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UNDERGRADUATE CERTIFICATE OR DIPLOMA · DEGREE PAYOFF · FEDERAL FIELD 4511

Sociology: is this undergraduate certificate or diploma worth it?

National picture across 4 reporting college programs.

Personal baseline needed

$51,562 in median year-4 earnings

A credible return for this credential must start with what the student would otherwise earn. The federal data does not provide that personal baseline.

$51,562Median year-4 earnings

$15,823Average institution net-price context

$26,000Median federal debt

Use your actual price and alternative earnings before evaluating return. Model your own starting point →

WHAT THIS DEGREE PAYS

Observed national outcomes

$51,562Median reported earnings · year 4

$41,136Average reported earnings · year 5

$26,000Median federal debt

52thYear-4 earnings percentile at this credential

4Reporting programs

3With year-4 earnings

COMPARE CREDENTIAL LEVELS

The same field can produce a different equation.

Keep the federal field fixed and compare observed outcomes at every reportable credential level. These are separate graduate cohorts—not a promise that more schooling causes the difference.

CURRENT VIEW

Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma

Year-4 earnings: $51,562
Federal debt: $26,000
Reporting programs: 4

3 report earnings →OPEN PROFILE

Associate's Degree

Year-4 earnings: $45,161
Federal debt: $10,062
Reporting programs: 29

29 report earnings →OPEN PROFILE

Bachelor's Degree

Year-4 earnings: $52,094
Federal debt: $25,000
Reporting programs: 509

465 report earnings →OPEN PROFILE

Master's Degree

Year-4 earnings: $66,645
Federal debt: Not available
Reporting programs: 6

6 report earnings →OPEN PROFILE

Doctoral Degree

Year-4 earnings: $102,687
Federal debt: Not available
Reporting programs: 2

2 report earnings →

COLLEGE-TO-COLLEGE RANGE

Where the middle half of programs lands

Year‑4 earnings differ by college. This band shows the 25th percentile, national median and 75th percentile among reporting programs.

Median

25th percentile$46,652National median$51,56275th percentile$51,562

3 programs report year‑4 earnings.

WHERE OUTCOMES ARE STRONGEST

See the spread, not just the national number.

1Davidson College$60,959 2Black Hills State University$51,562 3Cabrillo College$46,652 4University of Wisconsin-WhitewaterNot available

Observed year-4 earnings · top displayed records are not a universal ranking

WHERE THIS FIELD CAN LEAD

Related occupations

Official CIP–SOC links add career context without claiming that every graduate enters the same job.

Managers, All OtherSOC 11-9199 · 4 crosswalk linksSociologistsSOC 19-3041 · 4 crosswalk linksSociology Teachers, PostsecondarySOC 25-1067 · 4 crosswalk linksSocial Science Research AssistantsSOC 19-4061 · 2 crosswalk linksSocial Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary, All OtherSOC 25-1069 · 2 crosswalk links

BEST COLLEGES FOR SOCIOLOGY

Same degree, different outcomes

Compare reported outcomes using the same federal field and credential. Automated ROI is withheld when an exact program price or personal earnings baseline is required.

#	College	Location	Earnings, year 4	Federal debt	ROI status	Cost context
1	Davidson CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Davidson, NC	$60,959	Not available	Baseline needed	$17,379
2	Black Hills State UniversityUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Spearfish, SD	$51,562	Not available	Baseline needed	$15,911
3	Cabrillo CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Aptos, CA	$46,652	Not available	Baseline needed	$15,843
4	University of Wisconsin-WhitewaterUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Whitewater, WI	Not available	$26,000	Baseline needed	$14,158

This page keeps the field and credential level fixed. Federal categories can still combine multiple catalog programs or concentrations. Automated ROI is limited to associate and bachelor’s degrees because institution-wide annual net price is not a reliable proxy for short certificate prices. ROI is an illustrative scenario, not a federal determination.