Business at California State University-San Marcos
San Marcos, CA · Public · Bachelor's Degree · Business/Commerce, General
DegreeOutlook Score (Base Case) — assumes in-state tuition
74
Optimistic
74
Base Case
69
Pessimistic
Earnings
$46,958/yr (-3% vs median)
AI Risk
High (46% exposed)
Job Market
Very Large (832,900 openings/yr)
ROI
19.6x earnings multiple (7.7x out-of-state)
How AI Changes the Outlook
Three scenarios based on how aggressively AI disrupts the career paths available to Business graduates.
| Optimistic No Disruption |
Base Case Gradual AI |
Pessimistic Aggressive AI |
|
|---|---|---|---|
| 10-Year Earnings | $616K | $605K | $547K |
| Earnings Multiple (In-State) | 19.9x | 19.6x | 17.7x |
| Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) | 7.8x | 7.7x | 7.0x |
| Probability of Field Employment | 49% | 45% | 34% |
| DegreeOutlook Score | 74 | 74 | 69 |
10-Year Earnings Projection
*Year 1 uses actual reported earnings. Scenarios diverge as AI impact compounds over time.
4-Year Tuition, In-State (Sticker)
$30,956
Out-of-state: $78,476 (7.7x ROI)
Median Debt at Graduation
$20,951
5.4 months of Year 1 earnings
Reported Earnings (5 Year)
$68,281
45% growth from Year 1
About California State University-San Marcos
California State University-San Marcos has a 96% acceptance rate, making it broadly accessible, serving 14,174 students in San Marcos, CA. With 44% of students on Pell Grants, the campus draws from a broad economic spectrum.
See all programs and financial aid at California State University-San Marcos →Top Career Paths
Chief executives
$206,420/yr
Sales managers
$138,060/yr
Managers, all other
$136,550/yr
Compare & Explore
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Is a Trade Program a Better Fit?
For students who prefer applied learning, trade programs can deliver strong earnings with significantly less debt and shorter time to employment.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the DegreeOutlook Score for Business at California State University-San Marcos?
This program scores 74/100 — placing it among the stronger programs for Business nationally. The score reflects above-average earnings, manageable AI risk, and solid financial return.
Will AI replace Business careers?
With 46% of typical job tasks exposed to AI, this is one of the higher-risk fields. Our pessimistic scenario projects $546,858 in decade earnings vs $615,637 in the optimistic case — a meaningful gap.
Scores use College Scorecard earnings, BLS employment projections, and AI task-exposure research.
See full methodology →