SJSU in Top 6 of WSJ Rankings for High-Paying Jobs in Data Science, Engineering and Software Development

Photo: Javier Duarte

SJSU’s College of Science and Charles W. Davidson College of Engineering were prominently featured in three recently released Wall Street Journal (WSJ) rankings — with SJSU ranking #4 among public universities in the country for data science salaries for graduates, #5 among public universities for engineering salaries for graduates, and #6 among public universities for software developer salaries for graduates. 

“SJSU provides high-quality training and access to Silicon Valley careers for our diverse data science students, all at a very affordable price,” said Dean of the College of Science Michael Kaufman, where data science is housed at SJSU. “Our graduates are changing the world.”

According to the WSJ, an SJSU data science graduate earns over $15,000 more than the median graduate’s annual salary over the first 10 years of their career — bringing home an average annual salary of more than $115,000. 

Engineering graduates from SJSU also make over $15,000 more than the median over the first 10 years, with an average salary of $105,000 per year, and software developer salaries for SJSU are a little under $121,000 a year over the first 10 years after graduating, over $17,000 more than the median graduate’s annual salary. 

About 13.5% of SJSU’s annual graduates major in data science, engineering or software development. 

SJSU was the top CSU in the data science and software developer lists, and finished right behind San Francisco State as the top CSU in engineering. 

This makes five WSJ rankings lists that SJSU was featured prominently on over the past month, with the Lucas College and Graduate School of Business boasting a #1 ranking among public universities for accounting salaries for graduates and the #2 ranking among public universities for marketing salaries for graduates. 

The Charles W. Davidson College of Engineering is also no stranger to top national rankings. In the U.S. News and World Report 2023 national rankings, the college was ranked the #3 Best Undergraduate Engineering Program among public universities in the nation. Also, mechanical engineering ranked #4 and electrical engineering #6, respectively, among public universities in the country.