CS Programs

College Search & Selection
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@CC1004 Do you want a PhD in CS? Then you do need to do what @ProfessorPlum168 suggests, as you need the very top CS/math education to get into PhD programs, plus research experiences in the summers. The more math the better. So programs like GaTech theoretical computer science thread, UIUC, or any of the very top ranked CS programs may be best. Harvey Mudd College has a good reputation for getting students into top PhD programs,
but Mudd is one of the least grade inflated schools in the USA, so will be hard to earn a top GPA there.

Also its not just starting salary, its down the road, networking that will be best at the top schools, including MIT because EECS is a large portion of MIT’s entire small 4000 student class, and any of the larger programs. The alumni network is why students want these top schools, AND the top ranked schools also give top financial aid besides Berkeley which is cash only for OOS students.

The alumni network benefit lasts a LIFETIME. Its not the starting salary that matters, its job number 3 when you hit age 40 and job number 5 when you hit age 50, thats when Stanford or MIT on the resume, matters the MOST! Some public schools have strong networks in CS too. Purdue and Gatech come to mind.

The west coast loves CMU, MIT, Purdue and GaTech grads, so the west coast networks are really strong for these four schools, (and others) but of course west coast schools are well connected in the west. (If you are thinking of a west coast job later).

Also if you want to go to Berkeley for grad school, other U of California campuses may also work, like UCLA, or UCSD, but the other top private schools have pipelines to Berkeley.

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It’s true that high ranking CS college graduates have higher starting salary. Check GA Tech’s data: https://webapps.gatech.edu/cfcampus/adors/commencement/salary_report_result.cfm?termcode=201708&college=TOTAL&level=1&surveyid=105&Submit=Submit

I doubt unknown college CS graduates can have average starting salary over $95k. There’re always exceptions but “It’s the exception, not the norm”.

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Cal Poly best in da nation >:)

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A $95k salary out of college is unrealistic. If this were Dallas, TX and a Berkeley graduate demanded that much out of college, the employer would toss the resume in the trash. The only reason these salaries exist out of college is because of the cost of living in the east/west coast. That salary equates to $45k a year after you deflate the cost of living. If they decided to move to another state, the salary would be adjusted accordingly. Entry level graduates don’t have the necessary skill to fill a job at that salary. That’s the reason you’re seeing so much growth outside of Silicon Valley. Why on mother earth would you pay $100k a year for an entry level job when you can pay half that cost for someone with the exact same skill and qualifications?