Industry

Former PSU students are professionally suited for a wide range of fields including the web development industry, the financial services industry, and the health care services industry. The software development industry is the sector most highly represented among alumni. Graduates of PSU earn approximately $58K on average.

Jobs

Among PSU alumni, those working as Operations Managers report the highest median pay of $107K, followed by Software Engineers ($80K), and Mechanical Engineers (around $66K). Relative to other positions, compensation dwindles for Design Engineers; alumni in this role face average salaries of $64K.

Locations

Upon earning their degrees, many PSU grads prefer to remain in Portland; in fact, the greater part of grads appreciate the area so much that they find permanent jobs there. Houston, Texas is another hot spot for PSU grads, where salaries rank at the top of the pay scale (compensation averages out to $79K). For comparison, the lowest-paying city popular with PSU alumni is Seattle, Wash., which offers a median salary of about $44K. Other cities of interest include Vancouver, Wash. and Beaverton, Ore.

Degree Major

A Bachelor of Science in Business Administration will compensate PSU grads at a much higher rate than other degrees — these alums rake in approximately $108K on average per year. On the other end of the spectrum, those with a B.A. in Liberal Arts tend to do the worst in terms of salary, making an average about $34K per year.

Skills

Former Vikings who have experience with JavaScript can expect to make 46 percent more than other alumni ($85K on average). Project Management is a popular skill among PSU alumni, with roughly one in seven grads reporting using it on the job. Proficiency in Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Office, and Microsoft Word command top-of-the-line rewards as well.

Benefits and Perks

Only two-fifths of alumni earn paid vacation and just two-fifths of alumni get paid sick time. Most survey participants receive health insurance, and a strong majority of alums get dental coverage. To plan for old age, a large number of graduates maintain savings accounts through a company's 401(k) plan. Portland State University graduates also take advantage of a casual working environment, life insurance, a company-subsidized cell phone, and free drinks.

Related Schools

Wichita State University grads bring in salaries of around $57K, making them the most similar to PSU alumni in terms of earnings. The University of Montana, Idaho State University, and the University of Colorado Denver are also similar to PSU.

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