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California State University-San Marcos
San Marcos, CA 14,174 Undergrads 68.2% Grad Rate
Total Cost
$21,144
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$10,550
After Aid
Median Earnings
$62,908
10yr Post-Entry
Vs. Peer Institutions
Net Price$10,550
Peer Midpoint: $19,729.5
Earnings (10yr)$62,908
Peer Midpoint: $53,747
Graduation Rate68.2%
Peer Midpoint: 58.5%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients44.6%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time83.4%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS75.2%
Admissions Profile
Acceptance
95.7%
SAT Avg
-
SAT Reading
25th: --75th: -
SAT Math
25th: --75th: -
ACT Composite
25th: --75th: -
ROI Sensitivity Analysis
This analysis tests three cost scenarios (Scholarship, Average Net Price, Full Sticker Price) to show how college costs impact your long-term return compared to the average student and a high school graduate.
Lifetime Value Added (NPV)
Institution Lifetime NPV
Vs Median Peer
Vs HS Grad
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
+$539k
+$143k
+$55k
Median Cost$11k/yr
+$501k
+$105k
+$17k
Full Cost$21k/yr
+$463k
+$67k
-$21k
ROI Efficiency Metrics
Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
37
∞
Median Cost$11k/yr
51
45%
Full Cost$21k/yr
Never
-28%
Analysis Assumptions:
- Starting Salary: Estimated from the 10-year median earnings (assuming 2% annual growth from graduation).
- Comparisons: "Vs Median Peer" compares to the median student nationwide in a similar level program. "Vs HS Grad" compares to a median high school graduate.
- Break-Even: The age at which the college investment net income exceeds the median high school graduate's lifetime earnings.
- NPV: Net Present Value of all future earnings minus costs and taxes, discounted at 7.8%.
Social Impact ROINew
Measures the societal return on a donor's investment. Calculated as the incremental pre-tax lifetime earnings vs. HS grad, divided by the tax-adjusted donation cost.
Donor Return51%
Gov. Pell Grant ROINew
Measures the government's return on Pell Grants via increased tax revenue. Calculated as the portion of incremental lifetime taxes (discounted at 5.4%) attributed to the Pell Grant investment.
Taxpayer Return-32%
Important Note: Your ROI with any major will depend on the cost you pay to attend the program, and your starting salary. Both vary significantly across institutions. We encourage you to explore the ROI of a specific program variant by selecting the Program title of the credential level you are interested in. You will then have a more detailed return analysis for programs at specific institutions. We also encourage you to use the ROI calculator with your specific estimates of cost and salary.
Program ROI Analysis
Bachelor's Degrees
Accounting and Related Services
BachCIP: 5203
Median Debt
$20,452
Earnings (5yr)
$81,423
Lifetime Value Added
+$167k
Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology
BachCIP: 2602
Median Debt
$20,983
Earnings (2yr)
$41,937
Lifetime Value Added
-$123k
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$23,750
Earnings (5yr)
$76,916
Lifetime Value Added
+$133k
Biotechnology
BachCIP: 2612
Median Debt
$16,500
Earnings (5yr)
$75,425
Lifetime Value Added
+$122k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
BachCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$19,500
Earnings (5yr)
$74,005
Lifetime Value Added
+$111k
Business/Commerce, General
BachCIP: 5201
Median Debt
$20,951
Earnings (5yr)
$68,281
Lifetime Value Added
+$68k
Cell/Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences
BachCIP: 2604
Median Debt
$19,462
Earnings (5yr)
$72,329
Lifetime Value Added
+$98k
Communication and Media Studies
BachCIP: 0901
Median Debt
$14,545
Earnings (5yr)
$55,408
Lifetime Value Added
-$33k
Computer and Information Sciences, General
BachCIP: 1101
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$75,438
Lifetime Value Added
+$122k
Computer Science
BachCIP: 1107
Median Debt
$12,500
Earnings (5yr)
$110,266
Lifetime Value Added
+$382k
Criminology
BachCIP: 4504
Median Debt
$14,810
Earnings (5yr)
$54,589
Lifetime Value Added
-$39k
Economics
BachCIP: 4506
Median Debt
$18,620
Earnings (5yr)
$77,155
Lifetime Value Added
+$135k
English Language and Literature, General
BachCIP: 2301
Median Debt
$15,500
Earnings (5yr)
$51,512
Lifetime Value Added
-$65k
Finance and Financial Management Services
BachCIP: 5208
Median Debt
$16,337
Earnings (5yr)
$87,253
Lifetime Value Added
+$210k
Health and Physical Education/Fitness
BachCIP: 3105
Median Debt
$17,500
Earnings (5yr)
$63,880
Lifetime Value Added
+$34k
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
$16,847
Earnings (5yr)
$43,090
Lifetime Value Added
-$134k
Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services
BachCIP: 1907
Median Debt
$17,362
Earnings (5yr)
$49,769
Lifetime Value Added
-$79k
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
BachCIP: 2401
Median Debt
$16,226
Earnings (5yr)
$55,289
Lifetime Value Added
-$34k
Marketing
BachCIP: 5214
Median Debt
$18,000
Earnings (5yr)
$75,915
Lifetime Value Added
+$125k
Physics
BachCIP: 4008
Median Debt
$19,000
Earnings (5yr)
$80,480
Lifetime Value Added
+$160k
Political Science and Government
BachCIP: 4510
Median Debt
$17,666
Earnings (5yr)
$53,339
Lifetime Value Added
-$50k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$17,750
Earnings (5yr)
$54,559
Lifetime Value Added
-$40k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
BachCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$24,246
Earnings (5yr)
$105,792
Lifetime Value Added
+$349k
Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics
BachCIP: 1609
Median Debt
$9,000
Earnings (5yr)
$47,058
Lifetime Value Added
-$101k
Social Sciences, General
BachCIP: 4501
Median Debt
$15,000
Earnings (5yr)
$63,814
Lifetime Value Added
+$34k
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
$15,000
Earnings (5yr)
$51,480
Lifetime Value Added
-$65k
Visual and Performing Arts, General
BachCIP: 5001
Median Debt
$18,625
Earnings (5yr)
$41,204
Lifetime Value Added
-$150k
Master's Degrees
Business Administration, Management and Operations
MastCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$36,990
Earnings (5yr)
$110,496
Lifetime Value Added
+$510k
Education, General
MastCIP: 1301
Median Debt
$20,936
Earnings (5yr)
$82,880
Lifetime Value Added
+$273k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
MastCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$60,000
Earnings (5yr)
$134,848
Lifetime Value Added
+$717k
Social Work
MastCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$41,000
Earnings (5yr)
$72,619
Lifetime Value Added
+$185k
Sociology
MastCIP: 4511
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$39,927
Lifetime Value Added
-$92k
Special Education and Teaching
MastCIP: 1310
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$82,494
Lifetime Value Added
+$270k
Note: Lifetime Value Added is the Net Present Value (NPV) of estimated career earnings relative to a median high school graduate, accounting for this institution's average cost and taxes. Computed over a career to retirement age.
For graduate programs (Master's, Doctoral, etc.), the calculation assumes a starting age of 22 (after undergraduate completion) and does not include the sunk costs of prior degrees. It represents the value added of the graduate degree decision moving forward. These Lifetime Value Added results should not be compared with those Undergraduate Certificates, Associates or Bachelors starting at age 18.