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Health Professions · Communication Disorders Rank #6 of 103

Communication Disordersat San Diego State University

Graduates earn $22,378/yr in their first year — about 12.0% below the national Communication Disorders average. Base-case 10-year earnings $946K; scenarios range from $778K to $950K depending on AI disruption.

San Diego, CA Public Bachelor's Degree
DegreeOutlook Score
42 AVERAGE
42
Optimistic
43
Pessimistic
Earnings
$22,378
1-year post-graduation
ROI
21.7x
Earnings : in-state tuition
10-yr Base
$946K
Cumulative base-case earnings
AI Risk
High
51% task exposure
Program Analysis

What this degree looks like at San Diego State

San Diego State's Communication Disorders program consistently ranks among the nation's best, reflecting its rigorous curriculum and strong faculty. While initial earnings data might appear lower than the national average, this often reflects the regional labor market dynamics in Southern California. Public sector roles for speech-language pathologists and audiologists, particularly in school districts like San Diego Unified, are prevalent and vital but often have standardized pay scales that don't always align with the high cost of living. Your undergraduate degree here is a superb foundation, almost certainly preparing you for graduate studies—an essential step for full licensure and significantly higher earning potential in clinical or private practice settings. This program excels at providing robust clinical experiences and networking opportunities within the San Diego healthcare and education communities, with graduates finding roles at local hospitals like Sharp and Scripps, as well as various therapy centers. To maximize your long-term prospects, focus on securing strong internships and meticulously planning your graduate school applications, as that advanced degree is key to unlocking the field's full financial and professional rewards.

AI Outlook Integration

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.

Pessimistic
Mass Automation
$778K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score43/100
Earnings Multiple23.5x
Base Case
Moderate Integration
$946K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score42/100
Earnings Multiple28.5x
Optimistic
AI Augmentation
$950K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score42/100
Earnings Multiple28.7x
Earnings Trajectory

10 year projection

Year-by-year earnings under each scenario. Base case reflects BLS growth patterns applied to San Diego State's starting earnings; optimistic and pessimistic adjust for AI's effect on each career path this major feeds into.

Career Paths

Where Communication Disorders graduates typically work

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.

1
Health specialties teachers, postsecondary
+17.3% 10-yr growth · 27,400 openings/yr
$105,620/yr
Moderate
2
Speech-language pathologists
+15.0% 10-yr growth · 13,300 openings/yr
$95,410/yr
Moderate
3
Audiologists
+9.5% 10-yr growth · 700 openings/yr
$92,120/yr
Moderate
Source: BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics, May 2024. AI exposure from OpenAI GPTs-are-GPTs and Felten AIOE research.
Compare & Explore

Peer schools offering Communication Disorders

How San Diego State stacks up against other schools offering this major.

Highest earnings
Nevada State University
NV · Public
52
DW Score
$48K
1-yr earn
17.8x
ROI
Same state (CA)
California Baptist University
CA · Private nonprofit
29
DW Score
$39K
1-yr earn
2.4x
ROI
Baylor University
TX · Private nonprofit
29
DW Score
$38K
1-yr earn
1.9x
ROI
Arizona State University Campus Immersion
AZ · Public
41
DW Score
$37K
1-yr earn
10.8x
ROI
Arizona State University Digital Immersion
AZ · Public
32
DW Score
$37K
1-yr earn
Also at San Diego State

Other top programs at San Diego State

Other highest-scoring programs offered at San Diego State, ranked by DegreeOutlook Score.

Consider the trade route

Not sure a 4-year degree is the right path? Trade programs in Communication Disorders offer shorter timelines, lower debt, and strong AI resilience for hands-on careers.

Compare Communication Disorders trade programs on TradeSchoolOutlook →
FAQ

Frequently asked about Communication Disorders at San Diego State

How does San Diego State University's Communication Disorders program score?

This program scores 42/100 — on the lower end for Communication Disorders. Prospective students should carefully weigh costs against likely earnings.

How vulnerable is Communication Disorders to AI automation?

AI won't 'replace' Communication Disorders careers outright, but it is likely to reduce the number of job openings. We model 46% task exposure, which compresses field employment probability in our scenarios.