Home Schools SF State Business Administration
Business · Business Administration Rank #46 of 1169

Business Administrationat San Francisco State University

Graduates earn $48,184/yr in their first year — about 3.0% above the national Business Administration average. Base-case 10-year earnings $673K; scenarios range from $594K to $690K depending on AI disruption.

San Francisco, CA Public Bachelor's Degree
DegreeOutlook Score
77 STRONG
78
Optimistic
71
Pessimistic
Earnings
$48,184
1-year post-graduation
ROI
25.9x
Earnings : in-state tuition
10-yr Base
$673K
Cumulative base-case earnings
AI Risk
High
52% task exposure
Program Analysis

What this degree looks like at SF State

Graduates earn $48,184/yr, roughly in line with the $46,892 national median for Business Administration. The value proposition here depends on cost, not earnings.

With a 22.7x return on in-state tuition over ten years, the financial case for this program is compelling by virtually any measure.

The 14% difference between AI scenarios reflects partial automation exposure. Some Business Administration career paths face displacement, but others in the field are more insulated.

With first-year pay of $48,184 far exceeding the $15,000 median debt, the payback timeline is measured in months, not years.

San Francisco State University ranks #46 among 1,169 Business Administration programs, placing it in the top 5% nationally by our financial outcomes measure.

The $48,184-to-$79,995 earnings arc over five years reflects a 66% gain — well above average career growth for recent graduates.

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
$594K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score71/100
Earnings Multiple20.0x
Base Case
Moderate Integration
$673K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score77/100
Earnings Multiple22.7x
Optimistic
AI Augmentation
$690K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score78/100
Earnings Multiple23.2x
Earnings Trajectory

10 year projection

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

Career Paths

Where Business Administration 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
Chief executives
+4.3% 10-yr growth · 22,200 openings/yr
$206,420/yr
High
2
Computer and information systems managers
+15.2% 10-yr growth · 55,600 openings/yr
$171,200/yr
High
3
Architectural and engineering managers
+3.8% 10-yr growth · 14,500 openings/yr
$167,740/yr
Moderate
4
Financial managers
+14.8% 10-yr growth · 74,600 openings/yr
$161,700/yr
High
5
Natural sciences managers
+3.7% 10-yr growth · 8,500 openings/yr
$161,180/yr
High
6
Compensation and benefits managers
+0.2% 10-yr growth · 1,500 openings/yr
$140,360/yr
High
Source: BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics, May 2024. AI exposure from OpenAI GPTs-are-GPTs and Felten AIOE research.
Compare & Explore

Peer schools offering Business Administration

How SF State stacks up against other schools offering this major.

Highest earnings
Manhattan College
NY · Private nonprofit
77
DW Score
$114K
1-yr earn
4.5x
ROI
Top score
Bismarck State College
ND · Public
89
DW Score
$101K
1-yr earn
61.8x
ROI
Maine Maritime Academy
ME · Public
73
DW Score
$99K
1-yr earn
15.7x
ROI
Carnegie Mellon University
PA · Private nonprofit
77
DW Score
$96K
1-yr earn
5.2x
ROI
University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
MI · Public
86
DW Score
$94K
1-yr earn
19.4x
ROI
Also at SF State

Other top programs at SF State

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

Consider the trade route

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

Compare Business Administration trade programs on TradeSchoolOutlook →
FAQ

Frequently asked about Business Administration at SF State

What does a 77/100 DegreeOutlook Score mean for Business Administration at San Francisco State University?

At 77/100, 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 Business Administration at San Francisco State University?

The 47% 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 San Francisco State University one of the best schools for Business Administration?

Among 1,169 Business Administration programs, San Francisco State University's #46 position reflects consistently above-average results across earnings, ROI, and employment probability.