Percentile rankings vs 1,600+ peer institutions. Higher is better.
Career OutcomesAzimuth ranks University of California-Riverside #30 for overall value on Azimuth's composite among nonprofit four-year institutions. University of California-Riverside sits in the 90.6 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions, reflecting graduates who earn about $13,281 more than similar students at comparable institutions. Azimuth ranks University of California-Riverside #27 for mobility among nonprofit four-year institutions. --- Students at University of California-Riverside earn more than similar students at other institutions, a pattern that holds across the university's broad program mix and reflects the strength of its Riverside, California location in a large regional labor market. The university's composite ranking is reinforced by its mobility standing — serving a wide range of students while delivering earnings outcomes that outperform expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions.
Azimuth ranks University of California-Riverside #30 for overall value on Azimuth's composite among nonprofit four-year institutions. A public university in Riverside, CA, University of California-Riverside enrolls roughly 22,593 undergraduates. Retention is 87.6% and the six-year graduation rate is 76.0%, reflecting solid degree completion for a large research campus serving a broad cross-section of California students. The composite is driven by what University of California-Riverside does for students from lower-income backgrounds. 46.9% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants and 48.3% are first-generation college students — figures that place the university well above typical levels for a research institution. Azimuth ranks University of California-Riverside in the 98.2 percentile for mobility among nonprofit four-year institutions, and the 94.9 percentile for access among nonprofit four-year institutions, reflecting both the breadth of the student body and the outcomes those students achieve after graduation. The dominant academic concentration is Social Sciences, though the university's program mix spans a range of fields anchored by Social Sciences at 20% of degree output. Return on investment sits lower in the composite. Graduates earn about $13,281 more than similar students at comparable institutions, placing University of California-Riverside in the 90.6 percentile for among nonprofit four-year institutions. Median earnings four years after enrollment are $64,926, below the $65,228 median at comparable institutions — though those figures still represent meaningful returns relative to the no-degree-equivalent baseline of $34,672 in CA. Affordability sits in the 85.6 percentile for affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions, shaped by California's public-tuition structure and the university's broad financial-aid reach. With an admission rate of 76.4%, University of California-Riverside maintains a broad-access posture that underpins its role as a mobility-focused institution.
University of California-Riverside prices its education on a need-sensitive scale that rewards lower-income families meaningfully. Low-income families pay approximately $8,852 per year in net price, middle-income families see annual costs around $13,111, and higher-income families pay correspondingly more at roughly $30,393. Azimuth ranks University of California-Riverside #206 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. Need-based aid covers a meaningful share of cost for many students. University of California-Riverside participates in federal, state, and institutional aid programs, and the university offers work-study as part of its aid structure, per the financial aid page. UCR Scholarships and additional institutional awards are available through the university's Scholarship Universe portal, providing students with additional avenues to reduce out-of-pocket costs beyond standard grant aid. Families applying for need-based assistance use the FAFSA; the net price illusion is worth understanding before comparing sticker price with what families actually pay. Median federal student loan debt at graduation is $17,500, and families using Parent PLUS borrow a median of $18,275; private or institutional loans may add further borrowing that falls outside these federal-only figures — see the Parent PLUS risk framework for how household context shapes PLUS decisions. For a graduate at the institution's median four-year earnings of $64,926, median federal debt of $17,500 projects to a monthly payment of about $198 under standard ten-year repayment. For personalized projections across earnings scenarios — including Parent PLUS planning — use Azimuth's Financial GPS tool.
University of California-Riverside is a strong fit for students drawn to the social sciences and related fields who want a public research university in CA that delivers meaningful post-graduation value without the cost of higher-priced private institutions. Graduates earn about $13,281 more than similar students at comparable institutions, placing University of California-Riverside in the 90.6 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions — a signal that the university's program mix and student support translate into stronger financial outcomes than the enrollment profile alone would predict. The access story is equally notable. 46.9% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants and 48.3% are first-generation college students — among the higher shares for a research university in the West — and Pell-eligible students complete at a rate of 63.3%, reflecting an institution that opens its doors broadly and follows through on outcomes. Low-income graduates sit in the 85.5 percentile for low-income graduate earnings among nonprofit four-year institutions on a historical 10-year Scorecard measure, a strong result for a cohort this large. Fit depends on two realistic filters: the program portfolio is anchored in Social Sciences and adjacent fields, so students whose interests align there will find the strongest alignment between curriculum and career outcomes; and students who need to borrow should weigh median debt of $17,500 against the earnings trajectory before committing.
