Business/Commerce, General: California State University-San Marcos vs Indiana University-Indianapolis

Side-by-side ROI comparison · Bachelor's Degree
Return on Investment
10-year earnings ÷ tuition · higher is better
In-State
19.6x
$30,956 tuition
14.1x
$41,796 tuition
Out-of-State
7.7x
$78,476 tuition
4.4x
$134,868 tuition
$605,400 10-yr earnings · Public
$588,678 10-yr earnings · Public

Head-to-Head

California State University-San Marcos Indiana University-Indianapolis
Earnings Multiple (In-State) 19.6x 14.1x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) 7.7x 4.4x
4-Year Tuition (In-State) $30,956 $41,796
Year 1 Earnings $46,958 $52,467
10-Year Earnings $605K $589K
Median Debt $20,951 $19,727
Debt-to-Earnings Ratio 5.4 months 4.5 months
DegreeWorth Score (In-State) 73/100 70/100
Acceptance Rate 95.7% 81.4%

Both programs have high AI automation risk (46% task exposure) — the same career paths apply to Business/Commerce, General graduates regardless of school. See full AI analysis →

ROI Breakdown

How tuition costs translate into long-term earnings for Business/Commerce, General graduates.

California State University-San Marcos Indiana University-Indianapolis
4-Year Tuition (In-State) $30,956 $41,796
4-Year Tuition (Out-of-State) $78,476 $134,868
10-Year Projected Earnings $605K $589K
Earnings Multiple (In-State) 19.6x 14.1x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) 7.7x 4.4x
5-Year Salary Growth +45% +28%

"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 Business/Commerce, General (same career paths). The score differences below reflect how each school's earnings and ROI hold up under stress.

California State University-San Marcos Indiana University-Indianapolis
Optim. Base Pessim. Optim. Base Pessim.
10-Year Earnings $616K $605K $547K $597K $589K $534K
Earnings Multiple (IS) 19.9x 19.6x 17.7x 14.3x 14.1x 12.8x
DegreeWorth Score 74 73 68 71 70 64

For the full AI analysis of Business/Commerce, General career paths, see the California State University-San Marcos or Indiana University-Indianapolis program pages.

Earnings Trajectory Comparison

Projected annual earnings for Business/Commerce, General graduates. Year 1 uses actual reported data.

Tuition Gap (In-State)
$10,840
California State University-San Marcos saves you this
Year 1 Earnings Gap
$5,509/yr
Indiana University-Indianapolis grads earn more
ROI Range (In-State)
19.6x / 14.1x
Out-of-state: 7.7x / 4.4x

Career Paths

Business/Commerce, 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
Chief executives $206,420 22,200 +4.3% 56%
Sales managers $138,060 49,000 +4.7% 45%
Managers, all other $136,550 106,700 +4.5% 47%
Industrial production managers $121,440 17,100 +1.9% 34%
Administrative services managers $108,390 23,200 +4.6% 39%
Construction managers $106,980 46,800 +8.7% 44%
Facilities managers $104,690 13,200 +3.8% 48%
General and operations managers $102,950 308,700 +4.4% 48%
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Frequently Asked Questions

Which is better for Business/Commerce, General: California State University-San Marcos or Indiana University-Indianapolis?
California State University-San Marcos scores 73/100 while Indiana University-Indianapolis scores 70/100. California State University-San Marcos 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 Business/Commerce, General?
California State University-San Marcos has an in-state earnings multiple of 19.6x vs Indiana University-Indianapolis's 14.1x. That means California State University-San Marcos grads earn more per dollar spent on tuition.
How do California State University-San Marcos and Indiana University-Indianapolis compare on Business/Commerce, General earnings?
Year 1 median earnings are $46,958 at California State University-San Marcos vs $52,467 at Indiana University-Indianapolis. Over 10 years, the projected totals are $605,400 vs $588,678 — a difference of $16,722.
How much does Business/Commerce, General cost at each school?
Four-year in-state tuition is $30,956 at California State University-San Marcos and $41,796 at Indiana University-Indianapolis. Median debt at graduation is $20,951 vs $19,727. Both programs lead to the same Business/Commerce, 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.