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California State University, San Marcos

⌖ San Marcos, CA · 41 reportable field-and-credential outcomes

MODELED SCENARIO · Negative payoff

−$24,426 over 10 years

Modeled from observed year-5 institution earnings and the institution-wide average net price over four years.

At these assumptions, the estimated earnings premium does not recover the modeled economic investment within ten years.

11.2 yrsModeled economic break-even
−11%Modeled 10-year ROI
$64,649Observed earnings · year 5
Economic ROI includes direct price and earnings forgone during study · $45,000 comparison earnings · values held flat · see the formula
ECONOMIC INVESTMENT → PAYBACK

Estimated payoff over ten years.

The scenario counts direct price and earnings forgone upfront, then applies the reported annual earnings premium.

10-YEAR PAYOFF CURVECumulative economic payoff after graduation
−$24,426at year 10
Net gainInvestment not yet recovered
NET GAIN$0UNRECOVERED
−$220,9160
2
4
6
8
−$24,42610
Years after graduationBreak-even: 11.2 years
FEDERAL COST DATA

Four ways to read college price.

Annual college-wide figures from the current College Scorecard release. Average net price covers full-time, first-time undergraduates receiving federal aid; public-college figures use in-state students. Program tuition and individual aid offers may differ.

Published in-state tuition$8,082
Sticker price
Published out-of-state tuition$20,682
Sticker price
Average net price$10,229
Title IV student average
Cost of attendance$21,649
Tuition + living budget
PRICE SOURCECollege reported · annual amount · federal dataset
OBSERVED FEDERAL MEASURES

Cost, completion and earnings context

$10,229Average net price / year
$21,649Cost of attendance
$64,649Median earnings · year 5 after completion
54.6%Completion rate
95.1%Admission rate
14,877Student size
NATIONAL CONTEXT

How this college compares

Percentiles compare this institution with currently operating colleges that report the same federal measure.

85thEarnings percentile
44thCompletion percentile
EARNINGS PATH

Reported earnings over time

$42,878Year 1
$67,891Year 4
$64,649Year 5

Separate federal cohorts may underlie different measurement years.

PROGRAM PAYOFF SPREAD

The college average is not the whole story.

Observed earnings vary substantially by field and credential at the same institution.

1Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing · Master's Degree$148,8002Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing · Bachelor's Degree$120,1963Business Administration, Management and Operations · Master's Degree$105,7434Computer Science · Bachelor's Degree$97,8275Education, General · Master's Degree$95,3486Computer Systems Analysis · Bachelor's Degree$93,0477Biotechnology · Master's Degree$92,8598Communication Disorders Sciences and Services · Master's Degree$88,196

Observed year-4 earnings · compare like fields and credentials before deciding

BUILD A REAL SHORTLIST

Comparable colleges in CA

Currently operating public institutions with the closest combination of annual net price and observed year-5 earnings. Similarity is descriptive—not a quality ranking.

Sacramento, CA

California State University, Sacramento

Annual net price
$9,338
Observed earnings · year 5
$64,495
Modeled 10-year ROI
-10%
Open college profile →Long Beach, CA

California State University, Long Beach

Annual net price
$10,440
Observed earnings · year 5
$62,005
Modeled 10-year ROI
-23%
Open college profile →Rohnert Park, CA

Sonoma State University

Annual net price
$12,885
Observed earnings · year 5
$65,250
Modeled 10-year ROI
-13%
Open college profile →Pleasant Hill, CA

Diablo Valley College

Annual net price
$8,312
Observed earnings · year 5
$66,209
Modeled 10-year ROI
-1%
Open college profile →
ALL REPORTABLE PROGRAM CATEGORIES

Explore exact field-and-credential outcomes

Federal fieldCredentialEarnings, year 4Federal debt
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical NursingMaster's Degree$148,800Not available
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical NursingBachelor's Degree$120,196$25,047
Business Administration, Management and OperationsMaster's Degree$105,743Not available
Computer ScienceBachelor's Degree$97,827$12,850
Education, GeneralMaster's Degree$95,348Not available
Computer Systems AnalysisBachelor's Degree$93,047Not available
BiotechnologyMaster's Degree$92,859Not available
Communication Disorders Sciences and ServicesMaster's Degree$88,196Not available
Accounting and Related ServicesBachelor's Degree$86,318$22,500
EconomicsBachelor's Degree$83,339$17,500
Cell/Cellular Biology and Anatomical SciencesBachelor's Degree$80,303$19,375
International BusinessBachelor's Degree$77,965$15,965
Social WorkMaster's Degree$77,471Not available
Finance and Financial Management ServicesBachelor's Degree$77,312$15,125
BiotechnologyBachelor's Degree$76,622$18,500
MarketingBachelor's Degree$73,290$19,032
Management Information Systems and ServicesBachelor's Degree$72,448$16,170
Communication Disorders Sciences and ServicesBachelor's Degree$71,068$15,998
Business Administration, Management and OperationsBachelor's Degree$70,900$19,015
Biology, GeneralBachelor's Degree$70,789$24,174
Business/Commerce, GeneralBachelor's Degree$68,984$22,875
Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular BiologyBachelor's Degree$65,479$16,666
Social Sciences, GeneralBachelor's Degree$63,622$18,719
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/FitnessBachelor's Degree$61,252$18,257
Communication and Media StudiesBachelor's Degree$59,842$16,500
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and HumanitiesBachelor's Degree$58,289$15,125
Natural Resources Conservation and ResearchBachelor's Degree$55,903$12,424
CriminologyBachelor's Degree$55,418$14,810
Psychology, GeneralBachelor's Degree$55,196$18,312
English Language and Literature, GeneralBachelor's Degree$54,985$15,500
Human Development, Family Studies, and Related ServicesBachelor's Degree$53,568$17,193
SociologyBachelor's Degree$53,287$15,000
HistoryBachelor's Degree$52,985$16,923
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and MethodsBachelor's Degree$51,445$15,150
Political Science and GovernmentBachelor's Degree$50,857$19,485
AnthropologyBachelor's Degree$49,848$17,000
Visual and Performing Arts, GeneralBachelor's Degree$48,043$18,750
Romance Languages, Literatures, and LinguisticsBachelor's DegreeNot available$7,500
Physiology, Pathology and Related SciencesBachelor's DegreeNot available$16,419
Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population BiologyBachelor's DegreeNot available$23,000
PhysicsBachelor's DegreeNot available$19,069

Earnings, price, completion and enrollment are observed federal measures. ROI, payoff and break-even are modeled scenarios built from those measures and fixed assumptions. College payoff is not the payoff of every degree at this school; use the program table for a more precise comparison.