Strong graduate outcomes with earnings well above peer institutions. Robust earnings growth over time.
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 Merced graduates experience steady earnings growth throughout their early careers, with median earnings rising from $48,475 six years after enrollment to $56,207 at eight years and $64,368 at ten years. This represents 32.8% growth from the six-year to ten-year measurement period, indicating consistent career advancement and professional development.
How outcomes compare to similar institutions.
Strong relative performance — graduates earn notably more than peers at comparable institutions.
Financial justification for the investment.
Excellent affordability. Median debt of $16,144 is well under annual earnings, enabling comfortable repayment.
UC Merced graduates carry median debt of $16,144, significantly below the peer median of $21,105 and indicating controlled borrowing levels relative to similar institutions. Student debt ranges from $5,500 at the 25th percentile to $24,250 at the 75th percentile, showing variation in individual borrowing needs and financial circumstances.
University of California, Merced demonstrates well above average return on educational investment, ranking at the 81.9th percentile nationally for return performance. Graduates earn $16,502 beyond expectations compared to similar students at other institutions, placing UC Merced at the 92.3rd percentile for value-added earnings.
Approximately 24.4% of UC Merced graduates continue to graduate or professional study based on program mix analysis, indicating moderate rates of adva...
Program mix explains much of the earnings story.
Engineering programs drive UC Merced's strongest return performance, with Bioengineering graduates earning $82,725 and Computer Engineering graduates earning $80,693. Mechanical Engineering produces earnings of $78,386, while Applied Mathematics graduates earn $65,623.
These STEM programs significantly exceed institutional medians and contribute to overall return strength. Business Administration graduates earn $55,183, while Biology graduates earn $52,891, providing solid outcomes across diverse program offerings.
See which programs drive the strongest earnings and career trajectories
Earnings outcomes show meaningful variation across career paths, with the 25th to 75th percentile range spanning from $42,064 to $95,770, representing a 2.3:1 ratio between top and bottom quartiles. This distribution reflects program diversity and different post-graduation career choices, with engineering and STEM fields typically achieving higher earnings while social sciences and humanities programs show more moderate outcomes.
