reflects University of California-Davis's strength in Biological Sciences, which represents 15% of graduates. Research and Experimental Psychology is the largest program with 924 graduates earning median earnings of $57,378 four years after enrollment. Azimuth ranks Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods #20 among nonprofit four-year institutions [per the program-ranking methodology](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/), with graduates earning $86,155. The Honors program, per program guidelines, provides research pathways that complement these professional outcomes.

University of California-Davis graduates a comprehensive mix of programs anchored in the biological sciences — the institution's dominant program family — alongside strong engineering and applied-business fields. Psychology General is the largest program with 924 graduates annually, followed by Animal Sciences, Managerial Economics, Biological Sciences General, and Communication and Media Studies. Across 51 ranked programs, several sit in the national top #19 [per Azimuth's program-ranking methodology](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/).

Azimuth ranks Managerial Economics #20 nationally among public four-year institutions for median earnings four years after enrollment, with graduates earning $86,155. Azimuth ranks Biological Sciences General #61 nationally among nonprofit four-year institutions with graduates earning $83,248, and Communication and Media Studies ranks #17 nationally with graduates earning $72,778. The Psychology General program graduates 924 students annually, earning $57,378 four years after enrollment.

Several of these programs are grad-school-dependent pathways — notably Psychology General and Biological Sciences General — where four-year earnings undercount lifetime trajectory because a meaningful share of graduates continue to graduate or professional school. Managerial Economics and Communication and Media Studies, by contrast, are high-mobility programs where graduates enter the workforce directly and earnings reflect national labor-market outcomes. The [supply-demand map](/analysis/supply-demand-map-college-degrees/) provides context for how these fields align with national wage trends.