Graduates of San Diego State University earn median earnings of $68,268 four years after enrollment, placing San Diego State University in the 72.0 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. That figure sits above the $65,228 median at comparable institutions (same control and size band). Graduates earn at roughly the same level as similar students at comparable institutions, placing the institution in the 61.1 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions. Azimuth ranks San Diego State University #673 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions. The earnings pattern reflects a Business-leaning program mix — Business accounts for 23% of degrees, followed by Engineering at 9% and Social Sciences at 7%. Business Administration combines large cohort scale with strong pay, anchoring the institution's aggregate return story. Azimuth ranks Business Administration #50 for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions per the program-ranking methodology, with 1,875 graduates earning median earnings of $69,902. The Psychology, General program graduates 699 students with median earnings of $51,021, and Azimuth ranks Criminal Justice #27 for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions, with 417 graduates earning median earnings of $57,510. Further down the lineup, Kinesiology (406 graduates, median earnings of $59,914) and Interdisciplinary Studies (356 graduates, median earnings of $55,072) round out the highest-earning programs at San Diego State University.
Graduates of San Diego State University earn median earnings of $68,268 four years after enrollment, placing San Diego State University in the 72.0 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. That figure sits above the $65,228 median at comparable institutions (same control and size band). Graduates earn at roughly the same level as similar students at comparable institutions, placing the institution in the 61.1 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions. Azimuth ranks San Diego State University #673 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions. The earnings pattern reflects a Business-leaning program mix — Business accounts for 23% of degrees, followed by Engineering at 9% and Social Sciences at 7%. Business Administration combines large cohort scale with strong pay, anchoring the institution's aggregate return story. Azimuth ranks Business Administration #50 for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions per the program-ranking methodology, with 1,875 graduates earning median earnings of $69,902. The Psychology, General program graduates 699 students with median earnings of $51,021, and Azimuth ranks Criminal Justice #27 for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions, with 417 graduates earning median earnings of $57,510. Further down the lineup, Kinesiology (406 graduates, median earnings of $59,914) and Interdisciplinary Studies (356 graduates, median earnings of $55,072) round out the highest-earning programs at San Diego State University.
Latest FE earnings field: 10-year
How graduate earnings grow across the currently available FE horizons.
Financial justification for the investment.
Graduates of San Diego State University earn median earnings of $68,268 four years after enrollment, placing San Diego State University in the 72.0 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. That figure sits above the $65,228 median at comparable institutions (same control and size band). Graduates earn at roughly the same level as similar students at comparable institutions, placing the institution in the 61.1 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions. Azimuth ranks San Diego State University #673 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions. The earnings pattern reflects a Business-leaning program mix — Business accounts for 23% of degrees, followed by Engineering at 9% and Social Sciences at 7%. Business Administration combines large cohort scale with strong pay, anchoring the institution's aggregate return story. Azimuth ranks Business Administration #50 for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions per the program-ranking methodology, with 1,875 graduates earning median earnings of $69,902. The Psychology, General program graduates 699 students with median earnings of $51,021, and Azimuth ranks Criminal Justice #27 for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions, with 417 graduates earning median earnings of $57,510. Further down the lineup, Kinesiology (406 graduates, median earnings of $59,914) and Interdisciplinary Studies (356 graduates, median earnings of $55,072) round out the highest-earning programs at San Diego State University.
Program mix and student pathways explain much of the earnings story.
San Diego State University's program mix is anchored in Business, which accounts for 23% of degree output, followed by Engineering at 9% and Social Sciences at 7%. That applied-professional concentration shapes the institution's earnings profile: the largest programs by cohort size tend to sit in business-adjacent and social-science fields, while the highest four-year earnings come from engineering and technical disciplines. Business Administration is the largest program with 1,875 graduates, and Azimuth ranks it #50 nationally for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions, with graduates earning $69,902. Psychology, General (699 graduates, $51,021) and Criminal Justice (417 graduates, $57,510) round out the high-enrollment core. The strongest four-year earnings come from a different cluster. Azimuth ranks Computer Science #91 nationally for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions, with 259 graduates earning $100,586 — the highest early-career figure at San Diego State University. Mechanical Engineering follows at $97,825 (Azimuth ranks it #35 nationally among nonprofit four-year institutions), and Business Administration graduates 1,875 students into roles earning $69,902. These programs represent a narrower slice of total enrollment but contribute meaningfully to the institution's overall earnings outcomes, as evaluated per the program-ranking methodology. The split between high-enrollment business and social-science programs and smaller but higher-earning engineering and technical programs is a defining feature of San Diego State University's academic portfolio. Students choosing business or communication fields enter broad, well-recruited labor markets with solid mid-range earnings, while those in engineering and quantitative fields access higher starting pay in San Diego's defense, biotech, and technology sectors. The supply-demand map for college graduates provides additional context for how these program families align with regional and national hiring demand. Across 61 programs serving roughly 8,957 students annually, 53 meet Azimuth's ranking threshold — a broad portfolio that gives students meaningful choice across earnings tiers. ```
Lower quartile, 10-year field
Upper quartile, 10-year field
Graduates of San Diego State University earn median earnings of $68,268 four years after enrollment, placing San Diego State University in the 72.0 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. That figure sits above the $65,228 median at comparable institutions (same control and size band). Graduates earn at roughly the same level as similar students at comparable institutions, placing the institution in the 61.1 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions. Azimuth ranks San Diego State University #673 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions. The earnings pattern reflects a Business-leaning program mix — Business accounts for 23% of degrees, followed by Engineering at 9% and Social Sciences at 7%. Business Administration combines large cohort scale with strong pay, anchoring the institution's aggregate return story. Azimuth ranks Business Administration #50 for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions per the program-ranking methodology, with 1,875 graduates earning median earnings of $69,902. The Psychology, General program graduates 699 students with median earnings of $51,021, and Azimuth ranks Criminal Justice #27 for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions, with 417 graduates earning median earnings of $57,510. Further down the lineup, Kinesiology (406 graduates, median earnings of $59,914) and Interdisciplinary Studies (356 graduates, median earnings of $55,072) round out the highest-earning programs at San Diego State University.
