Computer Engineering at California State University-Sacramento

Sacramento State's Computer Engineering program takes a patient approach to career development that ultimately pays off, but requires families to accept below-average starting salaries. First-year graduates earn $66,266—putting them in just the 13th percentile nationally and 40th percentile among California programs. For context, that's about $10,000 less than the state median and nearly $45,000 below what Cal Poly SLO graduates start at.

The silver lining is substantial earnings growth. By year four, median earnings jump 47% to $97,708, which nearly closes the gap with stronger programs. Importantly, graduates carry only $17,500 in debt—exceptional for an engineering degree and among the lowest 5% nationally. This creates a manageable 0.26 debt-to-earnings ratio that many higher-earning programs can't match.

The question for families is whether their student can weather those lean early years. If you need immediate earning power after graduation—perhaps to support family or handle other obligations—this program's slower trajectory could be problematic. But if your student can afford to build experience gradually, the combination of negligible debt and strong mid-career earnings represents solid long-term value, especially at in-state tuition rates. Just understand you're trading early momentum for financial flexibility.