Computer Science graduates from University of California-Santa Barbara earn $149,190 median salary — above the national average for this program. Median debt: $13,500.
Computer Science at University of California-Santa Barbara
Santa Barbara, California • Bachelor's
What the IPEDS & College Scorecard Data Shows for Computer Science at University of California-Santa Barbara
This page combines two federal data products: IPEDS institutional characteristics for University of California-Santa Barbara and the College Scorecard field-of-study (FOS) file for Computer Science at the bachelor's credential level. The FOS file is keyed by CIP (Classification of Instructional Programs) code, which means earnings and debt figures here reflect only graduates of this specific program — not the school as a whole. IPEDS reports 161 completers in the most recent cohort for this program at University of California-Santa Barbara, the denominator behind the median earnings figure.
Median graduate earnings of $149,190 represent Treasury-verified wages approximately one year after program completion, drawn from Social Security Administration records linked to federal financial aid applicants. Compared to the national mean of $100,294 across all institutions offering Computer Science, graduates here earn above the national average for this program. Across all programs at University of California-Santa Barbara, the mean median-earnings figure is $77,983, providing internal context for whether this specific field out-earns other options at the same institution.
Debt signals complete the ROI picture. The median cumulative federal loan debt for Computer Science graduates at University of California-Santa Barbara is $13,500, which translates to roughly $113 per month on a standard 10-year repayment plan. The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.09 is under the 1.0 threshold the College Scorecard uses to flag favorable gainful-employment outcomes — earnings in year one already exceed cumulative borrowing. Program-level debt and earnings come from the Department of Education’s College Scorecard FOS release, updated annually.
Earnings Comparison
Program Details
Debt & ROI
Computer Science at Other Schools
| School | Median Earnings | Median Debt |
|---|---|---|
| Carnegie Mellon University | $268,121 | $21,442 |
| Massachusetts Institute of Technology | $225,141 | $11,077 |
| Cornell University | $223,309 | $14,750 |
| Princeton University | $217,973 | — |
| Pomona College | $217,051 | — |
| Stanford University | $214,907 | $10,399 |
| Brown University | $214,479 | $11,500 |
| Williams College | $209,574 | $12,208 |
| University of California-Berkeley | $204,379 | $13,750 |
| Harvard University | $203,169 | — |
Other Programs at University of California-Santa Barbara
| Program | Median Earnings | Median Debt |
|---|---|---|
| Materials Sciences | $164,651 | — |
| Computer Science (current) | $149,190 | $13,500 |
| Computer Engineering | $144,703 | $14,410 |
| Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering | $117,215 | $15,500 |
| Chemical Engineering | $113,317 | $14,937 |
| Applied Mathematics | $109,360 | $17,000 |
| Psychology, Other | $106,003 | — |
| Mechanical Engineering | $104,336 | $15,000 |
| Pharmacology and Toxicology | $98,462 | $14,500 |
| Economics | $98,178 | $13,440 |
View all 51 programs at University of California-Santa Barbara →
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About the Data
Data from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard Field of Study file. Earnings are median earnings for graduates after completion, drawn from U.S. Treasury tax records linked to federal financial aid applicants. Institutional characteristics come from IPEDS. Debt figures represent the median cumulative federal loan debt at graduation.
Debt-to-earnings ratio compares cumulative debt to annual earnings. A ratio below 1.0 indicates that annual earnings exceed total debt, generally considered favorable. Estimated monthly payments assume a standard 10-year repayment plan.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.