Program Analysis
First-year earnings of $55,092 put California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo's Forestry program 29% above the national median of $42,702 — one of the higher-earning programs in this field.
The 14.0x earnings multiple means ten-year projected earnings exceed tuition cost by an order of magnitude. By pure financial math, this is a standout.
AI risk is moderate — 34% task exposure — and the 9% scenario spread suggests disruption would dent but not destroy the earnings outlook.
With first-year pay of $55,092 far exceeding the $17,333 median debt, the payback timeline is measured in months, not years.
A #2 ranking out of 29 Forestry programs nationally puts California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo in the top 10% — a strong but not elite position.
The five-year earnings trajectory from $55,092 to $73,077 shows 33% growth, reflecting steady but unremarkable salary progression.