Public Health: California State University-Northridge vs Illinois State University
Head-to-Head
| California State University-Northridge | Illinois State University | |
|---|---|---|
| Earnings Multiple (In-State) | 21.0x | 11.0x |
| Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) | 7.8x | 6.3x |
| 4-Year Tuition (In-State) | $28,380 | $64,084 |
| Year 1 Earnings | $39,011 | $59,207 |
| 10-Year Earnings | $596K | $705K |
| Median Debt | $13,744 | $20,009 |
| Debt-to-Earnings Ratio | 4.2 months | 4.1 months |
| DegreeWorth Score (In-State) | 62/100 | 60/100 |
| Acceptance Rate | 93.2% | 89.0% |
Both programs have high AI automation risk (48% task exposure) — the same career paths apply to Public Health graduates regardless of school. See full AI analysis →
ROI Breakdown
How tuition costs translate into long-term earnings for Public Health graduates.
| California State University-Northridge | Illinois State University | |
|---|---|---|
| 4-Year Tuition (In-State) | $28,380 | $64,084 |
| 4-Year Tuition (Out-of-State) | $75,900 | $112,344 |
| 10-Year Projected Earnings | $596K | $705K |
| Earnings Multiple (In-State) | 21.0x | 11.0x |
| Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) | 7.8x | 6.3x |
| 5-Year Salary Growth | +58% | +41% |
"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 Public Health (same career paths). The score differences below reflect how each school's earnings and ROI hold up under stress.
| California State University-Northridge | Illinois State University | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Optim. | Base | Pessim. | Optim. | Base | Pessim. | |
| 10-Year Earnings | $600K | $596K | $536K | $715K | $705K | $612K |
| Earnings Multiple (IS) | 21.2x | 21.0x | 18.9x | 11.2x | 11.0x | 9.5x |
| DegreeWorth Score | 62 | 62 | 58 | 61 | 60 | 53 |
For the full AI analysis of Public Health career paths, see the California State University-Northridge or Illinois State University program pages.
Earnings Trajectory Comparison
Projected annual earnings for Public Health graduates. Year 1 uses actual reported data.
Career Paths
Public Health 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Physicists | $166,290 | 1,700 | +4.0% | 75% |
| Medical and health services managers | $117,960 | 62,100 | +23.2% | 43% |
| Health specialties teachers, postsecondary | $105,620 | 27,400 | +17.3% | 48% |
| Medical scientists, except epidemiologists | $100,590 | 9,600 | +8.7% | 52% |
| Genetic counselors | $98,910 | 300 | +9.3% | 50% |
| Physics teachers, postsecondary | $97,360 | 1,300 | +2.5% | 42% |
| Epidemiologists | $83,980 | 800 | +16.2% | 44% |
| Occupational health and safety specialists | $83,910 | 14,900 | +12.5% | 33% |