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Princeton, UW Produce Highest Earning Computer Engineers
Looking for a career in computer engineering? Here are the top 10 universities boasting the highest salaries of their computer engineering alumni.
ITPro Today
December 30, 2023
10 Slides
Daderot
The study revealed that graduates from the Princeton University School of Engineering and Applied Science earn an average of $227,172 per annum. This figure is almost $60,000 more than any other university and equates to a monthly wage of $18,931. The figure is also more than $100,000 over the national median salary from this cohort, which sits at $124,377.
This school boasts many notable alumni, including CEO of Amazon, Jeff Bezos, who is currently the third richest person in the world, according to Forbes.
Punctured Bicycle
According to the report, computer engineering graduates from the Seattle and Bothell campuses of the University of Washington average an annual salary of $168,957, or $14,080 monthly, four years post-graduation.
Notable alumni from the university's College of Engineering include Greg Badros, vice president of engineering and products at Facebook.
MARELBU
In third place on the list of schools with computer engineering degrees are graduates of Santa Clara University in Santa Clara, California, where those holding a bachelor's in computer engineering earn $159,782 on average. This equates to a monthly wage of $13,315.
The report notes that among the alumni of Santa Clara School of Engineering are several founders, presidents, and CEOs of "thriving Silicon Valley tech companies."
Warren LeMay
Duke University's graduates with computer engineering can expect to earn an average of $137,144 annually four years after they graduate, which works out to $11,428 monthly.
Among others, alumni from Duke's Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering include senior designers and engineers at companies such as Microsoft and Nvidia, the report noted.
Aaron Josephson
For graduates in computer engineering leaving the University of Virginia's School of Engineering and Applied Science, the average annual salary sits at $135,287, averaging out to a monthly wage of $11,274.
Among the most notable alumni from the university are the founders and co-founders of Seven Seven Six, Wagestream, and Rain Capital.
Aegis
The report found graduates with computer engineering graduates from the UCLA Samueli School of Engineering earn an average of $128,131 annually, which equates to $10,678 a month.
One of the "founding fathers of the internet," Vint Cerf, is among the most notable alumni from the school, along with Henry Samueli, co-founder of Broadcom.
Eustress
Brigham Young University's Ira A. Fulton College of Engineering boasts graduates with degrees from the field of computer engineering with an average annual salary of $127,592 four years after graduating. This averages out to a monthly income of $10,632.
Intel, Hewlett-Packard, and Nvidia are among the major tech companies where alumni of the school have advanced to senior positions.
Steve McFarland
San Jose University's Charles W. Davidson College of Engineering boasts graduate earnings from computer engineering degrees of $10,587 monthly, or $127,047 annually. The university, located in the center of Silicon Valley, is the No. 1 provider of the workforce for the tech capital.
Westxtk
Students graduating from the Jacobs School of Engineering at the University of California's San Diego campus with a computer engineering earn an average salary of $122,307 annually, which equates to a monthly wage of $10,192.
Graduates of the school have occupied positions in tech businesses including Google, Intel, and Samsung, the Hostinger report noted.
Spatms
Graduates from Cal Poly College of Engineering in the field of computer engineering earn $122,307 annually on average, which works out to an average monthly wage of $10,192.
Alumni of the College of Engineering have found work in some of the world's biggest tech companies, including Adobe, Amazon, Apple, Google, Hewlett-Packard, Intel, Microsoft, and Oracle.
Spatms
Graduates from Cal Poly College of Engineering in the field of computer engineering earn $122,307 annually on average, which works out to an average monthly wage of $10,192.
Alumni of the College of Engineering have found work in some of the world's biggest tech companies, including Adobe, Amazon, Apple, Google, Hewlett-Packard, Intel, Microsoft, and Oracle.
Recent research conducted by website hosting provider Hostinger offered insights into the earning power of computer engineering graduates from various top universities across the United States. Princeton University, the University of Washington, and Santa Clara University in Santa Clara, California, topped the list.
The report was based on an analysis of data pertaining to the average incomes garnered by alumni who pursued computer engineering programs at schools nationwide, outlining the economic prospects associated with pursuing a computer engineering degree. The study determined the median earnings of universities' alumni with bachelor's degrees in computer engineering fields of study four years after graduation.
Eiviltas Paraščiakas, head of communications for Hostinger, said by examining the post-graduation earnings of these individuals, prospective students, educators, and policymakers have the essential information needed to gauge the potential return on investment for a computer engineering education.
"The importance of these computer engineering degrees in the modern world can't be understated," he said. "Computers are ubiquitous in today's society, from smartphones to self-driving cars."
Computer engineers provide the knowledge needed to design and maintain these technologies, but also to monitor their development in an age where the direction of travel is fast and likely unstoppable, Paraščiakas said.
"Determining the ranking criteria was simple once we had decided to investigate the salary prospects of computer engineering graduates," he said. "We focused on finding trustworthy and accurate data from a reliable source, and then analyzed accordingly."
Paraščiakas
Paraščiakas said he hopes the study can contribute to a broader understanding of the impact of higher education on career trajectories and income levels in the field of computer engineering, offering a data-driven perspective on how different universities prepare their graduates for success in the job market.
"The areas where computer engineering is critical are almost innumerable — environmental impacts, medical advancements, global communications, big data and analytics, and even national security are but a few areas that will be affected by computer engineers," Paraščiakas said. "We believe the importance of these areas illustrates the significance of computer engineering for today and the future."
He added that while California dominates the top 10 list of universities boasting the highest salaries of their computer engineering alumni — with five Golden State institutions named — and the top one and two ranking universities in the study are prestigious and evidently worthy of their place, it was surprising that an institution nearer to Silicon Valley doesn't occupy the top spot.
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