This school profile was generated using Azimuth's proprietary ROI framework, developed by founder Daniel Rogers. Our methodology transforms federal education data into actionable insights for families.
College Azimuth is a private research initiative and is not affiliated with the U.S. Department of Education or Federal Student Aid. Data sourced from College Scorecard.
This content is for educational and informational purposes only and should not be construed as financial, investment, or professional advice. Consult a qualified advisor before making any financial decisions.
Comprehensive Analysis
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This is the University Of California-Riverside hub overview page. Related admissions, cost, outcomes, majors, and similar-school pages provide the detailed school data.
Based on federal data for students receiving aid. Actual costs may vary.
University of California-Riverside prices its education on a need-sensitive scale that rewards lower-income families meaningfully. Low-income families pay approximately $8,852 per year in net price, middle-income families see annual costs around $13,111, and higher-income families pay correspondingly more at roughly $30,393.
Azimuth ranks University of California-Riverside #206 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.
Need-based aid covers a meaningful share of cost for many students. University of California-Riverside participates in federal, state, and institutional aid programs, and the university offers work-study as part of its aid structure, per the financial aid page.
UCR Scholarships and additional institutional awards are available through the university's Scholarship Universe portal, providing students with additional avenues to reduce out-of-pocket costs beyond standard grant aid. Families applying for need-based assistance use the FAFSA; the [net price illusion](/analysis/is-college-worth-it-part-1-the-net-price-illusion/) is worth understanding before comparing sticker price with what families actually pay.
Median federal student loan debt at graduation is $17,500, and families using Parent PLUS borrow a median of $18,275; 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 $64,926, median federal debt of $17,500 projects to a monthly payment of about $198 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-Riverside earn a median of $64,926 four years after enrollment, placing the institution in the 64.6th percentile for median earnings among public four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $13,281 more than similar students at comparable institutions, placing UC Riverside in the 90.6th percentile for [earnings beyond expectations](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/) among public four-year institutions. Azimuth ranks UC Riverside #537 for return on investment among public four-year institutions — in the 63.8th percentile for return on investment among public four-year institutions.
The earnings pattern reflects UC Riverside's program mix, with Social Sciences accounting for 20% of graduates. Business Administration, Management and Operations is the largest program, with 795 graduates earning a median of $72,027 four years after enrollment; Azimuth ranks the program #56 nationally among public four-year institutions [per the program-ranking methodology](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/). Azimuth ranks Biology, General #80 nationally among nonprofit four-year institutions with 639 graduates earning $58,339, and Research and Experimental Psychology ranks #32 nationally with 578 graduates earning median 4-year earnings of $49,947.
Peer institutions with comparable quality and outcomes:
| School | State | Accept Rate | Median Earnings | Rank | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Arizona State University Campus Immersion Similar quality tier (#32 ranked) | AZ | 90% | $62,668 | #32 | Compare |
George Mason University Similar quality tier (#29 ranked) | VA | 87% | $76,343 | #29 | Compare |
The University Of Texas At San Antonio Similar quality tier (#34 ranked) | TX | 87% | $57,131 | #34 | Compare |
University Of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Similar quality tier (#35 ranked) | IL | 42% | $81,054 | #35 | Compare |
Florida International University Similar quality tier (#28 ranked) | FL | 55% | $60,249 | #28 | Compare |
Computer Science
212 graduates
Computer Engineering
48 graduates
Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering
65 graduates
Mechanical Engineering
94 graduates
Chemical Engineering
63 graduates
University of California-Riverside's program mix is anchored in Social Sciences, which accounts for 20% of degree output, followed by Business at 14% and Engineering at 7%. The largest programs by cohort size reflect this social-sciences-leaning signature: Business Administration graduates 795 students annually, followed by Biology, General (639 graduates), Research Psychology (578 graduates), Sociology (340 graduates), and Economics (331 graduates).
Across 50 programs serving roughly 5,874 students annually, 40 meet Azimuth's [ranking threshold](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/). The strongest early-career earnings come from fields outside the social-sciences core.
Computer Science leads with median earnings of $117,705 four years after enrollment, and Azimuth ranks the program #60 nationally for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Business Administration follows with median earnings of $72,027, and Azimuth ranks it #37 nationally for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions.
Economics delivers median earnings of $66,682. Several of University of California-Riverside's largest programs — including Business Administration and Biology, General — are grad-school-dependent pathways where four-year earnings undercount lifetime trajectory.
By contrast, programs like Computer Science and Business Administration are high-mobility pathways where graduates enter the workforce directly. The [supply-demand map](/analysis/supply-demand-map-college-degrees/) provides context for how these fields align with national wage trends.
