We looked into the top feeder school for tech companies. According to Linkedin, these are the (approximate) numbers of alumni –from VPS to engineers, analysts, and beyond--working at some of the top tech companies in the field. A note: the data represent anyone who has that university on their Linkedin page, so these numbers may also reflect those who went through graduate programs, received certifications, etc. But it’s still an indication of the vast alumni network students can tap into at any one of these top schools for tech.
UC Berkeley
If you want to get into tech, getting in a foot in the door at UC Berkeley is about as well as you can do. And it’s no surprise that being close to the epicenter of everything (Berkeley is about an hour drive from Silicon Valley) has its advantages. According to their own reported data, five percent of all Berkeley grads work in California’s tech by their late 30s. This is a fantastic place to snag an internship or rub shoulders with the who’s who (and the who-will-bes) of the tech world. If you’re looking for a long career at the top of Silicon Valley, UC Berkeley is a great option for you.
Stanford
11 percent of recent grads Stanford grads from the last four years have landed in Engineering & Tech at companies like Adobe, Google, Meta/Facebook, and Uber. Stanford isn’t in Silicon Valley’s backyard—it’s in the front yard. Stanford’s Science, Technology, and Society Program, its Engineering program, and its Computer Science program are all renowned, making it a fantastic place for those who want to dive into tech.
USC
According to the school’s graduation outcomes report, Tech was the #1 industry for recent USC grads for the classes of 2017-2020. Top employers for the class of 2020 included Microsoft, Oracle, Facebook, Apple. USC has some interesting majors for those interested in pursuing tech, from Arts, Technology, and the Business of Innovation to numerous concentrations within Computer Science.
Georgia Tech
It’s in the name. Georgia Tech is a great school for those who have their sights set on Silicon Valley. And Computer and Information Services grads had the highest average salaries one year after graduation, five years after graduation, and ten years after graduation, according to a 2022 university report.
UCLA
According to a recent grad outcome report, Amazon, Oracle, and Facebook/Meta were all top employers for UCLA grads 2017-2019. Across all three years, Amazon hired at least 67 grads, while Oracle hired at least 55, and Facebook/Meta hired 47. More than eight percent of all recent grads found jobs in Computer Science after graduation.
UT Austin
Austin has had a massive expansion in the tech sector over the last decade and change, and has even been dubbed as Silicon Hills. Amazon, Apple, Facebook/Meta, Google, and Paypal all have offices in Austin offering ample opportunities for ambitious undergrads to try and get in the door for an internship. Michael Dell (founder of Dell Computers) famously dropped out of UT Austin, but for those who stick it out in one of UT’s many tech-related majors, opportunity awaits.
The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champagne
Amazon was a top employer for U of Illinois, Urbana-Champagne grads from the 2020-2021 class. Facebook/Meta, Microsoft, Google, and Apple also employed a noteworthy number of grads. Computer Systems and High Tech/Information Technology were also top sectors for grads, according to an annual report on career outcomes.
Carnegie Mellon
Google, Microsoft, Apple, and Facebook were all top employers for Carnegie Mellon’s class of 2020. As for the class of 2021, Amazon was by far the top employer. The top ten was primarily tech companies: Facebook, Microsoft, IBM, Google and Apple. Salesforce wasn’t close behind. Here are the top employers broken down by year:
2021
Microsoft: 27
Meta/Facebook: 20
Google: 17
Apple: 10
IBM: 10
2020
Meta/Facebook: 33
Microsoft: 26
Google: 24
Amazon: 19
Apple: 9
IBM: 5
Salesforce: 5
Cornell
Tech was a top sector for Cornell graduates from the class of 2021. At 17%, it was second only to financial services. Facebook/Meta was the top employer for grads from that class. Amazon, Microsoft, and Amazon Web Services were also in the top ten. Those headed for Silicon Valley might check out majors at Cornell like Information Science, Systems, and Technology, Computer Science, or Business.
Columbia
Columbia is one of the best schools in the country. They offer several relevant majors for those interested in tech, from Computer Science to a Business Management concentration for those interested in entrepreneurship. While New York is on the other side of the country from many of the biggest tech HQs, New York City is not a bad place to test the waters. All major companies have a (large) office here.
If you want a job in tech, you’re not alone. And with the tech market experiencing a downturn, it’s a more competitive time than ever. But it’s not impossible. If you want to get into a great school with a solid alumni network in the field, it’s a good idea to focus on building a brand throughout high school that shows top colleges you’re already an expert in a related academic field who’s driven to succeed.
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