Graduates of California State University-San Marcos earn median earnings of $48,400 four years after enrollment, placing California State University-San Marcos in the 64th percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn below expectations, placing the institution in the 34th percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions. Those figures represent lifetime returns relative to California's no-degree-equivalent earnings baseline of $35,000 — the state median earnings of working adults age 25–34 with only a high school credential. While institution-level earnings track California's regional labor market, specific programs deliver materially stronger outcomes. Azimuth ranks Registered Nursing, Nursing, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing 1st nationally for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions, with graduates earning median earnings of $115,500 — 1.4x the national benchmark for the field. Health professions and related programs is the dominant program family, accounting for 28% of degrees, followed by business, management, marketing, and related support services at 20% and psychology at 9%. Among the largest programs, Registered Nursing, Nursing, Nursing Research and The Clinical Nursing program graduates 200 students annually with median earnings of $115,500 four years after enrollment, and Azimuth ranks it 1st nationally for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. The Business Administration, Management and Operations program graduates 130 students with median earnings of $49,700, while The Psychology, General program graduates 120 students earning median earnings of $36,400 four years after enrollment. Azimuth ranks Sociology 6th nationally for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions, with graduates earning $40,000, and Liberal Arts 7th nationally for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions, with graduates earning $37,900.
Graduates of California State University-San Marcos earn median earnings of $48,400 four years after enrollment, placing California State University-San Marcos in the 64th percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn below expectations, placing the institution in the 34th percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions. Those figures represent lifetime returns relative to California's no-degree-equivalent earnings baseline of $35,000 — the state median earnings of working adults age 25–34 with only a high school credential. While institution-level earnings track California's regional labor market, specific programs deliver materially stronger outcomes. Azimuth ranks Registered Nursing, Nursing, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing 1st nationally for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions, with graduates earning median earnings of $115,500 — 1.4x the national benchmark for the field. Health professions and related programs is the dominant program family, accounting for 28% of degrees, followed by business, management, marketing, and related support services at 20% and psychology at 9%. Among the largest programs, Registered Nursing, Nursing, Nursing Research and The Clinical Nursing program graduates 200 students annually with median earnings of $115,500 four years after enrollment, and Azimuth ranks it 1st nationally for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. The Business Administration, Management and Operations program graduates 130 students with median earnings of $49,700, while The Psychology, General program graduates 120 students earning median earnings of $36,400 four years after enrollment. Azimuth ranks Sociology 6th nationally for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions, with graduates earning $40,000, and Liberal Arts 7th nationally for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions, with graduates earning $37,900.
Latest FE earnings field: 10-year
How graduate earnings grow across the currently available FE horizons.
Financial justification for the investment.
Graduates of California State University-San Marcos earn median earnings of $48,400 four years after enrollment, placing California State University-San Marcos in the 64th percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn below expectations, placing the institution in the 34th percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions. Those figures represent lifetime returns relative to California's no-degree-equivalent earnings baseline of $35,000 — the state median earnings of working adults age 25–34 with only a high school credential. While institution-level earnings track California's regional labor market, specific programs deliver materially stronger outcomes. Azimuth ranks Registered Nursing, Nursing, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing 1st nationally for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions, with graduates earning median earnings of $115,500 — 1.4x the national benchmark for the field. Health professions and related programs is the dominant program family, accounting for 28% of degrees, followed by business, management, marketing, and related support services at 20% and psychology at 9%. Among the largest programs, Registered Nursing, Nursing, Nursing Research and The Clinical Nursing program graduates 200 students annually with median earnings of $115,500 four years after enrollment, and Azimuth ranks it 1st nationally for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. The Business Administration, Management and Operations program graduates 130 students with median earnings of $49,700, while The Psychology, General program graduates 120 students earning median earnings of $36,400 four years after enrollment. Azimuth ranks Sociology 6th nationally for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions, with graduates earning $40,000, and Liberal Arts 7th nationally for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions, with graduates earning $37,900.
Program mix and student pathways explain much of the earnings story.
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 provides context for how California State University-San Marcos's dominant program families align with regional and national labor-market demand.
Lower quartile, 10-year field
Upper quartile, 10-year field
Graduates of California State University-San Marcos earn median earnings of $48,400 four years after enrollment, placing California State University-San Marcos in the 64th percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn below expectations, placing the institution in the 34th percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions. Those figures represent lifetime returns relative to California's no-degree-equivalent earnings baseline of $35,000 — the state median earnings of working adults age 25–34 with only a high school credential. While institution-level earnings track California's regional labor market, specific programs deliver materially stronger outcomes. Azimuth ranks Registered Nursing, Nursing, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing 1st nationally for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions, with graduates earning median earnings of $115,500 — 1.4x the national benchmark for the field. Health professions and related programs is the dominant program family, accounting for 28% of degrees, followed by business, management, marketing, and related support services at 20% and psychology at 9%. Among the largest programs, Registered Nursing, Nursing, Nursing Research and The Clinical Nursing program graduates 200 students annually with median earnings of $115,500 four years after enrollment, and Azimuth ranks it 1st nationally for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. The Business Administration, Management and Operations program graduates 130 students with median earnings of $49,700, while The Psychology, General program graduates 120 students earning median earnings of $36,400 four years after enrollment. Azimuth ranks Sociology 6th nationally for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions, with graduates earning $40,000, and Liberal Arts 7th nationally for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions, with graduates earning $37,900.
See which programs drive the strongest earnings and career trajectories
