Accounting at California State University-San Marcos

Cal State San Marcos delivers solid accounting outcomes at a price point that works. Graduates start at $63,366—nearly $10,000 above the national median and just slightly below California's median of $62,202. At 60th percentile among California accounting programs, this sits comfortably in the middle of the state pack, well ahead of many competitors but trailing the private universities commanding $70,000+ starting salaries. The $22,500 typical debt is manageable, translating to a 0.36 debt-to-earnings ratio that should allow reasonable repayment on an accountant's salary.

The modest 5% earnings growth to $66,520 by year four isn't spectacular, but it reflects the nature of early-career accounting roles where substantial salary jumps often come with CPA licensure or career moves that happen beyond this tracking window. What matters more is the strong foundation: graduates enter the workforce earning 18% above the national accounting median with debt below national averages. For families prioritizing accessibility—the school admits 96% of applicants and serves a substantial Pell-grant population—this represents a legitimate path into a stable profession without the credential inflation or debt burden of selective privates.

The calculation here is straightforward: unless your child is targeting Big Four accounting firms where brand names open doors (and even then, CPAs from any accredited program compete on equal footing), paying $20,000-$30,000 more per year for marginally higher starting salaries rarely pencils out.