<p>I absolutely loved Cal, I have never fallen in love with a campus like that so quickly, and basically everything about the school I adore. U of I on the other hand, is nice, close to home, and cheaper, but I feel like I'll always regret what my life would've been like had I chosen Cal.</p>
<p>My major is mechanical engineering, and UIUC is instate whereas Cal is out of state. The difference after 4 years is $80,000 assuming I don't establish residency in California (which I hear is difficult). I know its impossible to predict, buy will a mechanical engineer out of Cal be able to make up that $80,000 with a higher salary than an ME out of UIUC?</p>
<p>*I know its impossible to predict, buy will a mechanical engineer out of Cal be able to make up that $80,000 with a higher salary than an ME out of UIUC? *</p>
<p>No, and heck no. You will absolutely NOT be paid more by graduating from Cal over UIUC…I doubt you’d be paid even $1k more per year. </p>
<p>Employers don’t give a rat’s patootie whether you graduated from Cal, UIUC, UT, or Purdue, etc…they will start you at the same salary.</p>
<p>that is a ridiculous amount of debt to be considering for absolutely no benefit whatsoever.</p>
<p>Isn’t there better job offerings out in Cal? as far as the Silcone valley and such.</p>
<p>
Not for mech, maybe for EE but that’s also debatable.</p>
<p>UIUC has national placement in engineering but for ME there are more jobs in the midwest anyway.</p>