Computer Engineering at San Jose State University

Silicon Valley's proximity shows up clearly in the four-year earnings mark: $127,047 puts this program squarely in the upper tier for computer engineering graduates nationwide. While first-year figures are estimated from comparable California programs at around $75,700, that trajectory to six figures by year four is actual reported data and reflects the reality of tech hiring in the Bay Area.

The estimated debt of roughly $18,800—below both state and national medians for this major—makes the financial equation straightforward. With a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.25 based on peer programs, graduates would need just three to four months of their first-year salary to clear their loans. That's a manageable burden even before the significant salary growth kicks in. San Jose State's 35% Pell grant population suggests the program serves students who might otherwise be priced out of higher-cost engineering schools in the area, where comparable programs carry steeper price tags.

The gap between San Jose State's outcomes and programs like Cal Poly SLO or the UCs is real—those schools start their grads $20,000-$35,000 higher—but for a student who needs to stay local or wants the lower debt load, this program delivers solid return on investment. The mid-career earnings demonstrate that San Jose State graduates catch up substantially once they're established in the tech ecosystem.