1. [College research](/) 2. / 3. [Sonoma State University](/school/sonoma-state-university/) 4. / 5. Career outcomes brief Career outcomes brief Copy linkPrint brief # Sonoma State University Career Outcomes & Earnings Updated September 30, 2026 [Overview](/school/sonoma-state-university/)[Cost & aid](/school/sonoma-state-university/cost/)Outcomes[Admissions](/school/sonoma-state-university/admissions/)[Majors](/school/sonoma-state-university/majors/)[Similar schools](/school/sonoma-state-university/similar/) **On this page**+ ## How much do Sonoma State University graduates earn? The reported median is $65,997 four years after completion. The peer comparison uses $57,301 as its benchmark; the difference is $8,696 per year. Four years after completing a degree, federally aided graduates who are working and not enrolled earn a median of $65,997, in the 68th percentile nationally. That is $8,696 above the $57,301 median for comparable institutions (same type and size). Azimuth places the return pillar in the 76th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $10,523 more than the model expects for similar students. That places the gap at the 84th percentile. The part the model attributes to the factors it measures (field of study, enrollment and the local labor market) adds $6,015. The part it attributes to a remainder it does not explain adds $4,508. Within the measured factors, the STEM component adds $612. Earnings four years after completion vary widely by field at Sonoma State University, a spread captured by three earnings scenarios: a downside of $54,134, a typical scenario of $65,997, and an upside of $88,922. The range reflects the mix of programs across the university's 24 fields with published data. At the top of that range, Nursing completers earn a median of $143,886, while Electrical Engineering graduates reach $112,757 and Computer Science completers earn $106,181. An estimated 32.4% of graduates continue to graduate study, a figure derived from the university's program mix rather than observed enrollment. Because four-year earnings figures capture only those working and not enrolled, the median earnings understate the eventual earnings of the sizable share of completers who pursue advanced degrees. **Median earnings · four years after completion** $65,997 **Rank for difference from expectations** 84th percentile Four-year median earnings against two benchmarks **Sonoma State University reported median** $65,997 **Peer schools comparable schools · $8,696 below Sonoma State University** $57,301 **Model expectation what similar students would be expected to earn · $10,523 below Sonoma State University** $55,474 School and program earnings use pooled 2017–18 and 2018–19 completion cohorts, measured in 2022 and 2023 and expressed in 2024 dollars. [How the model works](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/). ## How could earnings differ from the median? The planning scenarios range from $54,134 to $88,922, around the reported median of $65,997. Compare the lower scenario with [Sonoma State University borrowing and monthly payments](/school/sonoma-state-university/cost/) to see how a smaller income could change your plan. Modeled from the school’s program mix; not salary percentiles or a forecast for one graduate. Earnings four years after completion Planning rangeReported median **Lower estimate** $54,134 **Median · reported** $65,997 **Higher estimate** $88,922 Downside shows a lower-earning scenario based on the college’s mix of programs; upside shows a higher-earning scenario. Typical is the school’s reported median four years after completion. These are planning scenarios, not a forecast of your salary or percentiles of individual graduates. [Why the downside matters](/analysis/median-roi-hides-a-harsh-reality/) explores the risk hidden by medians, using older ten-year entrant data. [Read about the move to four-year earnings](/analysis/college-scorecard-2026-4-year-vs-10-year-earnings-2-2/). ## Do Sonoma State University graduates earn more than expected? Azimuth models what we would expect graduates to earn based on who the college enrolls, how selective it is and its local economy. The difference between that expectation and reported earnings is what Azimuth calls [value added](/methodology/#value-added). Sonoma State University graduates’ reported earnings are $10,523 above that expectation, the 84th percentile for this measure. Unlike a peer comparison, it adjusts for who enrolls. The breakdown separates the contribution attributed to observed factors from the remaining difference. Neither component establishes how much attending Sonoma State University caused a student to earn. [Read how expected earnings are estimated](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/). What explains value-added earnings? **Program & institutional factors The part attributed to observed institutional characteristics.** +$6,015 **Unexplained remainder What remains after the model’s observed factors.** +$4,508 **Total modeled value added The modeled difference from expected earnings.** +$10,523 These are statistical model components, not proven causal effects; the remainder is not a direct measure of teaching quality. ## Which fields at Sonoma State University report the highest earnings? Sonoma State University's strongest nationally ranked programs span both high-earning technical fields and larger social-science and education programs. Education holds an Azimuth national rank of #2 and the top spot in California, with 130 degrees awarded and median earnings of $52,842 four years after completion. Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies ranks #4 nationally and #2 in California, awarding 47 degrees and reaching $64,116. Nursing follows at #6 nationally, and #6 in California, with 63 degrees awarded and median earnings of $143,886. The highest-earning program, Nursing, reaches $143,886 on 63 degrees awarded. The largest program, Business Administration and Management, awards 421 degrees and earns a median of $75,887. Psychology, with 213 degrees awarded, reports $57,335 and an Azimuth national rank of #62. The spread between a top-ranked field like Education and a larger moderate-earning program like Psychology shows the range of earnings outcomes across the university's programs. Sonoma State University publishes earnings data for 24 bachelor's programs, 21 of which hold an Azimuth national rank. The strongest-ranked is Education, which sits at #2 nationally and #1 in California. It awarded 130 degrees, and its completers earn a median of $52,842 four years after completion. The largest program, Business Administration and Management, awarded 421 degrees and ranks #63 nationally, with a median of $75,887. Nursing ranks #6 nationally and #6 in California. The program awarded 63 degrees, and its completers earn a median of $143,886 four years after completion. Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies holds a national rank of #4 with 47 degrees awarded and a median of $64,116. Anthropology rounds out the top-ranked group at #9 nationally, awarding 29 degrees and a median of $62,674. Highest reported four-year program earnings **Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing** $143,886 **Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering** $112,757 **Computer Science** $106,181 **Economics** $83,668 **Business Administration, Management and Operations** $75,887 **Natural Resources Conservation and Research** $69,077 **Communication and Media Studies** $68,833 **Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness** $67,351 [Explore Sonoma State University program cohorts and field ranks](/school/sonoma-state-university/majors/#largest-cohorts) for more context. ## Further analysis Earnings scenarios grounded in the university's program mix show a downside of $54,134, a typical outcome of $65,997, and an upside of $88,922. At the high end, Nursing graduates earn a median of $143,886 four years after completion, while Education, one of the largest programs, sits at $52,842. Four years after graduating, Sonoma State University completers earn a median of $65,997, which is above the peer median of $57,301 for comparable institutions (same type and size). The earnings cohort includes 2,027 completers. Graduates earn about $10,523 more than the model expects for similar students, a result that places the university in the 84th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. Earnings scenarios anchored on the university's program mix show a downside scenario of $54,134 and an upside scenario reaching $88,922, with the typical scenario matching the observed median. An estimated 32.4% of graduates continue to graduate study, a figure estimated from the program mix. Earnings that beat the model's expectations and a median that sits above the peer benchmark point the same way for graduates. ## Data & methodology Sources and reporting periods: [methodology](/methodology/). Analysis and methodology by [Daniel Rogers](/about/#founder), founder of College Azimuth. Explanatory text is AI-assisted drafting checked against those figures; it is not an additional data source. Figure notes link to sources and limitations. [About College Azimuth](/about/).