Electrical Engineering: California State University-Northridge vs The University of Texas at Austin
Head-to-Head
| California State University-Northridge | The University of Texas at Austin | |
|---|---|---|
| Earnings Multiple (In-State) | 28.3x | 21.3x |
| Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) | 10.6x | 5.8x |
| 4-Year Tuition (In-State) | $28,380 | $46,712 |
| Year 1 Earnings | $75,207 | $96,997 |
| 10-Year Earnings | $804K | $994K |
| Median Debt | $16,382 | $20,480 |
| Debt-to-Earnings Ratio | 2.6 months | 2.5 months |
| DegreeWorth Score (In-State) | 74/100 | 75/100 |
| Acceptance Rate | 93.2% | 29.1% |
Both programs have very high AI automation risk (56% task exposure) — the same career paths apply to Electrical Engineering graduates regardless of school. See full AI analysis →
ROI Breakdown
How tuition costs translate into long-term earnings for Electrical Engineering graduates.
| California State University-Northridge | The University of Texas at Austin | |
|---|---|---|
| 4-Year Tuition (In-State) | $28,380 | $46,712 |
| 4-Year Tuition (Out-of-State) | $75,900 | $171,112 |
| 10-Year Projected Earnings | $804K | $994K |
| Earnings Multiple (In-State) | 28.3x | 21.3x |
| Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) | 10.6x | 5.8x |
| 5-Year Salary Growth | +37% | +27% |
"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 Engineering (same career paths). The score differences below reflect how each school's earnings and ROI hold up under stress.
| California State University-Northridge | The University of Texas at Austin | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Optim. | Base | Pessim. | Optim. | Base | Pessim. | |
| 10-Year Earnings | $1,104K | $804K | $527K | $1,287K | $994K | $680K |
| Earnings Multiple (IS) | 38.9x | 28.3x | 18.6x | 27.5x | 21.3x | 14.6x |
| DegreeWorth Score | 77 | 74 | 67 | 77 | 75 | 68 |
For the full AI analysis of Electrical Engineering career paths, see the California State University-Northridge or The University of Texas at Austin program pages.
Earnings Trajectory Comparison
Projected annual earnings for Electrical Engineering graduates. Year 1 uses actual reported data.
Career Paths
Electrical Engineering 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% |