Social Sciences, General
Offered at 446 college programs that reported results. Here is what graduates earn and owe at each credential level, and which programs pay best.
By credential level
| Credential | Programs | Typical earnings, 1 yr | Typical earnings, 5 yrs | Typical debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Certificate | 20 | — | — | — |
| Associate | 122 | $34,275 | $46,857 | $9,387 |
| Bachelor's | 214 | $43,530 | $54,198 | $24,081 |
| Master's | 49 | $55,640 | $63,794 | — |
| Doctoral | 12 | — | — | — |
| Graduate certificate | 29 | — | — | — |
"Typical" is the median across programs of each program's median, counting only programs with unsuppressed data (at least three). It describes a typical program, not a national median for all graduates. Certificate figures include certificates earned at four-year colleges, often alongside a bachelor's; see degrees vs. certificates for a cleaner comparison. Source: College Scorecard field of study data.
One year after finishing, a typical associate program in this field reports median earnings of $34,275, versus $43,530 for a typical bachelor's program.
Highest-earning associate programs
| # | College | State | Earnings, 1 yr | Earnings, 5 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ohlone College | CA | — | $68,855 | $9,000 |
| 2 | Crafton Hills College | CA | — | $57,951 | — |
| 3 | College of San Mateo | CA | — | $57,138 | — |
| 4 | Palomar College | CA | — | $56,345 | — |
| 5 | San Diego Miramar College | CA | $29,586 | $54,933 | — |
| 6 | Imperial Valley College | CA | — | $53,952 | — |
| 7 | Santa Rosa Junior College | CA | — | $53,326 | $8,627 |
| 8 | Northern Virginia Community College | VA | $37,212 | $52,972 | $12,445 |
| 9 | De Anza College | CA | — | $52,290 | — |
| 10 | Merritt College | CA | — | $51,712 | — |
| 11 | Brookdale Community College | NJ | $35,608 | $51,280 | $8,750 |
| 12 | Woodland Community College | CA | — | $51,277 | — |
| 13 | American River College | CA | $52,700 | $50,598 | — |
| 14 | J Sargeant Reynolds Community College | VA | $35,152 | $49,978 | $8,391 |
| 15 | Napa Valley College | CA | — | $49,746 | — |
Ranked by 5-year median earnings, or 1-year where 5-year is not reported.
Highest-earning bachelor's programs
| # | College | State | Earnings, 1 yr | Earnings, 5 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vanderbilt University | TN | $74,534 | $110,484 | $14,515 |
| 2 | New York University | NY | $51,431 | $81,779 | $22,250 |
| 3 | Harvard University | MA | $55,717 | $78,299 | $29,894 |
| 4 | University of California-Irvine | CA | $46,989 | $75,514 | — |
| 5 | University of Washington-Seattle Campus | WA | $56,673 | $73,407 | $24,667 |
| 6 | University of Nevada-Las Vegas | NV | $57,045 | $69,399 | $29,460 |
| 7 | University of Utah | UT | $42,195 | $68,791 | $17,959 |
| 8 | University of Southern California | CA | — | $67,316 | — |
| 9 | Florida State University | FL | $45,638 | $66,865 | $18,625 |
| 10 | Whittier College | CA | $34,137 | $65,557 | $22,250 |
| 11 | University of North Dakota | ND | — | $63,022 | — |
| 12 | CUNY Graduate School and University Center | NY | $62,923 | — | $13,440 |
| 13 | Washington State University | WA | $49,327 | $62,796 | $22,500 |
| 14 | University of Oregon | OR | $43,515 | $62,350 | $22,251 |
| 15 | Manhattan University | NY | $61,648 | — | — |
Ranked by 5-year median earnings, or 1-year where 5-year is not reported.
Highest-earning master's programs
| # | College | State | Earnings, 1 yr | Earnings, 5 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Johns Hopkins University | MD | $112,614 | $138,967 | — |
| 2 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Great Valley | PA | — | $119,089 | — |
| 3 | Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus | PA | — | $119,089 | — |
| 4 | Georgetown University | DC | $100,978 | — | — |
| 5 | Utica University | NY | $90,471 | — | — |
| 6 | CUNY Graduate School and University Center | NY | $87,007 | — | — |
| 7 | University of Chicago | IL | $49,651 | $81,185 | — |
| 8 | Boston University | MA | — | $81,084 | — |
| 9 | Ohio University-Main Campus | OH | $57,328 | $66,942 | — |
| 10 | Bellevue University | NE | $53,952 | $60,647 | — |
| 11 | Pennsylvania Western University | PA | — | $58,957 | — |
| 12 | Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University | FL | $47,534 | $56,543 | — |
| 13 | Southern University and A & M College | LA | — | $54,520 | — |
| 14 | Southern University Law Center | LA | — | $54,520 | — |
| 15 | Troy University | AL | $48,859 | — | — |
Ranked by 5-year median earnings, or 1-year where 5-year is not reported.
Related fields
Quick answers
- How much do social sciences, general graduates earn?
- One year after finishing, a typical bachelor's program in social sciences, general reports median earnings of $43,530. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field of study data.
