Biology, General: California State University-San Marcos vs Shepherd University
Head-to-Head
| California State University-San Marcos | Shepherd University | |
|---|---|---|
| Earnings Multiple (In-State) | 22.6x | 15.6x |
| Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) | 8.9x | 7.1x |
| 4-Year Tuition (In-State) | $30,956 | $34,568 |
| Year 1 Earnings | $38,527 | $49,165 |
| 10-Year Earnings | $699K | $540K |
| Median Debt | $23,750 | $19,100 |
| Debt-to-Earnings Ratio | 7.4 months | 4.7 months |
| DegreeWorth Score (In-State) | 56/100 | 57/100 |
| Acceptance Rate | 95.7% | 95.7% |
Both programs have high AI automation risk (40% task exposure) — the same career paths apply to Biology, General graduates regardless of school. See full AI analysis →
ROI Breakdown
How tuition costs translate into long-term earnings for Biology, General graduates.
| California State University-San Marcos | Shepherd University | |
|---|---|---|
| 4-Year Tuition (In-State) | $30,956 | $34,568 |
| 4-Year Tuition (Out-of-State) | $78,476 | $76,328 |
| 10-Year Projected Earnings | $699K | $540K |
| Earnings Multiple (In-State) | 22.6x | 15.6x |
| Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) | 8.9x | 7.1x |
| 5-Year Salary Growth | +100% | +18% |
"Earnings Multiple" = projected 10-year earnings ÷ 4-year tuition. Higher is better. Not a discounted financial ROI.
AI Disruption Scenarios
Both schools share identical AI exposure for Biology, General (same career paths). The score differences below reflect how each school's earnings and ROI hold up under stress.
| California State University-San Marcos | Shepherd University | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Optim. | Base | Pessim. | Optim. | Base | Pessim. | |
| 10-Year Earnings | $713K | $699K | $624K | $543K | $540K | $500K |
| Earnings Multiple (IS) | 23.0x | 22.6x | 20.1x | 15.7x | 15.6x | 14.5x |
| DegreeWorth Score | 56 | 56 | 53 | 57 | 57 | 53 |
For the full AI analysis of Biology, General career paths, see the California State University-San Marcos or Shepherd University program pages.
Earnings Trajectory Comparison
Projected annual earnings for Biology, General graduates. Year 1 uses actual reported data.
Career Paths
Biology, General graduates from both schools map to the same career paths. Differences in earnings reflect school prestige, location, and employer networks.
| Career Path | Wage | Openings/yr | Growth | AI Risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Natural sciences managers | $161,180 | 8,500 | +3.7% | 50% |
| Medical scientists, except epidemiologists | $100,590 | 9,600 | +8.7% | 52% |
| Biological scientists, all other | $93,330 | 4,800 | +1.2% | 49% |
| Life scientists, all other | $87,800 | 400 | +3.7% | 0% |
| Biological science teachers, postsecondary | $83,460 | 5,400 | +7.3% | 47% |
| Forensic science technicians | $67,440 | 2,900 | +12.8% | 39% |
| Secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education | $64,580 | 66,200 | -1.6% | 33% |
| Biological technicians | $52,000 | 9,100 | +3.5% | 42% |