Top Ranked Programs
California State University-San Marcos's program mix is anchored in Social Sciences, with concentrations in Social Sciences at 20%, Business at 15%, and Education at 3%. The largest programs by graduates — Business Administration (532 graduates), Psychology, General (325 graduates), and Nursing (318 graduates) — reflect a broad applied-professional and social-sciences orientation typical of a regional public university serving a mixed enrollment. The strongest earnings come from health and business fields. Azimuth ranks Nursing #17 among nonprofit four-year institutions for median earnings four years after enrollment, with graduates earning $120,196. Azimuth ranks Computer Science #126 among nonprofit four-year institutions for median earnings four years after enrollment, with graduates earning $97,827. Business Administration adds further depth, with Azimuth ranking the program #87 among nonprofit four-year institutions for median earnings four years after enrollment and graduates earning $70,900. Among the larger programs, Sociology program graduates 283 students with median earnings of $53,287, and the The Criminology program graduates 273 students earning $55,418 four years after enrollment. Several of the social-sciences and liberal-arts programs are grad-school-dependent pathways where four-year earnings undercount the full trajectory for graduates who continue to graduate or professional study. The [supply-demand map](/analysis/supply-demand-map-college-degrees/) provides context for how California State University-San Marcos's dominant program families align with regional and national labor-market demand.