Operations Research at California State University-Northridge

CSUN's Operations Research program produces starting salaries around $54,000—substantially below what these majors typically earn. Nationally, the median Operations Research graduate starts at $92,500, making CSUN's outcomes rank in just the 5th percentile. Even within California, where there are only two programs offering this degree, CSUN trails significantly: UC Berkeley's graduates earn $89,000 initially, while CSUN's state ranking sits at the 25th percentile. The $12,000 gap between CSUN and California's median for this field is meaningful when you're repaying student loans.

The positive angle here is debt load. At $15,000, it's manageable and matches national norms for this program, yielding a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.28. Earnings do climb to nearly $66,000 by year four—solid 23% growth—but that's still playing catch-up to where most Operations Research grads start elsewhere. Given CSUN's 93% admission rate and that 56% of students receive Pell grants, this program may serve students who need an accessible entry point to analytical careers, though the earnings penalty is steep compared to the field's potential.

The moderate sample size (30-100 graduates) provides reasonable confidence in these numbers. If your child is set on Operations Research specifically and has admission options at UC Berkeley or comparable programs, the earnings difference is too large to ignore. If CSUN is the affordable local option, understand you're trading immediate earning power for accessibility and lower debt.