Location: San Jose, CA•In-State Tuition: $7,992•Out-of-State Tuition: $19,872•Admission Rate: 80%
Est. Earnings (1yr)
$48,463
Est. from CA median (9 programs)
Est. Median Debt
$17,000
Est. from CA median (5 programs)

Analysis

San Jose State's International Business program operates in Silicon Valley, yet based on comparable California programs, graduates typically start around $48,000—below what students achieve at San Francisco State or USD, and far behind UC San Marcos. The estimated $17,000 debt load keeps the financial burden manageable, with a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.35 that suggests students could realistically pay this off within a few years if they're disciplined about it.

The concern here is the flat earnings trajectory. Four years out, salaries only climb to $51,000—a modest $2,600 bump that raises questions about career advancement in this field. Other California programs show stronger earning power, and being in San Jose should theoretically provide networking advantages and local opportunities that these peer-program estimates may not capture. For context, the program sits right at California's median but below the national benchmark of nearly $50,000.

This makes sense for a student committed to staying local and minimizing debt, particularly given the 80% admission rate makes it accessible. However, parents should know they're looking at estimates here—the actual outcomes for SJSU's specific cohort aren't available due to small sample sizes. If your child can get into one of the higher-earning programs listed above, the salary difference could be worth exploring, especially since the location advantage of San Jose hasn't historically translated into standout earnings for similar international business graduates.

Where San Jose State University Stands

Earnings vs. debt across all international business bachelors's programs nationally

San Jose State University (estimated ±10%)Other international business programs

Dashed lines show national medians. Upper-left = best value.

Earnings Over Time

How earnings evolve from 1 year to 4 years after graduation

School1 Year4 YearsGrowth
San Jose State University—$51,106—
University of San Diego$48,463$76,666+58%
University of San Francisco$57,780$69,821+21%
San Diego State University$38,138$67,271+76%
Ashford University$71,369$61,843-13%

Compare to Similar Programs in California

International Business bachelors's programs at peer institutions in California (21 total in state)

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SchoolIn-State TuitionEarnings (1yr)*Earnings (4yr)Median Debt*Debt/Earnings
San Jose State UniversitySan Jose$7,992$48,463*$51,106$17,000*—
Ashford UniversitySan Diego$13,160$71,369*$61,843$27,195*0.38
San Francisco State UniversitySan Francisco$7,424$58,560*$58,508$22,374*0.38
University of San FranciscoSan Francisco$58,222$57,780*$69,821$25,000*0.43
California State University-San MarcosSan Marcos$7,739$55,455*—$15,965*0.29
University of San DiegoSan Diego$56,444$48,463*$76,666$19,197*0.40
National Median—$49,890*—$23,472*0.47
* Estimated from similar programs

Career Paths

Occupations commonly associated with international business graduates

Chief Executives

Determine and formulate policies and provide overall direction of companies or private and public sector organizations within guidelines set up by a board of directors or similar governing body. Plan, direct, or coordinate operational activities at the highest level of management with the help of subordinate executives and staff managers.

$105,350/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Chief Sustainability Officers

Communicate and coordinate with management, shareholders, customers, and employees to address sustainability issues. Enact or oversee a corporate sustainability strategy.

$105,350/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

General and Operations Managers

Plan, direct, or coordinate the operations of public or private sector organizations, overseeing multiple departments or locations. Duties and responsibilities include formulating policies, managing daily operations, and planning the use of materials and human resources, but are too diverse and general in nature to be classified in any one functional area of management or administration, such as personnel, purchasing, or administrative services. Usually manage through subordinate supervisors. Excludes First-Line Supervisors.

$105,350/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Business Teachers, Postsecondary

Teach courses in business administration and management, such as accounting, finance, human resources, labor and industrial relations, marketing, and operations research. Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of teaching and research.

$83,980/yrJobs growth:

Business Operations Specialists, All Other

All business operations specialists not listed separately.

Business Continuity Planners

Develop, maintain, or implement business continuity and disaster recovery strategies and solutions, including risk assessments, business impact analyses, strategy selection, and documentation of business continuity and disaster recovery procedures. Plan, conduct, and debrief regular mock-disaster exercises to test the adequacy of existing plans and strategies, updating procedures and plans regularly. Act as a coordinator for continuity efforts after a disruption event.

Sustainability Specialists

Address organizational sustainability issues, such as waste stream management, green building practices, and green procurement plans.

Online Merchants

Conduct retail activities of businesses operating exclusively online. May perform duties such as preparing business strategies, buying merchandise, managing inventory, implementing marketing activities, fulfilling and shipping online orders, and balancing financial records.

Security Management Specialists

Conduct security assessments for organizations, and design security systems and processes. May specialize in areas such as physical security or the safety of employees and facilities.

About This Data

Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (October 2025 release)

Population: Graduates who received federal financial aid (Title IV grants or loans). At San Jose State University, approximately 35% of students receive Pell grants. Students who did not receive federal aid are not included in these figures.

Earnings: Median earnings from IRS W-2 data for graduates who are employed and not enrolled in further education, measured 1 year after completion. Earnings are pre-tax and include wages, salaries, and self-employment income.

Debt: Median cumulative federal loan debt at graduation. Does not include private loans or Parent PLUS loans borrowed on behalf of students.

Estimated Earnings: Actual earnings data is not available for this program (typically due to privacy thresholds when fewer than 30 graduates reported earnings). The estimate shown is based on the median of 9 similar programs in CA. Actual outcomes may vary.