Graduates of Chapman University earn median 4-year earnings of $73,336, placing Chapman University in the 74.3 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $1,219 less than similar students at comparable institutions, placing Chapman University in the 52.7 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions. Azimuth ranks Chapman University #333 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions. The earnings pattern reflects Chapman's concentration in business and professional fields. Business Administration is the largest program with 481 graduates earning median 4-year earnings of $84,378, at 1.2x the national benchmark for the field. The Film/Video and Photographic Arts program graduates 211 students earning $66,494 four years after enrollment, while Psychology, General and Public Health round out the top programs with 138 and 116 graduates respectively. These programs anchor Chapman's return profile, with Business representing the institution's primary degree focus and driving consistent mid-career earnings outcomes across the student body.
Graduates of Chapman University earn median 4-year earnings of $73,336, placing Chapman University in the 74.3 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $1,219 less than similar students at comparable institutions, placing Chapman University in the 52.7 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions. Azimuth ranks Chapman University #333 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions. The earnings pattern reflects Chapman's concentration in business and professional fields. Business Administration is the largest program with 481 graduates earning median 4-year earnings of $84,378, at 1.2x the national benchmark for the field. The Film/Video and Photographic Arts program graduates 211 students earning $66,494 four years after enrollment, while Psychology, General and Public Health round out the top programs with 138 and 116 graduates respectively. These programs anchor Chapman's return profile, with Business representing the institution's primary degree focus and driving consistent mid-career earnings outcomes across the student body.
Latest FE earnings field: 10-year
Lower quartile, 10-year field
How graduate earnings grow across the currently available FE horizons.
Financial justification for the investment.
Graduates of Chapman University earn median 4-year earnings of $73,336, placing Chapman University in the 74.3 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $1,219 less than similar students at comparable institutions, placing Chapman University in the 52.7 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions. Azimuth ranks Chapman University #333 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions. The earnings pattern reflects Chapman's concentration in business and professional fields. Business Administration is the largest program with 481 graduates earning median 4-year earnings of $84,378, at 1.2x the national benchmark for the field. The Film/Video and Photographic Arts program graduates 211 students earning $66,494 four years after enrollment, while Psychology, General and Public Health round out the top programs with 138 and 116 graduates respectively. These programs anchor Chapman's return profile, with Business representing the institution's primary degree focus and driving consistent mid-career earnings outcomes across the student body.
Program mix and student pathways explain much of the earnings story.
Chapman University's program mix is anchored in business and professional fields, reflecting the university's positioning as a career-focused private institution in Southern California. Business Administration is the largest program with 481 graduates, followed by Film/Video and Photographic Arts, Psychology, General, Public Health, and Business/Corporate Communications. The Business concentration—which includes Business at 33%, Arts at 20%, and Social Sciences at 5%—positions the university as a professional-degree-oriented institution with strong employer alignment in the Orange County and broader Southern California region. Among the highest-earning programs, Computer Science leads with 52 graduates earning median 4-year earnings of $112,780, followed by Business Administration with graduates earning $84,378, and Business/Corporate Communications with graduates earning $76,412. Communication and Media Studies and Public Health round out the institution's strongest earnings outcomes. These programs reflect direct-to-workforce pathways where graduates enter professional roles immediately after completion, with earnings reflecting stable labor-market demand in business, accounting, finance, and related applied fields. The program portfolio emphasizes applied professional preparation over research-intensive or graduate-school-dependent pathways. This orientation aligns with Chapman University's identity as a career-outcomes-focused private university serving students who prioritize early earnings and workforce entry. The supply and demand for college graduates provides context for how the institution's dominant program families align with regional and national labor-market demand in business and professional services.
Upper quartile, 10-year field
Graduates of Chapman University earn median 4-year earnings of $73,336, placing Chapman University in the 74.3 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $1,219 less than similar students at comparable institutions, placing Chapman University in the 52.7 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions. Azimuth ranks Chapman University #333 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions. The earnings pattern reflects Chapman's concentration in business and professional fields. Business Administration is the largest program with 481 graduates earning median 4-year earnings of $84,378, at 1.2x the national benchmark for the field. The Film/Video and Photographic Arts program graduates 211 students earning $66,494 four years after enrollment, while Psychology, General and Public Health round out the top programs with 138 and 116 graduates respectively. These programs anchor Chapman's return profile, with Business representing the institution's primary degree focus and driving consistent mid-career earnings outcomes across the student body.
See which programs drive the strongest earnings and career trajectories
