---

California State University - San Marcos Return on Investment for a Degree

What Kind of ROI Should You Expect From California State University - San Marcos ?

Compare and review the expected return on investment on your CSUSM degree, below.

Your CSUSM Return on Investment

Use the estimated return on investment for California State University - San Marcos below to decide if attending CSUSM is a smart financial decision for you.

Break Even In 3.5 Years at California State University - San Marcos

College is expensive and every year spent getting your degree is a year of lost wages and additional expenses. To determine when you will make up for the costs of college (your Return on Investment), we will look at the estimated cost of a degree and the average starting salary of graduates from California State University - San Marcos .

Average yearly cost	$29,000
Average years to graduate	4.9
Average starting salary	$41,000

The average cost for a degree at California State University - San Marcos comes out to about $140,000 . If you make about $41,000 a year, it will take you 3.5 years following graduation to break even.

Additional Considerations

• Be Wary of Excess Debt: According to the U.S. Department of Education. In 2012, the nationwide average salary for young adults with a bachelor's degree was about $47,000, while only $30,000 for those with a high school diploma.
• The "break even" calculation above does not include interest on student loans. How will your debt level affect your ROI?

Major Specific Salary Information

Looking for a more specific return on investment estimate? Check out the salary you should expect based on your major at California State University - San Marcos