FOUNDATIONS
Survey says success
The numbers don't lie. Holders of NC State engineering degrees provide a big boost to the state and national economies.
About the survey
Keybridge Research emailed its survey to more than 33,000 alumni who earned NC State undergraduate or graduate degrees in engineering or computer science between 1929 and 2010. A total of 2,887 alumni responded.
The data in this story reflects responses received and cannot be extrapolated to include all alumni.
NC State engineering graduates combine technical know-how with business savvy. The result: Highly successful people who hold top jobs or start their own companies, making them big players in the economy.
And now, you can look it up.
A group of alumni volunteers recently commissioned an international economics and public policy consulting firm to study the College of Engineering’s economic impact. A key part of that study was a survey of alumni that asked about their NC State education and professional careers. The idea was to see how alumni used their engineering degrees, and how those degrees helped them succeed.
The survey results show that an NC State engineering degree is a powerful determinant of a successful career. It’s borne out by the respondents’ impressive salaries and business-building activities.
Of particular note are the entrepreneurs, who have founded at least 1,791 companies employing more than 68,000 people. Those numbers are absolute minimums, as they reflect only those companies and jobs created by survey respondents. Those who did not respond almost certainly started companies at a high rate, but the survey results can not be generalized to all alumni.
These survey highlights show what our graduates have long known: The College of Engineering at NC State is a job-creating, revenue-generating, business-building dynamo.
$11.4 Billion Total/$4.5 Billion NCGross revenue at alumni-founded and alumni-owned businesses in 2010.
68,200 Total/24,900 NCEmployees at alumni-founded and alumni-owned businesses in 2010.
$168,300Average salary of alumni who have started or owned a business.
35 Percentage of alumni who've engaged in some form of entrepreneurial activity.
79Percentage of alumni who felt their education left them well prepared or extremely well prepared to succeed in their careers.
$20.2 MillionTax revenue generated for North Carolina in 2010 by alumni-founded and alumni-owned businesses.
1,791 Total/1,006 NCBusinesses founded or owned by engineering alumni as of 2010.
$128,000Average salary earned by alumni with bachelor's degrees.