Biology, General: California State University-East Bay vs California State University-San Marcos

Side-by-side ROI comparison · Bachelor's Degree
Return on Investment
10-year earnings ÷ tuition · higher is better
In-State
23.1x
$28,220 tuition
22.6x
$30,956 tuition
Out-of-State
8.6x
$75,740 tuition
8.9x
$78,476 tuition
$650,918 10-yr earnings · Public
$698,592 10-yr earnings · Public

Head-to-Head

California State University-East Bay California State University-San Marcos
Earnings Multiple (In-State) 23.1x 22.6x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) 8.6x 8.9x
4-Year Tuition (In-State) $28,220 $30,956
Year 1 Earnings $44,370 $38,527
10-Year Earnings $651K $699K
Median Debt $18,272 $23,750
Debt-to-Earnings Ratio 4.9 months 7.4 months
DegreeWorth Score (In-State) 59/100 56/100
Acceptance Rate 96.8% 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-East Bay California State University-San Marcos
4-Year Tuition (In-State) $28,220 $30,956
4-Year Tuition (Out-of-State) $75,740 $78,476
10-Year Projected Earnings $651K $699K
Earnings Multiple (In-State) 23.1x 22.6x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) 8.6x 8.9x
5-Year Salary Growth +66% +100%

"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-East Bay California State University-San Marcos
Optim. Base Pessim. Optim. Base Pessim.
10-Year Earnings $662K $651K $587K $713K $699K $624K
Earnings Multiple (IS) 23.5x 23.1x 20.8x 23.0x 22.6x 20.1x
DegreeWorth Score 60 59 55 56 56 53

For the full AI analysis of Biology, General career paths, see the California State University-East Bay or California State University-San Marcos program pages.

Earnings Trajectory Comparison

Projected annual earnings for Biology, General graduates. Year 1 uses actual reported data.

Tuition Gap (In-State)
$2,736
California State University-East Bay saves you this
Year 1 Earnings Gap
$5,843/yr
California State University-East Bay grads earn more
ROI Range (In-State)
23.1x / 22.6x
Out-of-state: 8.6x / 8.9x

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%
Want to compare different schools or majors? Try the freeform comparison tool →

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Biology, General Overview

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is better for Biology, General: California State University-East Bay or California State University-San Marcos?
California State University-East Bay scores 59/100 while California State University-San Marcos scores 56/100. California State University-East Bay has significantly lower tuition, which drives its higher ROI. The best choice depends on whether you prioritize raw earnings or return on investment.
Which school has better ROI for Biology, General?
California State University-East Bay has an in-state earnings multiple of 23.1x vs California State University-San Marcos's 22.6x. That means California State University-East Bay grads earn more per dollar spent on tuition.
How do California State University-East Bay and California State University-San Marcos compare on Biology, General earnings?
Year 1 median earnings are $44,370 at California State University-East Bay vs $38,527 at California State University-San Marcos. Over 10 years, the projected totals are $650,918 vs $698,592 — a difference of $47,674.
How much does Biology, General cost at each school?
Four-year in-state tuition is $28,220 at California State University-East Bay and $30,956 at California State University-San Marcos. Median debt at graduation is $18,272 vs $23,750. Both programs lead to the same Biology, General career paths — the cost difference is the main factor in ROI.
Data: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (earnings, debt), Bureau of Labor Statistics 2024-2034 (employment projections), OpenAI GPTs-are-GPTs research (AI task exposure), Felten et al. AIOE. Scenarios use a continuous weighting function combining AI exposure and BLS job growth projections. "Earnings Multiple" is total 10-year projected earnings divided by tuition — not a discounted financial ROI. Last updated 2025.