Still Want a Job in Tech? Here Are the Top 20 Public Colleges for High-Paying Careers

Still Want a Job in Tech? Here Are the Top 20 Public Colleges for High-Paying Careers

New rankings show students who graduate from these public universities with a technology degree will be set up to earn the highest salaries.

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It was only about a year ago that Silicon Valley seemed to be at the top of its game — jobs were a dime a dozen and a skillset in tech was highly sought after. Positions in the tech sector like Amazon and Google meant higher salaries, job security, and a plethora of perks.

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But then everything shifted and layoffs came in a rush with thousands of tech workers left looking for work. Yet, despite the job cuts, job seekers are still drawn to tech companies, meaning getting an education at the right university or college could be more important than ever.

It’s therefore, no wonder that degrees from certain schools mean a higher salary once you get that highly desired position with the tech company of your dreams. Naturally, a majority of the tech-driven colleges are located on the West Coast, particularly in California, which is home to Silicon Valley.

Burning Glass President Matt Sigelman told The Wall Street Journal, “You often hear in Silicon Valley, ‘We don’t care if you have a degree or where your degree is from, we just care if you can code.’” He added, “This list suggests otherwise.”

The Burning Glass Institute collected data about the experience and salary offered to tech employees based on information from the labor-market data firm, Lightcast, and Glassdoor, a company-ratings website.

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20. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

20. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

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Percentage of Tech Graduates

4.16%

Average Yearly Salary

$114,076

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19. University of Wisconson - Madison

19. University of Wisconson - Madison

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Percentage of Tech Graduates

4.77%

Average Yearly Salary

$114,397

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18. Purdue University

18. Purdue University

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Percentage of Tech Graduates

7.86%

Average Yearly Salary

$114,758

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17. University of California - Irvine

17. University of California - Irvine

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Percentage of Tech Graduates

9.41%

Average Yearly Salary

$114,816

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16. William & Mary

16. William & Mary

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Percentage of Tech Graduates

4.38%

Average Yearly Salary

$115,049

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15. The University of Texas at Austin

15. The University of Texas at Austin

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Percentage of Tech Graduates

8.71%

Average Yearly Salary

$115,049

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14. California State University - Chico

14. California State University - Chico

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Percentage of Tech Graduates

4.28%

Average Yearly Salary

$116,144

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13. University of California - Santa Barbara

13. University of California - Santa Barbara

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Percentage of Tech Graduates

6.56%

Average Yearly Salary

$118,919

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12. Georgia Institute of Technology

12. Georgia Institute of Technology

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Percentage of Tech Graduates

16.86%

Average Yearly Salary

$119,390

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11. San Jose State University

11. San Jose State University

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Percentage of Tech Graduates

11.9%

Average Yearly Salary

$119,484

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10. University of Virginia

10. University of Virginia

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Percentage of Tech Graduates

7.32%

Average Yearly Salary

$119,497

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9. University of California-Santa Cruz

9. University of California-Santa Cruz

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Percentage of Tech Graduates

9.11%

Average Yearly Salary

$120,261

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8. University of California-Davis

8. University of California-Davis

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Percentage of Tech Graduates

8.53%

Average Yearly Salary

$121,656

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7. California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo

7. California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo

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Percentage of Tech Graduates

12%

Average Yearly Salary

$122,634

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6. University of California-San Diego

6. University of California-San Diego

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Percentage of Tech Graduates

12.23%

Average Yearly Salary

$122,806

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5. University of Washington-Seattle Campus

5. University of Washington-Seattle Campus

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Percentage of Tech Graduates

11.24%

Average Yearly Salary

$123,739

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4. University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

4. University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

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Percentage of Tech Graduates

8.23%

Average Yearly Salary

$124,800

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3. University of California-Los Angeles

3. University of California-Los Angeles

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Percentage of Tech Graduates

7.98%

Average Yearly Salary

$126,457

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2. University of Michigan-Ann Arbor

2. University of Michigan-Ann Arbor

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Percentage of Tech Graduates

7.69%

Average Yearly Salary

$127,406

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1. University of California-Berkeley

1. University of California-Berkeley

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Percentage of Tech Graduates

12.77%

Average Yearly Salary

$140,960

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