素材記事： https://www.pressdemocrat.com/2026/07/02/whats-a-uc-degree-worth-new-data-shows-high-earnings-quick-social-mobility/?mrfcid=202607026a43778209533177286c3778
素材写真： UnsplashのJeremy Huangが撮影した写真のJeremy Huangが撮影したイラスト素材
With the rapid advancement of AI and its growing presence in the labor market, the question of whether college degrees are losing their value is being asked everywhere. In response to this, some data has emerged that offers a current perspective, so I’d like to share it.
The subject of this large-scale study was California’s “UC System”—a group of 10 state universities whose names all begin with “University of California.” It includes many elite institutions, such as the flagship UC Berkeley, and all campuses are ranked among the world’s best. However, because tuition isn’t as eye-wateringly high as at Stanford University and the student body isn’t exclusively made up of children from wealthy families, the UC System is recognized as a more accessible group of elite universities.
The results of the analysis state, “The University of California system is making the case that its degrees remain valuable investments.” The report indicates that, compared to graduates of other four-year colleges and high school graduates entering the workforce, UC graduates show overwhelming advantages in salary levels during the first few years after graduation, the speed of promotion, and even the pace at which they repay student loans.
For example, the report states: “Within seven years of graduating, the median annual salary for UC bachelor’s degree recipients hits $86,000, which is higher than the median for all four-year degree-holders in California.”
While these results are certainly encouraging, they are, after all, based on “data from mid-2026.” Given the disruptive impact AI is expected to have on the labor market two years from now, I honestly don’t think we’ll see such optimistic results this time around.
Universities—including elite institutions—should continue to rapidly advance the ideal form of higher education and improve specific curricula while fully integrating AI. Otherwise, they’ll be left behind by the market. After all, their rivals aren’t limited to domestic competitors.
AIの急速な発展と労働市場への展開のせいで、大学の卒業証書は弱体化するのか？という質問が各所で飛び交っています。それに対して目下の1つの答えとしてデータが出たのでシェアします。
大規模な調査の対象となったのは、カリフォルニアの「UCシステム」…学校の名前が「カリフォルニア大学」で始まっている州立大学群で10キャンパスある…についてです。旗艦校であるUC Berkeleyをはじめとするエリート大学が多く、全キャンパスが「世界ランカー」です。でも、スタンフォード大学のような目玉が飛び出るような高い授業料ではなく金持ちの子弟ばかりではないため、より身近なエリート大学群として認知されています。
分析の結果は「the University of California system is making the case that its degrees remain valuable investments.」とあるように、新卒以降の数年間での給与額や昇進スピード、それに大学奨学金の返済スピードに至るまで、他の4年制大学や高卒の社会人と比べると圧倒的に差がついたという報告。
例えば具体的には、「Within seven years of graduating, the median annual salary for UC bachelor’s degree recipients hits $86,000, which is higher than the median for all four-year degree-holders in California.」という感じ。
この結果はまぁ喜ばしいですが、あくまでも「2026年中旬のデータ」です。2年後の労働市場におけるAIの破壊力を考えると、今回のような楽観的な結果が出るとは、正直私は思っていません。
引き続きエリート大学群も含めて、大学教育のあるべき姿と具体的なカリキュラムの向上は、AIをフル導入しながら急ピッチで進めるべきでしょうね。でないと市場から取り残される。ライバルは国内だけではないので。
