Electrical: California State Polytechnic University-Pomona vs University of Idaho

Side-by-side ROI comparison · Bachelor's Degree
Return on Investment
10-year earnings ÷ tuition · higher is better
University of Idaho
Moscow, ID
In-State
31.5x
$29,756 tuition
24.2x
$35,264 tuition
Out-of-State
12.1x
$77,276 tuition
7.1x
$119,136 tuition
$938,357 10-yr earnings · Public
$851,701 10-yr earnings · Public

Head-to-Head

California State Polytechnic University-Pomona University of Idaho
Earnings Multiple (In-State) 31.5x 24.2x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) 12.1x 7.1x
4-Year Tuition (In-State) $29,756 $35,264
Year 1 Earnings $80,827 $80,700
10-Year Earnings $938K $852K
Median Debt $17,985 $24,930
Debt-to-Earnings Ratio 2.7 months 3.7 months
DegreeWorth Score (In-State) 70/100 69/100
Acceptance Rate 73.7% 79.1%

Both programs have very high AI automation risk (56% task exposure) — the same career paths apply to Electrical graduates regardless of school. See full AI analysis →

ROI Breakdown

How tuition costs translate into long-term earnings for Electrical graduates.

California State Polytechnic University-Pomona University of Idaho
4-Year Tuition (In-State) $29,756 $35,264
4-Year Tuition (Out-of-State) $77,276 $119,136
10-Year Projected Earnings $938K $852K
Earnings Multiple (In-State) 31.5x 24.2x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) 12.1x 7.1x
5-Year Salary Growth +32% +20%

"Earnings Multiple" = projected 10-year earnings ÷ 4-year tuition. Higher is better. Not a discounted financial ROI.

AI Disruption Scenarios

Both schools share identical AI exposure for Electrical (same career paths). The score differences below reflect how each school's earnings and ROI hold up under stress.

California State Polytechnic University-Pomona University of Idaho
Optim. Base Pessim. Optim. Base Pessim.
10-Year Earnings $990K $938K $774K $893K $852K $715K
Earnings Multiple (IS) 33.3x 31.5x 26.0x 25.3x 24.2x 20.3x
DegreeWorth Score 72 70 64 71 69 63

For the full AI analysis of Electrical career paths, see the California State Polytechnic University-Pomona or University of Idaho program pages.

Earnings Trajectory Comparison

Projected annual earnings for Electrical graduates. Year 1 uses actual reported data.

Tuition Gap (In-State)
$5,508
California State Polytechnic University-Pomona saves you this
Year 1 Earnings Gap
$127/yr
California State Polytechnic University-Pomona grads earn more
ROI Range (In-State)
31.5x / 24.2x
Out-of-state: 12.1x / 7.1x

Career Paths

Electrical graduates from both schools map to the same career paths. Differences in earnings reflect school prestige, location, and employer networks.

Career Path Wage Openings/yr Growth AI Risk
Architectural and engineering managers $167,740 14,500 +3.8% 41%
Computer hardware engineers $155,020 4,700 +7.3% 73%
Aerospace engineers $134,830 4,500 +6.1% 57%
Electronics engineers, except computer $127,590 5,700 +6.2% 67%
Engineers, all other $117,750 9,300 +2.1% 46%
Electrical engineers $111,910 11,700 +7.2% 56%
Engineering teachers, postsecondary $106,120 4,100 +8.1% 50%
Want to compare different schools or majors? Try the freeform comparison tool →

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Frequently Asked Questions

Which is better for Electrical: California State Polytechnic University-Pomona or University of Idaho?
California State Polytechnic University-Pomona scores 70/100 while University of Idaho scores 69/100. California State Polytechnic University-Pomona has significantly lower tuition, which drives its higher ROI. The best choice depends on whether you prioritize raw earnings or return on investment.
Which school has better ROI for Electrical?
California State Polytechnic University-Pomona has an in-state earnings multiple of 31.5x vs University of Idaho's 24.2x. That means California State Polytechnic University-Pomona grads earn more per dollar spent on tuition.
How do California State Polytechnic University-Pomona and University of Idaho compare on Electrical earnings?
Year 1 median earnings are $80,827 at California State Polytechnic University-Pomona vs $80,700 at University of Idaho. Over 10 years, the projected totals are $938,357 vs $851,701 — a difference of $86,656.
How much does Electrical cost at each school?
Four-year in-state tuition is $29,756 at California State Polytechnic University-Pomona and $35,264 at University of Idaho. Median debt at graduation is $17,985 vs $24,930. Both programs lead to the same Electrical career paths — the cost difference is the main factor in ROI.
Data: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (earnings, debt), Bureau of Labor Statistics 2024-2034 (employment projections), OpenAI GPTs-are-GPTs research (AI task exposure), Felten et al. AIOE. Scenarios use a continuous weighting function combining AI exposure and BLS job growth projections. "Earnings Multiple" is total 10-year projected earnings divided by tuition — not a discounted financial ROI. Last updated 2025.