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Business/Commerce, General at California State University-San Marcos

San Marcos, CA · Public · Bachelor's Degree

DegreeOutlook Score (Base Case) — assumes in-state tuition

Optimistic

Base Case

Pessimistic

Earnings $46,958/yr (-3% vs median)

AI Risk High (46% exposed)

Job Market Very Large (832,900 openings/yr)

ROI 19.6x earnings multiple (7.7x out-of-state)

Ranked #14 of 242 Business/Commerce, General programs Top 10%

How AI Changes the Outlook

Three scenarios based on how aggressively AI disrupts the career paths available to Business/Commerce, General graduates.

	Optimistic No Disruption	Base Case Gradual AI	Pessimistic Aggressive AI
10-Year Earnings	$616K	$605K	$547K
Earnings Multiple (In-State)	19.9x	19.6x	17.7x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State)	7.8x	7.7x	7.0x
Probability of Field Employment	49%	45%	34%
DegreeOutlook Score	74	74	69

10-Year Earnings Projection

*Year 1 uses actual reported earnings. Scenarios diverge as AI impact compounds over time.

4-Year Tuition, In-State (Sticker)

$30,956

Out-of-state: $78,476 (7.7x ROI)

4-Year Net Price (After Aid)

$42,200

-36% less than sticker · See by income

Median Debt at Graduation

$20,951

5.4 months of Year 1 earnings

Reported Earnings (5 Year)

$68,281

45% growth from Year 1

Program Analysis

First-year earnings of $46,958 track close to the $48,211 national median for Business/Commerce, General programs. This is a middle-of-the-road outcome on salary alone.

Every dollar of in-state tuition returns an estimated 19.6x in decade earnings — an exceptional ratio that places this among the highest-ROI Business/Commerce, General programs nationally.

Some AI exposure exists in Business/Commerce, General's typical career paths, with 46% of job tasks potentially affected. The pessimistic scenario still projects solid returns, with a 11% gap from the optimistic case.

At $20,951 in median debt against $46,958 in first-year earnings, graduates can expect to clear their loan balance in under six months of full earnings.

Ranked #14 of 242 programs, California State University-San Marcos's Business/Commerce, General program falls in the top 10%, outperforming most peers on financial outcomes.

Earnings grow from $46,958 to $68,281 over five years — a 45% increase that's moderate and in line with typical career progression.

About California State University-San Marcos

California State University-San Marcos has a 96% acceptance rate, making it broadly accessible, serving 14,174 students in San Marcos, CA. With 44% of students on Pell Grants, the campus draws from a broad economic spectrum.

See all programs and financial aid at California State University-San Marcos →

Top Career Paths

Chief executives $206,420/yr

Sales managers $138,060/yr

Managers, all other $136,550/yr

View all 16 career paths with salary ranges and AI risk →

Compare & Explore

Business/Commerce, General at Other Schools

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the DegreeOutlook Score for Business/Commerce, General at California State University-San Marcos?

This program scores 74/100 — placing it among the stronger programs for Business/Commerce, General nationally. The score reflects above-average earnings, manageable AI risk, and solid financial return.

Will AI replace Business/Commerce, General careers?

With 46% of typical job tasks exposed to AI, this is one of the higher-risk fields. Our pessimistic scenario projects $546,858 in decade earnings vs $615,637 in the optimistic case — a meaningful gap.

Scores use College Scorecard earnings, BLS employment projections, and AI task-exposure research. See full methodology →