Registered Nursing & Nursing Administration: California State University-Chico vs Sonoma State University

Side-by-side ROI comparison · Bachelor's Degree
Return on Investment
10-year earnings ÷ tuition · higher is better
Sonoma State University
Rohnert Park, CA
In-State
34.6x
$32,256 tuition
36.9x
$32,760 tuition
Out-of-State
14.0x
$79,776 tuition
15.0x
$80,280 tuition
$1,116,852 10-yr earnings · Public
$1,207,830 10-yr earnings · Public

Head-to-Head

California State University-Chico Sonoma State University
Earnings Multiple (In-State) 34.6x 36.9x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) 14.0x 15.0x
4-Year Tuition (In-State) $32,256 $32,760
Year 1 Earnings $113,181 $125,646
10-Year Earnings $1,117K $1,208K
Median Debt $16,500 $12,500
Debt-to-Earnings Ratio 1.7 months 1.2 months
DegreeWorth Score (In-State) 88/100 88/100
Acceptance Rate 93.7% 94.7%

Both programs have high AI automation risk (39% task exposure) — the same career paths apply to Registered Nursing & Nursing Administration graduates regardless of school. See full AI analysis →

ROI Breakdown

How tuition costs translate into long-term earnings for Registered Nursing & Nursing Administration graduates.

California State University-Chico Sonoma State University
4-Year Tuition (In-State) $32,256 $32,760
4-Year Tuition (Out-of-State) $79,776 $80,280
10-Year Projected Earnings $1,117K $1,208K
Earnings Multiple (In-State) 34.6x 36.9x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) 14.0x 15.0x
5-Year Salary Growth +7% +5%

"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 Registered Nursing & Nursing Administration (same career paths). The score differences below reflect how each school's earnings and ROI hold up under stress.

California State University-Chico Sonoma State University
Optim. Base Pessim. Optim. Base Pessim.
10-Year Earnings $1,122K $1,117K $937K $1,213K $1,208K $1,004K
Earnings Multiple (IS) 34.8x 34.6x 29.0x 37.0x 36.9x 30.7x
DegreeWorth Score 88 88 83 88 88 83

For the full AI analysis of Registered Nursing & Nursing Administration career paths, see the California State University-Chico or Sonoma State University program pages.

Earnings Trajectory Comparison

Projected annual earnings for Registered Nursing & Nursing Administration graduates. Year 1 uses actual reported data.

Tuition Gap (In-State)
$504
California State University-Chico saves you this
Year 1 Earnings Gap
$12,465/yr
Sonoma State University grads earn more
ROI Range (In-State)
34.6x / 36.9x
Out-of-state: 14.0x / 15.0x

Career Paths

Registered Nursing & Nursing Administration 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
Nurse anesthetists $223,210 2,700 +8.6% 17%
Nurse practitioners $129,210 29,500 +40.1% 48%
Nurse midwives $128,790 500 +11.1% 39%
Medical and health services managers $117,960 62,100 +23.2% 43%
Registered nurses $93,600 189,100 +4.9% 45%
Nursing instructors and teachers, postsecondary $79,940 8,600 +16.8% 40%
Want to compare different schools or majors? Try the freeform comparison tool →

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Frequently Asked Questions

Which is better for Registered Nursing & Nursing Administration: California State University-Chico or Sonoma State University?
California State University-Chico scores 88/100 while Sonoma State University scores 88/100. 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 Registered Nursing & Nursing Administration?
California State University-Chico has an in-state earnings multiple of 34.6x vs Sonoma State University's 36.9x. That means Sonoma State University grads earn more per dollar spent on tuition.
How do California State University-Chico and Sonoma State University compare on Registered Nursing & Nursing Administration earnings?
Year 1 median earnings are $113,181 at California State University-Chico vs $125,646 at Sonoma State University. Over 10 years, the projected totals are $1,116,852 vs $1,207,830 — a difference of $90,978.
How much does Registered Nursing & Nursing Administration cost at each school?
Four-year in-state tuition is $32,256 at California State University-Chico and $32,760 at Sonoma State University. Median debt at graduation is $16,500 vs $12,500. Both programs lead to the same Registered Nursing & Nursing Administration 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.