Nursingat California State University-San Marcos
Graduates earn $103,799/yr in their first year — about 38.0% above the national Nursing average. Base-case 10-year earnings $982K; scenarios range from $838K to $986K depending on AI disruption.
What this degree looks like at CSU San Marcos
The exceptional earnings for CSUSM nursing graduates are deeply rooted in Southern California's robust healthcare market. This region, particularly around San Diego, experiences high demand for skilled nurses, driven by an aging population and a dense network of major healthcare systems like Sharp, Scripps, and Kaiser Permanente. These employers offer highly competitive salaries and benefits, often bolstered by strong union representation, to attract and retain talent in a high-cost-of-living area. Your program's comprehensive scope, from clinical care to administration, positions you well for diverse roles, including advanced practice or leadership, which command higher pay. To maximize your earning potential and career trajectory, actively seek out diverse clinical placements and network extensively with local healthcare professionals throughout your studies.
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 CSU San Marcos'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 Nursing
How CSU San Marcos stacks up against other schools offering this major.
Other top programs at CSU San Marcos
Other highest-scoring programs offered at CSU San Marcos, ranked by DegreeOutlook Score.
Consider the trade route
Not sure a 4-year degree is the right path? Trade programs in Nursing offer shorter timelines, lower debt, and strong AI resilience for hands-on careers.
Compare Nursing trade programs on TradeSchoolOutlook →Frequently asked about Nursing at CSU San Marcos
What does a 91/100 DegreeOutlook Score mean for Nursing at California State University-San Marcos?
At 91/100, this is a high-performing program. The DegreeOutlook Score combines earnings, AI resilience, and ROI — and this program delivers on all three.
Should I worry about AI if I study Nursing at California State University-San Marcos?
The 39% AI task exposure score is above average. Our model shows this affecting job availability more than salaries — graduates may face stiffer competition for fewer positions.
Is California State University-San Marcos one of the best schools for Nursing?
Among 990 Nursing programs, California State University-San Marcos's #26 position reflects consistently above-average results across earnings, ROI, and employment probability.