Program directoryPROGRAM-CATEGORY PAYOFF

Economics bachelor's degree outcomes at San Diego State University

San Diego, CA · Public · Federal field 4506

Data scope

Federal records group outcomes by college, four-digit field and credential level. A record may cover several catalog programs or concentrations.

The short version

Reported earnings trail the same-degree benchmark.

$8,563 below the national median for the same field and credential.

Debt pressure
20.6% of annual earnings
Positive-payoff price ceiling
$27,808 / year
10-year scenario
+21% · Positive payoff
Price evidence
College-wide context only
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.

What stays fixed$74,123 observed annual earnings · 4 years of study · $45,000 alternative annual earnings · ten-year horizonThe marked price is this college’s institution-wide average net price, not the exact price of this program category. This is a sensitivity test, not a tuition quote or earnings forecast.
OUTCOME SIGNALS

Graduate outcomes from several angles.

Follow earnings over time and inspect the cohort behind each federal measure.

+76%Earnings growth, year 1 → 5$44,125$77,568
Not availableEarn above high-school thresholdGraduate count in the year-4 cohort
76Working in the college’s stateGraduate count in the year-4 cohort
83Year-5 earnings observationsCohort behind the year-5 median
144Borrowers representedCohort behind the debt median
$20,659Awarding-school debtDebt attributed to the college granting the credential
Not availableRecent awardsIPEDS 2023–24 first-major completions in this field and credential
01 · PRICE CONTEXT$15,364

Institution-wide annual average net price, not this program’s price.

02 · BORROWING$15,250

Median federal debt across schools attended at this academic level.

03 · EARNINGS$74,123

Observed median earnings four full years after completion.

04 · REPAYMENT$162/mo

Estimated standard 10-year federal payment.

WHAT WILL IT COST?

Published college costs provide the starting point.

Your exact offering, aid, residency and time to finish determine the price you actually pay.

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AVERAGE NET PRICE$15,364Institution-wide annual figure
COST OF ATTENDANCE$27,780Institution-wide annual budget
ADMISSION RATE36.2%Institution context
COMPLETION RATE76.4%Institution-wide completion rate
WHAT DO GRADUATES EARN?

Reported earnings after completion.

Each point may represent a different federal cohort. A missing bar means the figure was unavailable or suppressed.

$44,125Year 1
$74,123Year 4
$77,568Year 5
CAN THE EARNINGS SUPPORT THE DEBT?

2.6% of gross monthly earnings

Estimated monthly payment divided by observed gross monthly earnings. This excludes taxes, other debts and income-driven repayment.

Gross monthly earnings$6,177
Estimated loan payment$162
144borrowers represented where reported
HOW DOES IT COMPARE?

$74,123 vs. $82,686

$8,563 below the national median for the same field and credential.

Same-field national median
WHAT WORK CAN IT LEAD TO?

Related occupations, wages and outlook.

Official CIP–SOC links show careers the curriculum may prepare students for, not observed jobs held by this school’s graduates. BLS wages describe everyone working in an occupation.

BLS May 2025 wage estimates and 2025–35 employment projections.
Managers, All Other$174,560 median wageCA estimate · 99,580 jobs · 11-9199+4.9% projected U.S. growth · 100.9k openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeEconomics Teachers, Postsecondary$137,360 median wageCA estimate · 770 jobs · 25-1063+2.4% projected U.S. growth · 1k openings/yrTypical entry: Doctoral or professional degreeEconomists$119,410 median wageCA estimate · 860 jobs · 19-3011+4.7% projected U.S. growth · 1.1k openings/yrTypical entry: Master's degreeSocial Science Research Assistants$60,250 median wageCA estimate · 5,300 jobs · 19-4061+5.0% projected U.S. growth · 4.9k openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeSurvey Researchers$83,520 median wageCA estimate · 1,180 jobs · 19-3022-4.8% projected U.S. growth · 0.6k openings/yrTypical entry: Master's degreeData Scientists$141,590 median wageCA estimate · 39,310 jobs · 15-2051+34.6% projected U.S. growth · 24.8k openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeStatisticians$135,960 median wageCA estimate · 2,480 jobs · 15-2041+11.0% projected U.S. growth · 1.9k openings/yrTypical entry: Master's degreeSecondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$101,370 median wageCA estimate · 99,230 jobs · 25-2031-0.2% projected U.S. growth · 63.5k openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeMarket Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists$94,700 median wageCA estimate · 119,070 jobs · 13-1161+7.0% projected U.S. growth · 82k openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degree
Possible alternatives

Same degree, stronger on at least one reported measure.

Every option below reports higher earnings, lower federal debt or a lower college-wide net price. Same-state options appear first.

Berkeley, CA

University of California, Berkeley

$60,927 higher earnings · $2,250 less debt · $1,883 lower annual net price

Earnings
$135,050
Debt
$13,000
Annual net price
$13,481
View outcomes →
Stanford, CA

Stanford University

$38,577 higher earnings · $2,750 less debt · $1,557 lower annual net price

Earnings
$112,700
Debt
$12,500
Annual net price
$13,807
View outcomes →
Los Angeles, CA

University of California, Los Angeles

$21,317 higher earnings · $250 less debt · $2,816 lower annual net price

Earnings
$95,440
Debt
$15,000
Annual net price
$12,548
View outcomes →
La Jolla, CA

University of California, San Diego

$13,184 higher earnings · $250 less debt · $2,894 lower annual net price

Earnings
$87,307
Debt
$15,000
Annual net price
$12,470
View outcomes →
Compare these programs →
DATA QUALITY

Check the evidence behind the estimate.

83 observations in the earnings cohort

June 10, 2026 College Scorecard release

Observed, estimated and contextual figures are labeled separately throughout this page

IS IT WORTH IT AT YOUR PRICE?

Your price and current earnings determine the result.

Add your grants, borrowing and current salary to estimate payment pressure, break-even time and ten-year payoff.

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