Electrical Engineeringat University of Southern California
Graduates earn $89,684/yr in their first year — about 16.0% above the national Electrical Engineering average. Base-case 10-year earnings $1,071K; scenarios range from $865K to $1,138K depending on AI disruption.
What this degree looks like at University of Southern California
USC’s prominent position in Southern California, particularly within the acclaimed Viterbi School of Engineering, significantly shapes your career trajectory. The strong financial outcomes reflect the region's robust demand for skilled engineers across diverse, high-growth sectors like aerospace, defense, entertainment technology, and burgeoning startup ecosystems. You'll find established recruiting pipelines to major players such as Northrop Grumman, Raytheon, and SpaceX, alongside innovative firms leveraging ECE expertise in areas like AR/VR, smart devices, and media production.
The indicated "very high AI risk" isn't necessarily a threat; it highlights how central ECE skills are to designing and implementing AI and automation, rather than just being replaced by it. Your foundational understanding of hardware and systems makes you indispensable in building the next generation of intelligent technologies. To truly maximize your potential, actively engage with the numerous research opportunities and industry partnerships available, tailoring your specialization to emerging areas like embedded systems for AI or advanced communications protocols.
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 University of Southern California'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 University of Southern California stacks up against other schools offering this major.
Other top programs at University of Southern California
Other highest-scoring programs offered at University of Southern California, 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 University of Southern California
What is the DegreeOutlook Score for Electrical Engineering at University of Southern California?
This program scores 64/100 — a respectable number in isolation, but it ranks in the bottom half of Electrical Engineering programs nationally. The field is competitive, and stronger options exist.
Will AI replace Electrical Engineering careers?
With 56% of typical job tasks exposed to AI, this is one of the higher-risk fields. Our pessimistic scenario projects $865,346 in decade earnings vs $1,138,407 in the optimistic case — a meaningful gap.
Is University of Southern California a hidden gem for Electrical Engineering?
After financial aid, the average student pays $127,708 over four years — 53% below the $272,948 sticker price. That gap makes the ROI significantly better than published tuition suggests.