California State University-Sacramento

California State University-Sacramento prices its degrees accessibly across the income spectrum. Low-income families pay approximately $6,501 per year in net price, middle-income families see annual costs around $9,212, and higher-income families pay approximately $18,861.

Azimuth ranks California State University-Sacramento #67 for post-graduation affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. Net prices by income band are medians within those bands; individual aid packages vary, so some families in each band pay more and some less than the figures shown.

Sacramento State's aid structure draws on federal, state, and institutional sources. The university offers work-study as part of its aid package, per the financial aid page, alongside named scholarship programs including Sac State Scholars and broader institutional aid through its Financial Aid and Scholarships office.

California's Cal Grant program provides additional need-based support for qualifying residents, which meaningfully reduces out-of-pocket costs for many low- and middle-income families. Families weighing the gap between published cost and actual price can explore how [net price and sticker price often differ substantially](/analysis/is-college-worth-it-part-1-the-net-price-illusion/) before drawing conclusions from the headline cost of attendance of $22,945.

Median federal student loan debt at graduation is $15,000, and families using Parent PLUS borrow a median of $16,507; private or institutional loans may add further borrowing that falls outside these federal-only figures — see the [Parent PLUS risk framework](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) for how household context shapes PLUS decisions. For a graduate at the institution's median four-year earnings of $64,511, median federal debt of $15,000 projects to a monthly payment of about $169 under standard ten-year repayment.

For personalized projections across earnings scenarios — including Parent PLUS planning — use [Azimuth's Financial GPS tool](/analysis/financial-gps-framework/).

Graduates of California State University-Sacramento earn median earnings of $64,511 four years after enrollment, placing California State University-Sacramento in the 64.3 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. That figure sits below the $65,228 median at comparable institutions (same control and size band).

Graduates earn about $14,777 more than similar students at comparable institutions, placing the institution in the 92.2 percentile for [earnings beyond expectations](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/) among nonprofit four-year institutions. Those figures represent lifetime returns relative to CA's no-degree-equivalent earnings baseline of $34,672, the state median earnings of working adults without a bachelor's degree.

The degree mix at California State University-Sacramento is anchored by Business, which accounts for 12% of graduates, followed by Social Sciences at 9% and Engineering at 6%. Business Administration combines high enrollment with solid earnings, making it a key contributor to the institution's overall return profile.

Azimuth ranks Business Administration #81 for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions [per the program-ranking methodology](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/), with 935 graduates earning median earnings of $67,636 — 1.0x the national benchmark for the field. The Psychology, General program graduates 607 students with median earnings of $53,237, and Azimuth ranks Criminal Justice #11 for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions, with 568 graduates earning median earnings of $62,583.

Communication and Media Studies adds further breadth, with Azimuth ranking it #46 for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions and 448 graduates earning median earnings of $59,404.

California State University-Sacramento's program mix is anchored in Business, which accounts for 12% of degree output, followed by Social Sciences at 9% and Engineering at 6%. Business Administration is the largest program with 935 graduates, followed by Psychology, General (607 graduates), Criminal Justice (568 graduates), and Communication and Media Studies (448 graduates).

Across 51 programs serving roughly 7,486 students annually, 42 meet Azimuth's ranking threshold. The strongest earnings come from fields with direct workforce pipelines.

Azimuth ranks Computer Science #110 nationally for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions, with 300 graduates earning $92,519. Azimuth ranks Business Administration #81 nationally for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions, with 935 graduates earning $67,636.

Criminal Justice adds further depth, with Azimuth ranking the program #11 nationally for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions and 568 graduates earning $62,583. Business Administration combines strong cohort scale with solid pay, making it a key contributor to the institution's overall earnings profile.

Several of these programs feed directly into Sacramento's government, healthcare, and professional-services labor markets — high-mobility pathways where median four-year earnings reflect actual workforce outcomes. Criminal Justice and Teacher Education are more likely to serve as stepping stones toward graduate or professional study, where median four-year earnings undercount the longer-term trajectory.

The supply-demand map provides context for how these program families align with regional and national labor-market demand.