Graduates earn among the highest incomes nationally, with outcomes that significantly exceed peer expectations.
What graduates earn 10 years after enrollment.
Annual salary at 10 years
Lower quartile earnings
Upper quartile earnings
How graduate earnings grow in the decade after enrollment.
UC Berkeley graduates experience steady earnings growth from early to mid-career periods, demonstrating sustained value creation over time. Median earnings increase from $74,919 six years after enrollment to $84,865 at eight years and $92,446 at ten years, representing 23.4% growth between the six and ten-year measurement points.
How outcomes compare to similar institutions.
Graduates from this institution significantly outperform peers — earnings are 53% higher than similar schools.
Financial justification for the investment.
Excellent affordability. Median debt of $13,000 is well under annual earnings, enabling comfortable repayment.
UC Berkeley graduates demonstrate exceptional debt management, with median debt levels well below national and peer averages. Median student debt reaches $13,000, ranking at the 88th percentile nationally and $7,000 below the peer median of $20,000.
University Of California-Berkeley demonstrates exceptional return on educational investment, ranking at the 97.4th percentile nationally with a return index that places it among the highest performing institutions tracked. Graduates earn $19,877 beyond expectations relative to their demographic and academic backgrounds, ranking at the 94.2nd percentile for value-added performance.
Approximately 27.6% of UC Berkeley graduates continue to graduate or professional study, based on program mix analysis with high confidence levels. T...
Program mix explains much of the earnings story.
UC Berkeley's strongest earning programs demonstrate the institution's leadership in high-demand fields. Electrical and Electronics Engineering leads with median earnings of $202,911 for 452 graduates, while Computer Science produces $178,867 for a substantial cohort of 845 graduates.
Business Administration generates $123,780 for 385 graduates, and Applied Mathematics reaches $120,626 for 326 graduates. These programs reflect UC Berkeley's strength in quantitative disciplines and technology fields that align with California's innovation economy.
See which programs drive the strongest earnings and career trajectories
The earnings distribution at UC Berkeley spans from $58,247 at the 25th percentile to $153,111 at the 75th percentile, creating a 2.6:1 ratio between top and bottom quartiles. This spread indicates meaningful variation in career outcomes based on program choice and individual career development, while maintaining strong baseline performance even at lower percentiles.
