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Social Sciences, General at California State University-Monterey Bay

Seaside, CA · Public · Bachelor's Degree
54 /100
DegreeOutlook Score (Base Case) — assumes in-state tuition
55
Optimistic
54
Base Case
59
Pessimistic
Earnings $34,678/yr (-10% vs median)
AI Risk High (45% exposed)
Job Market Very Large (318,400 openings/yr)
ROI 18.1x earnings multiple (7.0x out-of-state)
Ranked #28 of 76 Social Sciences, General programs Top 50%

How AI Changes the Outlook

Three scenarios based on how aggressively AI disrupts the career paths available to Social Sciences, General graduates.

Optimistic
No Disruption		 Base Case
Gradual AI		 Pessimistic
Aggressive AI
10-Year Earnings $545K $539K $503K
Earnings Multiple (In-State) 18.3x 18.1x 16.9x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) 7.0x 7.0x 6.5x
Probability of Field Employment 61% 54% 43%
DegreeOutlook Score 55 54 59

10-Year Earnings Projection

*Year 1 uses actual reported earnings. Scenarios diverge as AI impact compounds over time.

4-Year Tuition, In-State (Sticker)
$29,748
Out-of-state: $77,268 (7.0x ROI)
4-Year Net Price (After Aid)
$57,948
-95% less than sticker · See by income
Median Debt at Graduation
$11,000
3.8 months of Year 1 earnings
Reported Earnings (5 Year)
$52,537
51% growth from Year 1

Program Analysis

Graduates earn $34,678/yr, roughly in line with the $38,652 national median for Social Sciences, General. The value proposition here depends on cost, not earnings.

The 18.1x 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 — 45% task exposure — and the 8% scenario spread suggests disruption would dent but not destroy the earnings outlook.

With first-year pay of $34,678 far exceeding the $11,000 median debt, the payback timeline is measured in months, not years.

Ranked #28 out of 76 programs, California State University-Monterey Bay's Social Sciences, General offering sits in the upper half but doesn't break into the top tier.

Earnings growth from $34,678 to $52,537 over five years (51% increase) indicates that graduates in this field see meaningful salary progression.

About California State University-Monterey Bay

California State University-Monterey Bay accepts 95% of applicants — an open-access institution by design, with a mid-sized student body of 5,811 in Seaside, CA. With 43% of students on Pell Grants, the campus draws from a broad economic spectrum.

See all programs and financial aid at California State University-Monterey Bay →

Top Career Paths

Managers, all other $136,550/yr
Statisticians $103,300/yr
Sociologists $101,690/yr
View all 11 career paths with salary ranges and AI risk →

Compare & Explore

Compare this program → View all 76 schools offering Social Sciences, General →

Social Sciences, General at Other Schools

Mercer University ($61,612) Vanderbilt University ($61,389) University of Washington-Seattle Campus ($57,538) Harvard University ($56,540) Upper Iowa University ($56,221) Campbell University ($50,653) University of Maryland Global Campus ($50,557) New York University ($49,016)

Other Majors at California State University-Monterey Bay

Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing ($117,088) Computer Science ($71,458) Business Administration, Management and Operations ($47,825) Human Services, General ($37,501) Hospitality Administration/Management ($35,760) Biology, General ($35,312) International/Global Studies ($34,246) Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services ($34,089)

Is a Trade Program a Better Fit?

Compare Social Sciences, General trade programs on TradeSchoolWorth →

For students who prefer applied learning, trade programs can deliver strong earnings with significantly less debt and shorter time to employment.

Frequently Asked Questions

How does California State University-Monterey Bay's Social Sciences, General program score?
This program scores 54/100, reflecting respectable but not exceptional financial outcomes for Social Sciences, General graduates.
How vulnerable is Social Sciences, General to AI automation?
AI won't 'replace' Social Sciences, General careers outright, but it is likely to reduce the number of job openings. We model 45% task exposure, which compresses field employment probability in our scenarios.
Scores use College Scorecard earnings, BLS employment projections, and AI task-exposure research. See full methodology →