Electrical Engineeringat California State University-Los Angeles
Graduates earn $63,981/yr in their first year — about 17.0% below the national Electrical Engineering average. Base-case 10-year earnings $890K; scenarios range from $742K to $937K depending on AI disruption.
What this degree looks like at Cal State LA
At $63,981 per year, Electrical Engineering 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 Engineering 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.
Three scenarios, ten years out
Each scenario is a different assumption about how AI reshapes the career paths this major feeds into. Earnings projections stack the full 10-year cumulative trajectory; scores use the same 0–100 metric as the hero, recomputed under that scenario's assumptions.
10 year projection
Year-by-year earnings under each scenario. Base case reflects BLS growth patterns applied to Cal State LA's starting earnings; optimistic and pessimistic adjust for AI's effect on each career path this major feeds into.
Common career destinations for this program's graduates, weighted by the school's specific occupation mix. Salary is BLS national median; AI risk is per-role task-exposure research.
Peer schools offering Electrical Engineering
How Cal State LA stacks up against other schools offering this major.
Other top programs at Cal State LA
Other highest-scoring programs offered at Cal State LA, ranked by DegreeOutlook Score.
Consider the trade route
Not sure a 4-year degree is the right path? Trade programs in Electrical Engineering offer shorter timelines, lower debt, and strong AI resilience for hands-on careers.
Compare Electrical Engineering trade programs on TradeSchoolOutlook →Frequently asked about Electrical Engineering at Cal State LA
How does California State University-Los Angeles's Electrical Engineering program score?
A score of 73/100 indicates strong financial outcomes. California State University-Los Angeles's Electrical Engineering graduates fare well on earnings, job market size, and return on investment.
How vulnerable is Electrical Engineering to AI automation?
AI won't 'replace' Electrical Engineering 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 Engineering 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.