Psychology at California State University-San Marcos
San Marcos, CA · Public · Bachelor's Degree · Psychology, General
DegreeOutlook Score (Base Case) — assumes in-state tuition
47
Optimistic
46
Base Case
46
Pessimistic
Earnings
$31,355/yr (-1% vs median)
AI Risk
High (49% exposed)
Job Market
Very Large (125,000 openings/yr)
ROI
18.0x earnings multiple (7.1x out-of-state)
How AI Changes the Outlook
Three scenarios based on how aggressively AI disrupts the career paths available to Psychology graduates.
| Optimistic No Disruption |
Base Case Gradual AI |
Pessimistic Aggressive AI |
|
|---|---|---|---|
| 10-Year Earnings | $564K | $558K | $511K |
| Earnings Multiple (In-State) | 18.2x | 18.0x | 16.5x |
| Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) | 7.2x | 7.1x | 6.5x |
| Probability of Field Employment | 51% | 47% | 34% |
| DegreeOutlook Score | 47 | 46 | 46 |
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 (7.1x ROI)
Median Debt at Graduation
$17,750
6.8 months of Year 1 earnings
Reported Earnings (5 Year)
$54,559
74% growth from Year 1
About California State University-San Marcos
A 96% acceptance rate means California State University-San Marcos is accessible to most applicants, with a mid-sized student body of 14,174 in San Marcos, CA. Pell Grant recipients make up 44% of the student body — a marker of economic diversity.
See all programs and financial aid at California State University-San Marcos →Top Career Paths
Managers, all other
$136,550/yr
Psychologists, all other
$117,580/yr
Industrial-organizational psychologists
$109,840/yr
Compare & Explore
Psychology at Other Schools
Other Majors at California State University-San Marcos
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 Psychology at California State University-San Marcos?
A score of 46/100 indicates below-average financial outcomes for Psychology. Earnings, ROI, or AI risk factors are pulling the score down.
Will AI replace Psychology careers?
With 49% of typical job tasks exposed to AI, this is one of the higher-risk fields. Our pessimistic scenario projects $510,616 in decade earnings vs $564,412 in the optimistic case — a meaningful gap.
Scores use College Scorecard earnings, BLS employment projections, and AI task-exposure research.
See full methodology →