CMU worth the cost??? CMU vs GaTech vs UCLA vs UMich for ECE

ilikekoalas
Thu, 27 Apr 2017 02:35:55 +0000

Sorry this is late. I’ll be attending CMU for ECE this fall, and I’ve done a lot of research into the program so I’ll share what I know. I don’t know anything about UCLA, so I can’t comment on that.

The ECE program released post graduation statistics for their students for the past two years (linked below). Over the two years, the median starting salary, compiled from 138 of the students that went into the workforce, is $100,000. This number is EXTREMELY impressive, considering the amount of data collected and the fact that the national average for ALL electrical engineers (including people with decades of experience) is about $85,000 depending on where you look. Basically, you can flip a coin to determine whether or not the student is making 6 figures straight out of undergraduate school. This is unheard of, though it may be important to note that not all students reported their starting salaries, so the number might be slightly skewed towards a lower value.

I did a lot of data collecting to determine whether or not the cost is worth it, and I’ve ultimately decided it was. Very conservative estimations of costs of living ($4500 per month), salaries (60-70k per year), etc. with no financial aid nor help from family left me paying off debt for about 20 years with 7k in the bank each year to do whatever I want with. If this is the case for you, I wouldn’t recommend it. 20 years is a ridiculously, unreasonably long time to be paying off loans with not a lot of money left over for when you have a family, and I’m sure you can get a comparable degree at UCLA for much cheaper. However, I’m getting help from family and scholarships, so for me the amount of time was drastically lower and therefore extremely worth it.

The biggest reason why it is worth the cost (if you have some sort of help) is because the CMU name is very prestigious in the job market. Employers generally regard CMU students as being at similar calibers to the big tech schools, like MIT, CalTech, and the Ivies, and it’s not by accident. The CMU engineering program is ranked 5 in the country, and you will undoubtedly receive an education that will prepare you in surplus for your future. Since the previous generation of engineers are doing very well for themselves, I predict that there will be an astronomically large number of people graduating with an engineering degree 4 years from now. So having that name recognition could be the difference between getting a job or not. Finally, in my own opinion, everyone I’ve met from CMU seems more human than other prestigious schools (cough cough For instance, MIT grads are often pretty arrogant in my experience. Sorry if you’re an MIT grad and are not arrogant, but just basing this off experience).

I also like Carnegie for all the personal factors, such as campus, extracurriculars, location, school size, etc. These things are for you to judge though, not me.

Regarding jobs, it seems that the majority of ECE majors continue as Software Developers, but their job titles span across a variety of fields so don’t feel like it is limited to just that.

I think I’ve covered everything about ECE that you asked. I seriously can’t think of 1 con besides the cost, which could be a huge con or it could not be, depending on your current financial situation.

Good luck with your decision!