Electrical: California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo vs University of South Alabama
Head-to-Head
| California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo | University of South Alabama | |
|---|---|---|
| Earnings Multiple (In-State) | 22.7x | 24.1x |
| Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) | 8.1x | 12.5x |
| 4-Year Tuition (In-State) | $44,300 | $38,704 |
| Year 1 Earnings | $90,576 | $81,499 |
| 10-Year Earnings | $1,007K | $933K |
| Median Debt | $23,475 | $22,500 |
| Debt-to-Earnings Ratio | 3.1 months | 3.3 months |
| DegreeWorth Score (In-State) | 69/100 | 69/100 |
| Acceptance Rate | 29.8% | 65.5% |
Both programs have very high AI automation risk (56% task exposure) — the same career paths apply to Electrical graduates regardless of school. See full AI analysis →
ROI Breakdown
How tuition costs translate into long-term earnings for Electrical graduates.
| California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo | University of South Alabama | |
|---|---|---|
| 4-Year Tuition (In-State) | $44,300 | $38,704 |
| 4-Year Tuition (Out-of-State) | $123,980 | $74,608 |
| 10-Year Projected Earnings | $1,007K | $933K |
| Earnings Multiple (In-State) | 22.7x | 24.1x |
| Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) | 8.1x | 12.5x |
| 5-Year Salary Growth | +29% | +30% |
"Earnings Multiple" = projected 10-year earnings ÷ 4-year tuition. Higher is better. Not a discounted financial ROI.
AI Disruption Scenarios
Both schools share identical AI exposure for Electrical (same career paths). The score differences below reflect how each school's earnings and ROI hold up under stress.
| California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo | University of South Alabama | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Optim. | Base | Pessim. | Optim. | Base | Pessim. | |
| 10-Year Earnings | $1,067K | $1,007K | $821K | $984K | $933K | $771K |
| Earnings Multiple (IS) | 24.1x | 22.7x | 18.5x | 25.4x | 24.1x | 19.9x |
| DegreeWorth Score | 72 | 69 | 62 | 72 | 69 | 63 |
For the full AI analysis of Electrical career paths, see the California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo or University of South Alabama program pages.
Earnings Trajectory Comparison
Projected annual earnings for Electrical graduates. Year 1 uses actual reported data.
Career Paths
Electrical graduates from both schools map to the same career paths. Differences in earnings reflect school prestige, location, and employer networks.
| Career Path | Wage | Openings/yr | Growth | AI Risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Architectural and engineering managers | $167,740 | 14,500 | +3.8% | 41% |
| Computer hardware engineers | $155,020 | 4,700 | +7.3% | 73% |
| Aerospace engineers | $134,830 | 4,500 | +6.1% | 57% |
| Electronics engineers, except computer | $127,590 | 5,700 | +6.2% | 67% |
| Engineers, all other | $117,750 | 9,300 | +2.1% | 46% |
| Electrical engineers | $111,910 | 11,700 | +7.2% | 56% |
| Engineering teachers, postsecondary | $106,120 | 4,100 | +8.1% | 50% |