California State University-Fresno
California State University-Fresno — Earnings vs Cost (vs National Average)
California State University-Fresno at a Glance
California State University, Fresno is a public university in Fresno, California, United States. It is part of the California State University system. The university had a fall 2020 enrollment of 25,341 students. It offers 60 bachelor's degree program, 45 master's degree programs, 3 doctoral degree programs, 12 certificates of advanced study, and 2 different teaching credentials. The university is classified among "R2: Doctoral Universities – High research activity". Fresno is a Hispanic-Serving…
1911
115 years old
$255M
$254.8 million (2023–24)
25,000
21,852 undergrad · 2,458 grad
1,507
388 acres
Identity
Is California State University-Fresno Worth It?
California State University-Fresno is one of the strongest value propositions in higher education. At $7,000/year net price and $61,244 median earnings, graduates earn 8.7× their annual cost within a decade of enrolling.
The investment pays for itself in just 0.5 years — among the fastest payback periods of any college we track.
A 56% graduation rate is a serious red flag — fewer than 6 in 10 students finish. Those who don't graduate may still carry student debt without the higher-earning credential to show for it.
With a 95% acceptance rate, admission is essentially open — the question isn't whether you'll get in, but whether the investment will pay off.
Bottom line: California State University-Fresno delivers strong financial returns that justify the investment for most students.
How California State University-Fresno compares to peer public colleges of similar tier in CA
Ranked #1 of 74 on value score. Peers are matched by size, median earnings, SAT, and admission rate — not just geography.
| Rank | College | Value | Net price / yr | Median earnings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | California State University-Fresno | 100 | $7,000 | $61,244 |
| #2 | California State University-San Bernardino | 100 | $4,564 | $59,977 |
| #3 | California State University-Los Angeles | 100 | $3,967 | $59,211 |
| #4 | California State University-Northridge | 100 | $7,021 | $59,115 |
| #5 | Foothill College | 100 | $7,653 | $57,072 |
| #6 | The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley | 100 | $4,831 | $49,620 |
Peer group: public colleges within ±60% of California State University-Fresno's student body size and within a similar academic tier (SAT ±80, admit rate ±10pp, median earnings ±25%). 10 in CA.
Best Programs at California State University-Fresno
The highest-earning program at California State University-Fresno is Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing at $81,100/year (4 years after graduation). The lowest is English Language and Literature, General at $13,400/year.
Your major matters more than the school name — a Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing graduate from California State University-Fresno earns $81,100, while a English Language and Literature, General graduate earns $13,400. That's more than a 2× difference from the same institution. Choose your program carefully — it's the single biggest lever you control.
Debt also varies by program: Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing graduates carry $19,329 in median debt vs. $14,659 for English Language and Literature, General.
Return on Investment
Estimated 4-Year Cost
Based on $7,000/yr net price × 4 years
Earnings Premium
vs. national average of $53,787/yr
Payback Period
Time to recoup the total cost through higher earnings
10-Year Net Gain
Median earnings over 10 years minus total cost of attendance
Programs & Earnings by Major
Graduate earnings data by field of study (4 years after graduation):
| Major | Earnings (4yr) | Earnings (1yr) | Median Debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | $81,100 | $81,100 | $19,329 |
| Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering | $67,400 | $67,400 | $11,000 |
| Construction Engineering Technologies | $65,300 | $65,300 | $7,500 |
| Mechanical Engineering | $59,300 | $59,300 | $16,000 |
| Civil Engineering | $57,100 | $57,100 | $16,589 |
| Plant Sciences | $49,900 | $49,900 | $19,500 |
| Computer and Information Sciences, General | $45,000 | $45,000 | $9,450 |
| Agricultural Business and Management | $42,000 | $42,000 | $15,000 |
| Accounting and Related Services | $40,300 | $40,300 | $13,533 |
| Industrial Production Technologies/Technicians | $39,800 | $39,800 | $17,456 |
| Human Resources Management and Services | $38,900 | $38,900 | $22,707 |
| Finance and Financial Management Services | $38,200 | $38,200 | $15,000 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | $35,400 | $35,400 | $15,000 |
| Food Science and Technology | $34,900 | $34,900 | $16,750 |
| Marketing | $34,700 | $34,700 | $13,809 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas | $34,000 | $34,000 | $17,750 |
| Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General | $32,500 | $32,500 | N/A |
| Parks, Recreation and Leisure Studies | $30,800 | $30,800 | $17,500 |
| Animal Sciences | $29,700 | $29,700 | $17,517 |
| Communication and Media Studies | $29,600 | $29,600 | $15,000 |
| Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions | $28,900 | $28,900 | $15,500 |
| Design and Applied Arts | $28,600 | $28,600 | $19,131 |
| Criminology | $27,700 | $27,700 | $18,251 |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | $27,300 | $27,300 | $13,000 |
| Political Science and Government | $26,900 | $26,900 | $16,500 |
| Social Work | $26,600 | $26,600 | $11,641 |
| Biology, General | $26,400 | $26,400 | $16,334 |
| Public Health | $26,200 | $26,200 | $19,500 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods | $25,000 | $25,000 | $14,750 |
| Geography and Cartography | $24,800 | $24,800 | N/A |
| Health and Physical Education/Fitness | $24,100 | $24,100 | $16,715 |
| Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences, General | $23,300 | $23,300 | $14,500 |
| Communication Disorders Sciences and Services | $22,800 | $22,800 | $17,499 |
| Sociology | $22,500 | $22,500 | $12,831 |
| Psychology, General | $21,900 | $21,900 | $14,000 |
| History | $21,600 | $21,600 | $17,750 |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities | $21,000 | $21,000 | $11,800 |
| Fine and Studio Arts | $20,600 | $20,600 | $14,000 |
| Chemistry | $18,000 | $18,000 | $23,155 |
| Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | $17,400 | $17,400 | $11,346 |
| English Language and Literature, General | $13,400 | $13,400 | $14,659 |
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Quick Facts
- Institution Type
- public
- Location
- Fresno, CA
- Student Body
- 21,605 students
- Admission Rate
- 95%
- Graduation Rate
- 56%
- Net Price (Annual)
- $7,000
- Median Earnings (10yr)
- $61,244
- Median Student Debt
- $14,505