Business Administrationat California State University-Los Angeles
Graduates earn $42,062/yr in their first year — about 10.0% below the national Business Administration average. Base-case 10-year earnings $585K; scenarios range from $529K to $593K depending on AI disruption.
What this degree looks like at Cal State LA
Graduates earn $42,062/yr, roughly in line with the $46,892 national median for Business Administration. The value proposition here depends on cost, not earnings.
The 21.5x 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 — 47% task exposure — and the 11% scenario spread suggests disruption would dent but not destroy the earnings outlook.
With first-year pay of $42,062 far exceeding the $13,000 median debt, the payback timeline is measured in months, not years.
Ranked #218 out of 1,169 programs, California State University-Los Angeles's Business Administration program lands in the top 5% — a strong signal of graduate success.
Earnings growth from $42,062 to $64,019 over five years (52% increase) indicates that graduates in this field see meaningful salary progression.
Three scenarios, ten years out
Each scenario is a different assumption about how AI reshapes the career paths this major feeds into. Earnings projections stack the full 10-year cumulative trajectory; scores use the same 0–100 metric as the hero, recomputed under that scenario's assumptions.
10 year projection
Year-by-year earnings under each scenario. Base case reflects BLS growth patterns applied to Cal State LA's starting earnings; optimistic and pessimistic adjust for AI's effect on each career path this major feeds into.
Common career destinations for this program's graduates, weighted by the school's specific occupation mix. Salary is BLS national median; AI risk is per-role task-exposure research.
Peer schools offering Business Administration
How Cal State LA stacks up against other schools offering this major.
Other top programs at Cal State LA
Other highest-scoring programs offered at Cal State LA, ranked by DegreeOutlook Score.
Consider the trade route
Not sure a 4-year degree is the right path? Trade programs in Business Administration offer shorter timelines, lower debt, and strong AI resilience for hands-on careers.
Compare Business Administration trade programs on TradeSchoolOutlook →Frequently asked about Business Administration at Cal State LA
How does California State University-Los Angeles's Business Administration program score?
A score of 70/100 indicates strong financial outcomes. California State University-Los Angeles's Business Administration graduates fare well on earnings, job market size, and return on investment.
How vulnerable is Business Administration to AI automation?
AI won't 'replace' Business Administration careers outright, but it is likely to reduce the number of job openings. We model 47% task exposure, which compresses field employment probability in our scenarios.
Why does California State University-Los Angeles rank so high for Business Administration?
The #218 ranking out of 1,169 programs is driven by strong financial outcomes — graduates earn well, debt is manageable relative to income, and the job market supports the field.