Sociology
Offered at 1,420 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 | 19 | — | — | $18,500 |
| Associate | 184 | $35,738 | $46,183 | $11,139 |
| Bachelor's | 891 | $40,670 | $55,403 | $22,551 |
| Master's | 202 | $57,159 | $64,881 | — |
| Doctoral | 110 | $81,800 | — | — |
| Graduate certificate | 14 | — | — | — |
"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 $35,738, versus $40,670 for a typical bachelor's program.
Highest-earning certificate programs
| # | College | State | Earnings, 1 yr | Earnings, 5 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Colorado Boulder | CO | $41,329 | $67,566 | $15,125 |
| 2 | Cabrillo College | CA | — | $49,425 | — |
| 3 | Michigan State University | MI | $44,453 | — | — |
Ranked by 5-year median earnings, or 1-year where 5-year is not reported.
Highest-earning associate programs
| # | College | State | Earnings, 1 yr | Earnings, 5 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | West Valley College | CA | — | $63,411 | — |
| 2 | De Anza College | CA | — | $61,526 | — |
| 3 | Sacramento City College | CA | — | $57,626 | $16,205 |
| 4 | Santa Rosa Junior College | CA | — | $55,043 | — |
| 5 | Cypress College | CA | — | $54,161 | — |
| 6 | Ventura College | CA | — | $54,144 | — |
| 7 | College of Southern Nevada | NV | — | $53,304 | — |
| 8 | Cosumnes River College | CA | — | $53,073 | — |
| 9 | Salt Lake Community College | UT | — | $52,212 | — |
| 10 | Mission College | CA | — | $50,281 | — |
| 11 | San Diego Mesa College | CA | — | $49,902 | — |
| 12 | Riverside City College | CA | $22,814 | $49,578 | — |
| 13 | El Camino Community College District | CA | — | $49,271 | — |
| 14 | College of the Canyons | CA | — | $48,294 | — |
| 15 | Norco College | CA | — | $48,254 | — |
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 | Harvard University | MA | $52,477 | $126,624 | — |
| 2 | Columbia University in the City of New York | NY | $59,638 | $107,522 | $21,500 |
| 3 | University of Notre Dame | IN | $54,923 | $101,395 | $19,250 |
| 4 | Northwestern University | IL | $55,251 | $99,295 | — |
| 5 | Barnard College | NY | — | $97,190 | — |
| 6 | Brandeis University | MA | $47,967 | $91,485 | $16,250 |
| 7 | Duke University | NC | $67,720 | $89,331 | — |
| 8 | Wake Forest University | NC | $47,913 | $85,686 | $19,500 |
| 9 | Hobart William Smith Colleges | NY | $40,683 | $84,732 | — |
| 10 | Boston College | MA | $49,279 | $84,248 | $19,000 |
| 11 | Tufts University | MA | $55,788 | $83,624 | $16,489 |
| 12 | Dartmouth College | NH | $67,796 | $83,200 | $10,911 |
| 13 | Fordham University | NY | $48,675 | $82,169 | $23,250 |
| 14 | Princeton University | NJ | $66,007 | $80,886 | — |
| 15 | University of Miami | FL | — | $80,004 | $13,750 |
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 | Teachers College at Columbia University | NY | $78,842 | $96,860 | — |
| 2 | Arizona State University Campus Immersion | AZ | $57,159 | $64,881 | — |
| 3 | Arizona State University Digital Immersion | AZ | $57,159 | $64,881 | — |
| 4 | California State University-Los Angeles | CA | $59,061 | $63,412 | — |
| 5 | California State University-Sacramento | CA | $61,154 | — | — |
| 6 | University of Alabama at Birmingham | AL | $57,748 | — | — |
| 7 | Georgia Southern University | GA | — | $54,678 | — |
| 8 | The University of Texas at San Antonio | TX | $54,227 | — | — |
| 9 | Oklahoma City University | OK | $49,574 | — | — |
| 10 | University of Colorado Colorado Springs | CO | $49,066 | — | — |
| 11 | The University of Arizona Global Campus | AZ | $46,608 | — | — |
Ranked by 5-year median earnings, or 1-year where 5-year is not reported.
Highest-earning doctoral programs
| # | College | State | Earnings, 1 yr | Earnings, 5 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of California-Los Angeles | CA | — | $99,971 | — |
| 2 | University of California-Irvine | CA | $95,445 | — | — |
| 3 | Ohio State University-Main Campus | OH | $84,879 | — | — |
| 4 | Texas A&M University-College Station | TX | — | $82,120 | — |
| 5 | University of Wisconsin-Madison | WI | $78,722 | — | — |
| 6 | CUNY Graduate School and University Center | NY | $60,863 | — | — |
Ranked by 5-year median earnings, or 1-year where 5-year is not reported.
Related fields
Quick answers
- How much do sociology graduates earn?
- One year after finishing, a typical bachelor's program in sociology reports median earnings of $40,670. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field of study data.
