Program Analysis
At $82,853 per year, Electrical graduates from Portland State University earn slightly above the $77,516 national median. The premium is real but not dramatic.
Every dollar of in-state tuition returns an estimated 20.4x in decade earnings — an exceptional ratio that places this among the highest-ROI Electrical programs nationally.
Some AI exposure exists in Electrical's typical career paths, with 56% of job tasks potentially affected. The pessimistic scenario still projects solid returns, with a 21% gap from the optimistic case.
The median debt load of $23,875 represents less than half a year of starting salary — among the lightest debt-to-income ratios we track.
Ranked #26 of 262 programs, Portland State University's Electrical program falls in the top 10%, outperforming most peers on financial outcomes.
Earnings grow from $82,853 to $104,747 over five years — a 26% increase that's moderate and in line with typical career progression.