California State University-San Marcos
San Marcos, California
A 0–100 composite of ROI, graduate earnings, net price, debt and graduation rate. How it’s scored.
Estimated for a typical student paying the average net price over 4 years.
Graduate earnings clearly outpace the cost and debt — this degree pays back quickly.
The numbers behind the verdict
Lifetime ROI: the long view
Cumulative net gain over a high-school-only earner at different career lengths, with tuition and debt interest already subtracted. Built on IRS-verified federal earnings — not self-reported surveys.
Conservative: holds year-5 earnings flat (no raises). Adjust the assumptions, or see the highest 20-year ROI colleges.
Equity & access
Who the college serves and whether the payoff reaches everyone — earnings ten years after starting (IRS-linked), with access measures from federal enrollment data.
16% gap between the two groups
10% gap between the two groups
13% gap between the two groups
Undergraduate enrollment by race/ethnicity. Federal data does not report earnings by race.
Net price by family income
What students actually pay after grants and scholarships, by household income as of 2024.
| Family income | Average net price / yr |
|---|---|
| Family income $0–$30k | $6,230 |
| $30k–$48k | $7,240 |
| $48k–$75k | $8,928 |
| $75k–$110k | $12,525 |
| $110k+ | $18,734 |
How California State University-San Marcos compares
This college against the California and national averages — higher earnings and lower cost/debt are better.
Graduate earnings over time
Median earnings of California State University-San Marcos students 10 years after entering, by cohort year as of 2024.
Best-paying majors at California State University-San Marcos
Fields of study ranked by their own ROI — earnings five years after graduating against the cost and debt. Click a major for the deep dive.
| Major | Credential | Earnings (5 yr) | Median debt | 10-yr ROI | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Computer Science | Associate's | $110,266 | $12,500 | +2,509% | Strong return |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | Associate's | $105,792 | $24,246 | +1,975% | Strong return |
| Finance and Financial Management Services | Associate's | $87,253 | $16,337 | +1,500% | Strong return |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | Certificate | $134,848 | $60,000 | +1,331% | Strong return |
| Accounting and Related Services | Associate's | $81,423 | $20,452 | +1,205% | Strong return |
| Physics | Associate's | $80,480 | $19,000 | +1,196% | Strong return |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | Certificate | $110,496 | $36,990 | +1,104% | Strong return |
| Economics | Associate's | $77,155 | $18,620 | +1,080% | Strong return |
| Biotechnology | Associate's | $75,425 | $16,500 | +1,049% | Strong return |
| Marketing | Associate's | $75,915 | $18,000 | +1,044% | Strong return |
| Biology, General | Associate's | $76,916 | $23,750 | +996% | Strong return |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | Associate's | $74,005 | $19,500 | +952% | Strong return |
| Cell/Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences | Associate's | $72,329 | $19,462 | +892% | Strong return |
| Special Education and Teaching | Certificate | $82,494 | — | +816% | Strong return |
| Business/Commerce, General | Associate's | $68,281 | $20,951 | +729% | Strong return |
| Education, General | Certificate | $82,880 | $20,936 | +680% | Strong return |
| Social Sciences, General | Associate's | $63,814 | $15,000 | +626% | Strong return |
| Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness | Associate's | $63,880 | $17,500 | +604% | Strong return |
| Social Work | Certificate | $72,619 | $41,000 | +395% | Strong return |
| Communication and Media Studies | Associate's | $55,408 | $14,545 | +304% | Strong return |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities | Associate's | $55,289 | $16,226 | +290% | Strong return |
| Criminology | Associate's | $54,589 | $14,810 | +271% | Strong return |
| Psychology, General | Associate's | $54,559 | $17,750 | +255% | Strong return |
| Political Science and Government | Associate's | $53,339 | $17,666 | +210% | Strong return |
| Sociology | Associate's | $51,480 | $15,000 | +150% | Strong return |
Calculate your own ROI
Adjust the assumptions for your situation — the verdict, break-even and chart update live.
ROI at California State University-San Marcos
Estimates from federal data; your result will vary. How this works.
Admissions & profile
Location
Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard. ROI is computed by Degree Return — see how. Read the methodology. Data as of 2024.
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