Health Sciences: California State University-Chico vs Northwestern State University of Louisiana

Side-by-side ROI comparison · Bachelor's Degree
Return on Investment
10-year earnings ÷ tuition · higher is better
In-State
14.2x
$32,256 tuition
16.8x
$35,456 tuition
Out-of-State
5.7x
$79,776 tuition
7.6x
$78,608 tuition
$40,057/yr starting · Public
$59,186/yr starting · Public

Head-to-Head

California State University-Chico Northwestern State University of Louisiana
Earnings Multiple (In-State) 14.2x 16.8x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) 5.7x 7.6x
4-Year Tuition (In-State) $32,256 $35,456
Year 1 Earnings $40,057 $59,186
10-Year Earnings $457K $597K
Median Debt $19,331 $19,282
Debt-to-Earnings Ratio 5.8 months 3.9 months
DegreeWorth Score (In-State) 58/100 67/100
Acceptance Rate 93.7% 93.7%

Both programs have high AI automation risk (43% task exposure) — the same career paths apply to Health Sciences graduates regardless of school. See full AI analysis →

ROI Breakdown

How tuition costs translate into long-term earnings for Health Sciences graduates.

California State University-Chico Northwestern State University of Louisiana
4-Year Tuition (In-State) $32,256 $35,456
4-Year Tuition (Out-of-State) $79,776 $78,608
10-Year Projected Earnings $457K $597K
Earnings Multiple (In-State) 14.2x 16.8x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) 5.7x 7.6x

"Earnings Multiple" = projected 10-year earnings ÷ 4-year tuition. Higher is better. Not a discounted financial ROI.

AI Disruption Scenarios

Both schools share identical AI exposure for Health Sciences (same career paths). The score differences below reflect how each school's earnings and ROI hold up under stress.

California State University-Chico Northwestern State University of Louisiana
Optim. Base Pessim. Optim. Base Pessim.
10-Year Earnings $606K $457K $311K $678K $597K $460K
Earnings Multiple (IS) 18.8x 14.2x 9.6x 19.1x 16.8x 13.0x
DegreeWorth Score 59 58 52 66 67 62

For the full AI analysis of Health Sciences career paths, see the California State University-Chico or Northwestern State University of Louisiana program pages.

Earnings Trajectory Comparison

Projected annual earnings for Health Sciences graduates. Year 1 uses actual reported data.

Tuition Gap (In-State)
$3,200
California State University-Chico saves you this
Year 1 Earnings Gap
$19,129/yr
Northwestern State University of Louisiana grads earn more
ROI Range (In-State)
14.2x / 16.8x
Out-of-state: 5.7x / 7.6x

Career Paths

Health Sciences graduates from both schools map to the same career paths. Differences in earnings reflect school prestige, location, and employer networks.

Career Path Wage Openings/yr Growth AI Risk
Health education specialists $63,000 7,900 +4.5% 53%
Community health workers $51,030 7,800 +11.3% 32%

Explore Each Program

More Health Sciences Comparisons

Health Sciences Overview

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is better for Health Sciences: California State University-Chico or Northwestern State University of Louisiana?
California State University-Chico scores 58/100 while Northwestern State University of Louisiana scores 67/100. California State University-Chico has significantly lower tuition, which drives its competitive ROI. The best choice depends on whether you prioritize raw earnings or return on investment.
Which school has better ROI for Health Sciences?
California State University-Chico has an in-state earnings multiple of 14.2x vs Northwestern State University of Louisiana's 16.8x. That means Northwestern State University of Louisiana grads earn more per dollar spent on tuition.
How do California State University-Chico and Northwestern State University of Louisiana compare on Health Sciences earnings?
Year 1 median earnings are $40,057 at California State University-Chico vs $59,186 at Northwestern State University of Louisiana. Over 10 years, the projected totals are $456,664 vs $596,823 — a difference of $140,159.
How much does Health Sciences cost at each school?
Four-year in-state tuition is $32,256 at California State University-Chico and $35,456 at Northwestern State University of Louisiana. Median debt at graduation is $19,331 vs $19,282. Both programs lead to the same Health Sciences career paths — the cost difference is the main factor in ROI.
Data: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (earnings, debt), Bureau of Labor Statistics 2024-2034 (employment projections), OpenAI GPTs-are-GPTs research (AI task exposure), Felten et al. AIOE. Scenarios use a continuous weighting function combining AI exposure and BLS job growth projections. "Earnings Multiple" is total 10-year projected earnings divided by tuition — not a discounted financial ROI. Last updated 2025.