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Electrical at California State University-Los Angeles

Los Angeles, CA · Public · Bachelor's Degree · Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering
73 /100
DegreeOutlook Score (Base Case) — assumes in-state tuition
74
Optimistic
73
Base Case
70
Pessimistic
Earnings $63,981/yr (-17% vs median)
AI Risk Very High (56% exposed)
Job Market Large (54,500 openings/yr)
ROI 32.7x earnings multiple (11.9x out-of-state)
Ranked #109 of 262 Electrical programs Top 50%

How AI Changes the Outlook

Three scenarios based on how aggressively AI disrupts the career paths available to Electrical graduates.

Optimistic
No Disruption		 Base Case
Gradual AI		 Pessimistic
Aggressive AI
10-Year Earnings $937K $890K $742K
Earnings Multiple (In-State) 34.4x 32.7x 27.2x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) 12.5x 11.9x 9.9x
Probability of Field Employment 78% 70% 48%
DegreeOutlook Score 74 73 70

10-Year Earnings Projection

*Year 1 uses actual reported earnings. Scenarios diverge as AI impact compounds over time.

4-Year Tuition, In-State (Sticker)
$27,252
Out-of-state: $74,792 (11.9x ROI)
4-Year Net Price (After Aid)
$16,452
40% less than sticker · See by income
Median Debt at Graduation
$14,500
2.7 months of Year 1 earnings
Reported Earnings (5 Year)
$96,348
51% growth from Year 1

Program Analysis

At $63,981 per year, Electrical graduates from California State University-Los Angeles earn below the $77,516 national average. Lower costs or geographic factors may offset the earnings gap.

The 32.7x earnings multiple means ten-year projected earnings exceed tuition cost by an order of magnitude. By pure financial math, this is a standout.

AI risk is moderate — 56% task exposure — and the 21% scenario spread suggests disruption would dent but not destroy the earnings outlook.

The median debt load of $14,500 represents less than half a year of starting salary — among the lightest debt-to-income ratios we track.

Ranked #109 out of 262 programs, California State University-Los Angeles's Electrical offering sits in the upper half but doesn't break into the top tier.

Earnings growth from $63,981 to $96,348 over five years (51% increase) indicates that graduates in this field see meaningful salary progression.

About California State University-Los Angeles

With 92% of applicants admitted, California State University-Los Angeles prioritizes broad access, with 21,478 students enrolled in Los Angeles, CA. With 66% of students on Pell Grants, the campus draws from a broad economic spectrum. After financial aid, the average student pays $16,452 over four years — 40% below sticker price.

See all programs and financial aid at California State University-Los Angeles →

Top Career Paths

Architectural and engineering managers $167,740/yr
Computer hardware engineers $155,020/yr
Aerospace engineers $134,830/yr
View all 7 career paths with salary ranges and AI risk →

Compare & Explore

Compare this program → View all 262 schools offering Electrical →

Electrical at Other Schools

Carnegie Mellon University ($139,337) University of California-Berkeley ($137,295) Massachusetts Institute of Technology ($117,345) Cornell University ($100,516) The University of Texas at Austin ($96,997) Rice University ($96,751) National University ($93,417) Northeastern University ($92,222)

Other Majors at California State University-Los Angeles

Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing ($98,811) Civil Engineering ($73,178) Mechanical Engineering ($55,405) Food Science and Technology ($52,806) Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology ($50,428) Fire Protection ($48,289) Air Transportation ($46,267) Computer and Information Sciences, General ($45,355)

Consider the Trade Route?

Compare Electrical trade programs on TradeSchoolWorth →

Trade programs often mean less time in school, lower student debt, and hands-on career paths that tend to be more resilient to AI disruption.

Frequently Asked Questions

How does California State University-Los Angeles's Electrical program score?
A score of 73/100 indicates strong financial outcomes. California State University-Los Angeles's Electrical graduates fare well on earnings, job market size, and return on investment.
How vulnerable is Electrical to AI automation?
AI won't 'replace' Electrical careers outright, but it is likely to reduce the number of job openings. We model 56% task exposure, which compresses field employment probability in our scenarios.
Why are Electrical earnings lower at California State University-Los Angeles?
Lower starting pay at California State University-Los Angeles may reflect local labor market conditions rather than program quality. Many graduates see convergence with national averages within 3-5 years.
Scores use College Scorecard earnings, BLS employment projections, and AI task-exposure research. See full methodology →