A Matter of Degrees

It’s the time of the year when graduates don caps and gowns, ending one chapter of their lives and anticipating what’s ahead. College grads in California can look forward to higher earnings and a lower unemployment rate than those with less education. Getting a degree is as popular as ever at California State University schools, including Cal State Northridge, where Business and Management is the degree of choice. The number of degrees awarded at Cal State schools has generally risen over the past decade.

Degrees Awarded:

Cal State Northridge

(Graduate and Undergraduate)

‘85-’86: 3,733

‘86-’87: 4,029

‘87-’88: 4,099

‘88-’89: 4,289

‘89-’90: 4,655

‘90-’91: 4,768

‘91-’92: 4,902

‘92-’93: 5,044

‘93-’94: 5,043

‘94-’95: 4,685

Degrees Awarded:

California State University System

(Graduate and Undergraduate)

‘85-’86: 52,949

‘86-’87: 52,911

‘87-’88: 55,425

‘88-’89: 57,003

‘89-’90: 58,203

‘90-’91: 60,862

‘91-’92: 65,182

‘92-’93: 68,137

‘93-’94: 68,073

‘94-’95: 65,620

Popular Degrees:

Graduate and Undergraduate, by Discipline Division

Business and Management: 17.9%

Social Sciences: 11.1%

Education: 9.9%

Letters: 9.1%

Interdisciplinary Sciences: 8.9%

Educated Adults:

Percent of California Adults with Bachelor’s Degree or higher

All Adults: 20.9%

Men: 23.3%

Women: 18.3%

Asian: 30.5%

White: 25.7%

Black: 12.9%

Native American: 9.7%

Latino: 5.9%

All U.S.: 18.6%

Unemployment Rate in U.S.:

By Level of Education -1994, Age 25 and Older

* High School: 9.8%

High School: 5.4%

Some College: 4.7%

Associate Degree: 3.8%

Bachelor’s Degree or Higher: 2.6%

Individual Annual Earnings:

Californians, by Level of Education -1989

* High School: $20,816

High School: $27,009

Some College: $32,280

Associate Degree: $54,782

Bachelor’s Degree or Higher: $88,296

Source: Cal State University Northridge

Researched by JOHN CHANDLER / Los Angeles Times