Urban Studies/Affairs at San Francisco State University

SF State's Urban Studies program punches well above its weight nationally, placing graduates in the 95th percentile for earnings compared to similar programs across the country. That $50,008 starting salary beats the national median by nearly $10,000, and the debt load of $18,600 is entirely manageable—you're looking at roughly four months of pre-tax earnings to cover the total borrowing. The 32% earnings growth to $66,159 by year four suggests graduates are finding their footing in fields like urban planning, housing policy, or municipal government.

The California picture is more nuanced. While SF State still outperforms the state median, it lands in the 60th percentile among California's urban studies programs, trailing UC Berkeley's graduates by about $8,000. But here's the context that matters: SF State serves a fundamentally different population (96% admission rate, 41% Pell Grant recipients) while delivering outcomes that rival far more selective institutions. The program also keeps debt lower than the California median, which matters when you're building a career in the public or nonprofit sectors where many urban studies graduates land.

For a student interested in cities and planning who needs an accessible path into the field, this program delivers strong results. The combination of below-average debt and above-average earnings—both nationally and within California—makes this a solid investment, particularly given San Francisco's proximity to urban planning agencies, housing advocacy organizations, and tech companies increasingly focused on urban issues.