10-YEAR PAYOFF CURVECumulative economic payoff after graduation
+$3,568at year 10Net gainInvestment not yet recovered
NET GAIN$0UNRECOVERED
Public · COLLEGE PAYOFF
San Francisco State University
San Francisco, CA · 81 field-and-degree records
Earnings reported for 78 · Federal debt reported for 58
Based onObserved earnings + college priceEstimate10-year payoff
Estimated 10-year payoff
Positive payoff
+$3,568 over 10 years
Modeled from observed year-5 institution earnings and the institution-wide average net price over four years.
9.8 yrsTime to earn back the modeled cost
+2%Estimated return after 10 years
$68,268Observed earnings · year 5
$13,170Highest annual price before payoff reaches $0
The price benchmark is $892 per year below this threshold.
Start with your question
What do you want to understand?
ECONOMIC INVESTMENT → PAYBACK
Estimated payoff over ten years.
The scenario counts direct price and earnings forgone upfront, then applies the reported annual earnings premium.
FEDERAL COST DATA
Four ways to read college price.
Annual college-wide figures from the current College Scorecard release. Average net price covers full-time, first-time undergraduates receiving federal aid; public-college figures use in-state students. Program tuition and individual aid offers may differ.
PUBLISHED STUDENT BUDGET · 2024–25
What makes up the annual price?
Sticker-price components reported to IPEDS. Grants and scholarships are not subtracted here.
Living off campus: $22,230 housing and food allowance plus $5,886 in other expenses.
Do not confuse this with net price. Net price subtracts average grants and scholarships. DegreeVerdict continues to use the separately labeled average net price in its standard college ROI scenario.
PRICE SENSITIVITY
The price can change the verdict.
Hold observed earnings constant and see how the modeled ten-year payoff changes as annual price rises.
← Negative payoff$0Positive payoff →
$0Annual price+$52,680
$8,000Annual price+$20,680
$12,000Current college-wide context+$4,680
$16,000Annual price−$11,320
$24,000Annual price−$43,320
$32,000Annual price−$75,320
$40,000Annual price−$107,320
HOW STUDENTS ATTEND · 2023-24
Most students take at least some classes online.
IPEDS enrollment counts show course delivery across the whole institution. They do not indicate whether a specific degree can be completed online.
Institution-level attendance context from IPEDS. Program delivery is reported separately on degree pages and in the program directory. These figures do not enter ROI.
College identity and local contextAccreditation, institution type, dual enrollment and state prices
COLLEGE AT A GLANCE
Institution details
Current federal characteristics describing the college, not the outcomes of a specific program.
- Accreditor
- Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University Commission
- Main award level
- Bachelor’s degrees
- Campus setting
- City
- Admissions
- Selective admission
- Delivery
- Campus or mixed delivery
- Federal designation
- No special designation reported
DUAL-ENROLLMENT CONTEXT · 2024
568 high-school students took college courses.
IPEDS counts students enrolled in college credit while still in high school. A large dual-enrollment population can shape headline enrollment figures, especially at community colleges.
This is participation, not a college completion rate. It does not indicate how many students later enrolled after high school, earned a credential or entered the workforce.
STATE PRICE CONTEXT · 2024
Prices in California run 11% above the U.S. level.
BEA Regional Price Parities compare price levels across states. A value of 100 equals the national average.
What it costs and what graduates earn
$12,278Average net price / year
$26,488Cost of attendance
$15,371Median federal student debt · completer borrowers
$163/moPublished 10-year payment estimate
$68,268Median earnings · year 5 after completion
50.4%Completion rate
96.4%Admission rate
18,639Student size
Debt covers federal student-loan borrowers who completed. It does not include Parent PLUS or private loans. We show admissions scores only when a valid federal value is available.
What the numbers say about San Francisco State University
What does San Francisco State University cost?
San Francisco State University reports an average annual net price of $12,278 after grants and scholarships. This is an institution-wide average, not an individual aid offer.
What do San Francisco State University graduates earn?
The observed median earnings figure is $68,268 5 years after completion. It describes a federal cohort, not a guaranteed starting salary.
How much federal debt do San Francisco State University graduates have?
Completer borrowers report median cumulative federal student debt of $15,371. Parent PLUS and private loans are not included.
