UC San Diego Graduates Ranked 8th for Top Salary Potential, According to PayScale

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About 7,535 students graduated from UC San Diego in June, 2011. Erik Jepsen/UC San Diego Publications

Graduates of the University of California, San Diego are ranked 8th for salary earning potential in the 2011-2012 PayScale study measuring top state schools across the nation.

The study’s findings were based on the annual pay for bachelor’s degree graduates from UC San Diego. The study by PayScale, a website that collects salary data, found that the typical starting salary for UC San Diego graduates with two years of experience is $48,200 and mid-career professionals with a UC San Diego bachelor’s degree and 15 years of experience typically make $96,700 annually.

According to PayScale, the best state schools are becoming more and more popular as private college tuition rises beyond many students’ reach. For students trying to decide between their school options, PayScale’s list of the top state universities by salary potential will help them choose the best state school.

“UC San Diego’s prominent academic programs help prepare students to fulfill their career goals,” said Armin Afsahi, executive director of UC San Diego Alumni Affairs, which oversees the university’s more than 141,000 alumni. “One of the greatest measures of a university is the quality of its graduates. Our alumni are not only going on to achieve great success, they are also advancing their communities, creating jobs and building our economy.”

In addition, nearly 40 percent of the university’s undergraduate students directly pursue graduate and/or professional degrees after graduating, according to a recent study by UC San Diego’s Career Services Center.

In 2011, the campus conferred 8,161 degrees; 40 percent of the university’s alumni (about 56,550) live in San Diego County, contributing income, payroll, property and sales taxes to the region.

UC San Diego faculty, staff and alumni have started 646 companies, including many of our local biotech and technology firms. UC San Diego’s economic impact is illustrated by the following:

• Number of active local UC San Diego-related companies: 156
• Total estimated annual sales of active companies: $15.3 billion
• Direct jobs attributable to active companies: 18,400
• Total economic impact in San Diego County of active UC San Diego-related companies: Over $20 billion

To view the full list of top state colleges by salary potential, go to the 2011-2012 PayScale College Salary Report at http://www.payscale.com/best-colleges/top-state-universities.asp.