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Finance and Financial Management Services at California State University-San Marcos

San Marcos, CA · Public · Bachelor's Degree
83 /100
DegreeOutlook Score (Base Case) — assumes in-state tuition
84
Optimistic
83
Base Case
80
Pessimistic
Earnings $54,408/yr (-2% vs median)
AI Risk Very High (55% exposed)
Job Market Very Large (622,100 openings/yr)
ROI 25.5x earnings multiple (10.1x out-of-state)
Ranked #42 of 431 Finance and Financial Management Services programs Top 10%

How AI Changes the Outlook

Three scenarios based on how aggressively AI disrupts the career paths available to Finance and Financial Management Services graduates.

Optimistic
No Disruption		 Base Case
Gradual AI		 Pessimistic
Aggressive AI
10-Year Earnings $831K $789K $684K
Earnings Multiple (In-State) 26.8x 25.5x 22.1x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) 10.6x 10.1x 8.7x
Probability of Field Employment 69% 61% 44%
DegreeOutlook Score 84 83 80

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 (10.1x ROI)
4-Year Net Price (After Aid)
$42,200
-36% less than sticker · See by income
Median Debt at Graduation
$16,337
3.6 months of Year 1 earnings
Reported Earnings (5 Year)
$87,253
60% growth from Year 1

Program Analysis

California State University-San Marcos's Finance and Financial Management Services program produces graduates earning $54,408/yr — within striking distance of the $55,340 national average for this field.

Every dollar of in-state tuition returns an estimated 25.5x in decade earnings — an exceptional ratio that places this among the highest-ROI Finance and Financial Management Services programs nationally.

Some AI exposure exists in Finance and Financial Management Services's typical career paths, with 55% of job tasks potentially affected. The pessimistic scenario still projects solid returns, with a 18% gap from the optimistic case.

Loan repayment is a non-issue here — $16,337 in median debt clears quickly against $54,408 in annual earnings.

Ranked #42 of 431 programs, California State University-San Marcos's Finance and Financial Management Services program falls in the top 10%, outperforming most peers on financial outcomes.

Five-year earnings of $87,253 show a 60% jump from the $54,408 starting point — strong upward trajectory suggesting real career acceleration.

About California State University-San Marcos

A 96% acceptance rate means California State University-San Marcos is accessible to most applicants, 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
Financial managers $161,700/yr
Financial risk specialists $106,000/yr
View all 20 career paths with salary ranges and AI risk →

Compare & Explore

Compare this program → View all 431 schools offering Finance and Financial Management Services →

Finance and Financial Management Services at Other Schools

University of Pennsylvania ($122,698) Georgetown University ($106,218) Washington University in St Louis ($102,814) University of Notre Dame ($99,222) Wake Forest University ($85,944) Brigham Young University ($83,876) Fordham University ($83,789) American University ($83,505)

Other Majors at California State University-San Marcos

Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing ($103,799) Accounting and Related Services ($63,366) Computer Systems Analysis ($61,054) Computer Science ($60,645) Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology ($57,682) Physics ($56,018) International Business ($55,455) Management Information Systems and Services ($55,102)

Consider the Trade Route?

Compare Finance and Financial Management Services trade programs on TradeSchoolWorth →

Trade programs often mean less time in school, lower student debt, and hands-on career paths that tend to be more resilient to AI disruption.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the DegreeOutlook Score for Finance and Financial Management Services at California State University-San Marcos?
This program scores 83/100 — placing it among the stronger programs for Finance and Financial Management Services nationally. The score reflects above-average earnings, manageable AI risk, and solid financial return.
Will AI replace Finance and Financial Management Services careers?
With 55% of typical job tasks exposed to AI, this is one of the higher-risk fields. Our pessimistic scenario projects $684,213 in decade earnings vs $830,883 in the optimistic case — a meaningful gap.
Scores use College Scorecard earnings, BLS employment projections, and AI task-exposure research. See full methodology →