Is every degree at San Francisco State University worth the same?
No. The current release contains 81 field-and-degree records for San Francisco State University; 78 report year-4 earnings and 58 report federal debt. Outcomes can differ substantially by field and degree level.
DEBT AFTER COLLEGE
Are borrowers making progress?
Repayment progress, default and debt at exit describe different federal borrower cohorts. They are shown separately and do not change the ROI estimate.
Source: College Scorecard. Repayment progress is the share of borrowers who reduced principal by at least $1 at the stated measurement point. Debt covers federal student loans; Parent PLUS and private loans are excluded. Cohorts and reporting periods differ across measures.
Who studied here during the year
25,505Students enrolled at any point
21,931Undergraduate students
3,574Graduate students
Unduplicated students enrolled at any point from July 1, 2024 through June 30, 2025. This full-year measure is different from a fall headcount and does not enter ROI.
More student and earnings detailPrice by family income, retention, equity and common industries
WHO PAYS, WHO FINISHES, WHO EARNS
Outcomes are not the same for every family.
These federal cohorts add context that a single college average can hide. Missing figures remain unreported rather than estimated.
Complete within 150% of the expected time
65% received a Pell Grant within eight yearsMedian Parent PLUS debt
2,170 parent borrowers in the reported cohortMedian federal student debt
64% making progress in repayment after three yearsStudent family incomeMedian earnings after 10 yearsObserved federal cohorts
Lower income$68,256Earnings are not a guarantee
Middle income$68,510Earnings are not a guarantee
Higher income$66,368Earnings are not a guarantee
Three-year repayment progress
Lower income60%
Middle income67%
Higher income69%
Undergraduate student composition
White15%
Black7%
Hispanic40%
Asian23%
Source: College Scorecard, June 2026 release. Parent PLUS debt belongs to parents; student-debt measures exclude Parent PLUS and private loans. Cohort definitions differ by measure.
NATIONAL CONTEXT
How this college compares
Percentiles compare this institution with currently operating colleges that report the same federal measure.
WHAT STANDS OUT
A faster read on this college
These summaries use every reportable field-and-credential record at this institution. They do not fill privacy-suppressed outcomes.
EARNINGS OVER TIME
What graduates earned in later years
$41,145Year 1
$67,804Year 4
$68,268Year 5
Each year can represent a different federal cohort, so the points do not track the same people over time.
Your choice of degree can change the payoff.
Graduate earnings differ by field and credential, even within the same college.
1Educational Administration and Supervision · Doctoral Degree$157,9792Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing · Master's Degree$152,2073Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing · Bachelor's Degree$150,1024Business Administration, Management and Operations · Master's Degree$131,0945Biology, General · Master's Degree$128,0526Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering · Bachelor's Degree$112,4547Educational Administration and Supervision · Master's Degree$109,9358Public Administration · Master's Degree$108,093Observed year-4 earnings · compare the same field and credential across colleges
Programs that stand out against the same-degree benchmark
This view rewards performance relative to the same field and credential, not simply majors that pay more everywhere.
1Legal Support ServicesUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma · $92,546 reported+86%vs same-degree national medianNot availablefederal debt2Biology, GeneralMaster's Degree · $128,052 reported+83%vs same-degree national medianNot availablefederal debt3Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical NursingBachelor's Degree · $150,102 reported+69%vs same-degree national median$16,875federal debt4Educational Administration and SupervisionDoctoral Degree · $157,979 reported+57%vs same-degree national medianNot availablefederal debt5Educational Administration and SupervisionMaster's Degree · $109,935 reported+53%vs same-degree national medianNot availablefederal debt6Student Counseling and Personnel ServicesMaster's Degree · $91,778 reported+53%vs same-degree national medianNot availablefederal debt
Comparable colleges in CA
Currently operating public institutions with the closest combination of annual net price and observed year-5 earnings. Similarity is descriptive, not a quality ranking.
