August 5, 2008
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Stacia Momburg
805-756-6260
Forbes.com Ranks Cal Poly #3 Public in National Compensation Study
SAN LUIS OBISPO – Cal Poly has ranked third nationally among public universities in a Forbes.com ranking of college campuses, based on a recent study that looks at earnings of alumni at colleges around the country.
Forbes.com says it bases its ratings on the salaries of college degree holders who have 10 to 20 years of work experience.
Cal Poly followed only Berkeley and University of Virginia in the public rankings, tying for the third spot with UCLA and UC San Diego.
According to the study, compiled by PayScale.com, Cal Poly alumni with 10-20 years of experience earn a median salary of $101,000, with 10 percent of the graduates at this experience level making more than $178,000.
"Cal Poly's standing in this study tracks with what we are hearing from our alumni," said President Warren J. Baker. "Many of them are commanding top salaries across a broad spectrum of industries, which demonstrates the value of our learn-by-doing educational approach."
Cal Poly's own placement studies show that over the past few years 92-96 percent of new alumni have become employed full time or have attended graduate school within one year of graduation, according to Provost William W. Durgin.
"Cal Poly's fees are considerably less than those charged by the University of California campuses, making it an outstanding value for a superb technological education," he said.
For more information on the rankings and the study, go to the Forbes.com Web site at http://www.forbes.com/2008/07/30/college-salary-graduates-lead-cz_kb_0730publiccolleges_slide_5.html?thisSpeed=20000.
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