Program Analysis
First-year earnings of $37,446 track close to the $38,652 national median for Social Sciences, General programs. This is a middle-of-the-road outcome on salary alone.
The 20.1x 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 11% scenario spread suggests disruption would dent but not destroy the earnings outlook.
At $15,000 in median debt against $37,446 in first-year earnings, graduates can expect to clear their loan balance in under six months of full earnings.
Ranked #9 out of 76 programs, California State University-San Marcos's Social Sciences, General program lands in the top 5% — a strong signal of graduate success.
Earnings growth from $37,446 to $63,814 over five years (70% increase) indicates that graduates in this field see meaningful salary progression.