Pomona, CA
California State Polytechnic University-Pomona
- Annual net price
- $11,531
- Observed earnings · year 5
- $70,795
- Modeled 10-year ROI
- +14%
Sonoma State University
- Annual net price
- $12,885
- Observed earnings · year 5
- $65,250
- Modeled 10-year ROI
- -13%
California State University, San Marcos
- Annual net price
- $10,229
- Observed earnings · year 5
- $64,649
- Modeled 10-year ROI
- -11%
University of California, Merced
- Annual net price
- $11,983
- Observed earnings · year 5
- $62,884
- Modeled 10-year ROI
- -22%
Compare fields and degree levels
Showing the 40 highest-earning records from 81 field-and-degree records. Use the program directory to search the complete set.
| Major or field | Degree level | Earnings, year 4 | Federal debt | 2024–25 graduates |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Educational Administration and Supervision | Doctoral Degree | $157,979 | Not available | 25 |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | Master's Degree | $152,207 | Not available | 0 |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | Bachelor's Degree | $150,102 | $16,875 | Not reported |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | Master's Degree | $131,094 | Not available | Not reported |
| Biology, General | Master's Degree | $128,052 | Not available | Not reported |
| Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering | Bachelor's Degree | $112,454 | $16,125 | 0 |
| Educational Administration and Supervision | Master's Degree | $109,935 | Not available | 0 |
| Public Administration | Master's Degree | $108,093 | Not available | Not reported |
| Computer Science | Bachelor's Degree | $105,166 | $16,500 | 0 |
| Mechanical Engineering | Bachelor's Degree | $102,104 | $22,047 | Not reported |
| Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology | Master's Degree | $96,854 | Not available | Not reported |
| Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions | Doctoral Degree | $96,298 | Not available | 50 |
| Communication Disorders Sciences and Services | Master's Degree | $95,402 | Not available | Not reported |
| Social Work | Master's Degree | $94,452 | Not available | Not reported |
| Computer Engineering | Bachelor's Degree | $94,129 | $20,148 | 0 |
| Legal Support Services | Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma | $92,546 | Not available | Not reported |
| Student Counseling and Personnel Services | Master's Degree | $91,778 | Not available | Not reported |
| Civil Engineering | Bachelor's Degree | $90,894 | $18,873 | 0 |
| Computer and Information Sciences, General | Bachelor's Degree | $86,425 | $19,716 | Not reported |
| Microbiological Sciences and Immunology | Bachelor's Degree | $85,037 | $24,120 | Not reported |
| Economics | Bachelor's Degree | $82,697 | $13,750 | 0 |
| Accounting and Related Services | Bachelor's Degree | $81,587 | $11,971 | 0 |
| Public Health | Master's Degree | $79,053 | Not available | Not reported |
| Finance and Financial Management Services | Bachelor's Degree | $78,310 | $14,440 | 0 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods | Master's Degree | $77,699 | Not available | Not reported |
| Special Education and Teaching | Master's Degree | $76,580 | Not available | Not reported |
| Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology | Bachelor's Degree | $76,134 | $15,675 | 0 |
| International Business | Bachelor's Degree | $75,824 | $22,374 | 0 |
| Education, General | Master's Degree | $75,757 | Not available | 0 |
| Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies | Master's Degree | $75,709 | Not available | Not reported |
| Human Resources Management and Services | Bachelor's Degree | $75,207 | Not available | Not reported |
| Cell/Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences | Bachelor's Degree | $74,482 | $19,000 | Not reported |
| Biology, General | Bachelor's Degree | $74,204 | $15,000 | 0 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | Bachelor's Degree | $73,775 | $15,000 | 0 |
| Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions | Master's Degree | $72,271 | Not available | Not reported |
| Marketing | Bachelor's Degree | $71,691 | $12,304 | 0 |
| Mathematics | Bachelor's Degree | $71,323 | $18,697 | Not reported |
| Communication Disorders Sciences and Services | Bachelor's Degree | $70,532 | $19,250 | 0 |
| Urban Studies/Affairs | Bachelor's Degree | $70,207 | $18,600 | Not reported |
| Social Work | Bachelor's Degree | $68,524 | $17,259 | Not reported |
Graduate counts come from IPEDS and group related majors into the same federal field. Missing earnings or debt values remain labeled as unavailable.
Search every San Francisco State University program record →Earnings, price, completion and enrollment are observed federal measures. ROI, payoff and break-even are modeled scenarios built from those measures and fixed assumptions. College payoff is not the payoff of every degree at this school; use the program table for a more precise comparison.