Fresh University of Southern California graduates are walking into six-figure tech and consulting roles while their peers in other majors face a brutal reality check, according to a recent survey highlighting the growing salary divide across professional fields.
Entrepreneur and personal finance educator Charlie Chang interviewed recent graduates of the university about their first job offers in June, revealing stark compensation gaps that reflect broader shifts in the post-pandemic labor market. While engineering and tech roles are commanding starting packages north of $100,000, other degree holders are confronting salaries barely above $55,000 despite similar educational investments.
Tech and Consulting Dominate the Top Tier
The highest-earning graduates clustered in predictable sectors. One graduate told Chang that AI engineer and sales engineering positions offer compensation "north of $100,000." Similarly, a mechanical design role in building science pays between $80,000 and $100,000, while a tech consulting position at PwC delivers approximately $95,000 to $96,000, including bonuses, according to another graduate.
Computer science and business administration graduates from USC entering consulting reported base salaries of around $86,000-$87,000, with bonuses ranging from $7,000 to $8,000. Biomedical engineering roles in cardiac rhythm management also offered salaries in the $80,000-$100,000 range.
But landing these positions required significant effort. Multiple graduates described the job market as demanding "a lot of effort and a lot of applications," suggesting intense competition despite strong compensation for those who succeed.
The Architecture Reality: Five Years of School for $60K
The compensation picture turns sharply negative for architecture graduates. Despite completing a five-year degree program plus subsequent licensing exams, starting salaries land between $55,000 and $65,000, according to the graduates.
One architecture graduate described the job market as "pretty rough because of the economy" and relocated to London seeking better prospects. The disparity highlights how degree length and difficulty don't necessarily correlate with early-career earnings.