Graduate earnings are in line with similar institutions.
What graduates earn 10 years after enrollment.
Annual salary at 10 years
Lower quartile earnings
Upper quartile earnings
How graduate earnings grow in the decade after enrollment.
Sacramento State graduates experience steady earnings growth that accelerates over the post-graduation decade. Median earnings begin at $51,074 six years after enrollment, rise to $58,491 at eight years, and reach $64,876 at ten years, representing 27.0% total growth from the six-year benchmark.
How outcomes compare to similar institutions.
Graduate earnings align with peer institutions — outcomes are in line with similar schools.
Financial justification for the investment.
Excellent affordability. Median debt of $15,000 is well under annual earnings, enabling comfortable repayment.
Sacramento State graduates maintain exceptionally manageable debt levels that support long-term financial stability. Median student debt of $15,000 ranks in the 85.0th percentile nationally and sits $5,000 below the peer median of $20,000.
California State University-Sacramento demonstrates above-average return on educational investment, ranking at the 71.1st percentile nationally with solid performance across multiple value metrics. Graduates earn $9,138 beyond expectations relative to similar students, placing Sacramento State in the 84.0th percentile for earnings uplift and well above average tier performance.
Approximately 24.3% of Sacramento State graduates continue to graduate or professional study, based on program mix analysis with high confidence. Thi...
Program mix explains much of the earnings story.
Program-level earnings demonstrate Sacramento State's strength across diverse fields, with healthcare programs leading outcomes. Adult Health Nursing produces exceptional earnings of $123,869 from 253 graduates, ranking #6 nationally and achieving outstanding value scores.
Computer Science generates $90,351 from 239 graduates, while Civil Engineering reaches $84,258 and Mechanical Engineering achieves $82,495. Business Administration, the largest program with 1,007 graduates, produces solid earnings of $60,075 with strong value metrics.
See which programs drive the strongest earnings and career trajectories
The earnings distribution at Sacramento State reveals substantial variation in post-graduation outcomes across different career paths. The range from $43,257 at the 25th percentile to $89,789 at the 75th percentile represents a 2.1:1 ratio, indicating significant opportunity for high-achieving graduates while maintaining reasonable floor earnings levels.
