University Of California-Irvine

University of Hawaii at Manoa's published cost of attendance is $38,632, but need-based aid reshapes that figure across income levels. Low-income families pay approximately $8,123; middle-income families pay around $11,642; and higher-income families pay approximately $30,546.

Azimuth ranks University of California-Irvine #174 for post-graduation affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. Net prices by income band are medians within those bands; individual aid packages vary, so some families in each band pay more and some less than the figures shown.

University of Hawaii at Manoa participates in federal need-based aid programs, including Pell Grants and Direct Loans, alongside state and institutional aid. The university's aid structure is need-based, with aid packages designed to close the gap between published cost and what families actually pay.

Families apply using the FAFSA to determine eligibility and aid amounts. Median federal student loan debt at graduation is $15,000, and families using Parent PLUS borrow a median of $22,665; 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 the institution's median four-year earnings of $74,438, median federal debt of $15,000 projects to a monthly payment of about $169 under standard ten-year repayment. For personalized projections across earnings scenarios — including Parent PLUS planning — use [Azimuth's Financial GPS tool](/analysis/financial-gps-framework/).

Graduates of University of California-Irvine earn median earnings of $74,438 four years after enrollment, placing it in the 74.8 percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. That figure runs above the $65,228 median at comparable institutions.

Graduates earn about $19,699 more than similar students at comparable institutions, placing University of California-Irvine in the 95.4 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions. Azimuth ranks University of California-Irvine #232 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions.

Low-income graduates earn median earnings of $66,200 on a historical ten-year measure, placing this cohort in the 92.4 percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. The earnings pattern reflects University of California-Irvine's broad program portfolio anchored in Social Sciences.

Social Sciences accounts for 16% of degrees, followed by Engineering at 12% and Business at 12%. Computer Science combines large cohort scale with strong pay, making it a key contributor to the university's overall return profile.

Azimuth ranks Computer Science #27 for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions, with 744 graduates earning median earnings of $127,404. The Biology, General program graduates 668 students with median earnings of $56,273, and Azimuth ranks Business/Managerial Economics #8 for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions, with 648 graduates earning median earnings of $77,807.

Research Psychology and Public Health round out the top earners, with median earnings of $54,323 and $60,430 respectively four years after enrollment.

University of California-Irvine's program mix is anchored in Social Sciences, which accounts for 16% of degree output, followed by Engineering at 12% and Business at 12%. That social-sciences concentration distinguishes University of California-Irvine from many UC peers that skew more heavily toward engineering or biological sciences.

The largest programs by cohort size are Computer Science (744 graduates), Biology, General (668 graduates), and Business/Managerial Economics (648 graduates), reflecting broad student demand across quantitative, social-science, and applied-business fields. The strongest earnings outcomes cluster in quantitative and applied programs.

Azimuth ranks Computer Science #27 nationally for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions, with graduates earning $127,404. Azimuth ranks Economics #37 nationally for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions, with graduates earning $83,937, and Azimuth ranks Business Administration #62 nationally for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions, with graduates earning $80,755.

Research Psychology and Public Health round out the popular-program tier, graduating 605 and 473 students respectively and delivering four-year median earnings of $54,323 and $60,430 — solid applied-field outcomes that reflect the university's strength in [how Azimuth evaluates programs](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/). Several of University of California-Irvine's high-earning programs feed directly into high-mobility career pathways in technology, finance, and engineering, where graduates enter the workforce at competitive salaries.

Programs in social sciences and biological sciences are more likely to serve as grad-school-dependent pathways, where four-year earnings undercount the lifetime trajectory of students who continue to graduate or professional school. Across 61 programs serving roughly 9,008 students annually, 44 meet Azimuth's ranking threshold — a broad portfolio that gives students meaningful choice across both direct-to-workforce and advanced-degree tracks.

The [supply-demand map for college graduates](/analysis/supply-demand-map-college-degrees/) provides additional context for how these program families align with national labor-market demand.