Program Analysis
First-year earnings of $33,387 track close to the $33,901 national median for Animal Sciences programs. This is a middle-of-the-road outcome on salary alone.
The 17.3x 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 — 42% task exposure — and the 9% scenario spread suggests disruption would dent but not destroy the earnings outlook.
The $17,606 debt-to-$33,387 income ratio translates to about 6 months of earnings. Standard loan terms should handle this comfortably.
Ranked #13 out of 81 programs, California State University-Chico's Animal Sciences program lands in the top 5% — a strong signal of graduate success.
Earnings growth from $33,387 to $56,684 over five years (70% increase) indicates that graduates in this field see meaningful salary progression.