Journalism: California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo vs California State University-Chico
Head-to-Head
| California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo | California State University-Chico | |
|---|---|---|
| Earnings Multiple (In-State) | 10.6x | 11.4x |
| Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) | 3.8x | 4.6x |
| 4-Year Tuition (In-State) | $44,300 | $32,256 |
| Year 1 Earnings | $48,637 | $35,668 |
| 10-Year Earnings | $471K | $366K |
| Median Debt | $19,500 | $18,618 |
| Debt-to-Earnings Ratio | 4.8 months | 6.3 months |
| DegreeWorth Score (In-State) | 57/100 | 51/100 |
| Acceptance Rate | 29.8% | 93.7% |
Both programs have very high AI automation risk (64% task exposure) — the same career paths apply to Journalism graduates regardless of school. See full AI analysis →
ROI Breakdown
How tuition costs translate into long-term earnings for Journalism graduates.
| California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo | California State University-Chico | |
|---|---|---|
| 4-Year Tuition (In-State) | $44,300 | $32,256 |
| 4-Year Tuition (Out-of-State) | $123,980 | $79,776 |
| 10-Year Projected Earnings | $471K | $366K |
| Earnings Multiple (In-State) | 10.6x | 11.4x |
| Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) | 3.8x | 4.6x |
| 5-Year Salary Growth | +39% | +58% |
"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 Journalism (same career paths). The score differences below reflect how each school's earnings and ROI hold up under stress.
| California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo | California State University-Chico | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Optim. | Base | Pessim. | Optim. | Base | Pessim. | |
| 10-Year Earnings | $727K | $471K | $307K | $628K | $366K | $225K |
| Earnings Multiple (IS) | 16.4x | 10.6x | 6.9x | 19.5x | 11.4x | 7.0x |
| DegreeWorth Score | 62 | 57 | 49 | 57 | 51 | 42 |
For the full AI analysis of Journalism career paths, see the California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo or California State University-Chico program pages.
Earnings Trajectory Comparison
Projected annual earnings for Journalism graduates. Year 1 uses actual reported data.
Career Paths
Journalism 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Communications teachers, postsecondary | $77,800 | 2,700 | +2.1% | 43% |
| Editors | $75,260 | 9,800 | +0.6% | 65% |
| Writers and authors | $72,270 | 13,400 | +3.6% | 89% |
| Film and video editors | $70,980 | 3,600 | +4.0% | 53% |
| News analysts, reporters, and journalists | $60,280 | 4,100 | -3.9% | 65% |
| Proofreaders and copy markers | $49,210 | 1,900 | -0.6% | 98% |
| Broadcast announcers and radio disc jockeys | $45,680 | 2,300 | -5.5% | 65% |
| Photographers | $42,520 | 12,700 | +1.8% | 39% |