Top Ranked Programs
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.