Sociology: is this bachelor's degree worth it?
National picture across 509 reporting college programs.
MODELED SCENARIO · Negative payoff
−$184,871 over 10 years
National scenario across reporting bachelor's degree programs, using median year-4 earnings, their institutions’ average net prices and a typical 4-year duration.
At these assumptions, the estimated earnings premium does not recover the modeled economic investment within ten years.
36.1 yrsModeled economic break-even
−72%Modeled 10-year ROI
$52,094Observed earnings · year 4
Observed national outcomes
$52,094Median reported earnings · year 4
$51,385Average reported earnings · year 5
$25,000Median federal debt
27thYear-4 earnings percentile at this credential
509Reporting programs
465With year-4 earnings
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.
OPEN PROFILE
Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma
- Year-4 earnings
- $51,562
- Federal debt
- $26,000
- Reporting programs
- 4
Associate's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $45,161
- Federal debt
- $10,062
- Reporting programs
- 29
Bachelor's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $52,094
- Federal debt
- $25,000
- Reporting programs
- 509
Master's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $66,645
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Reporting programs
- 6
Doctoral Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $102,687
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Reporting programs
- 2
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$47,592National median$52,09475th percentile$57,474
465 programs report year‑4 earnings.See the spread, not just the national number.
1Columbia University in the City of New York$101,5362William & Mary$87,6553Vanderbilt University$83,6494Dartmouth College$81,7225George Washington University$78,8576Barnard College$77,8217New York University$77,6508Northwestern University$75,2679Cornell University$73,20010University of Pennsylvania$72,217Observed year-4 earnings · top displayed records are not a universal ranking
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
Same degree, different outcomes
Compare reported outcomes using the same federal field and credential. ROI uses each institution’s average net price as a scenario—not an individual aid offer.
| # | College | Location | Earnings, year 4 | Federal debt | 10-year ROI | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Columbia University in the City of New YorkBachelor's Degree | New York, NY | $101,536 | $31,000 | +112% | Strong payoff |
| 2 | William & MaryBachelor's Degree | Williamsburg, VA | $87,655 | $14,000 | +66% | Positive payoff |
| 3 | Vanderbilt UniversityBachelor's Degree | Nashville, TN | $83,649 | Not available | +59% | Positive payoff |
| 4 | Dartmouth CollegeBachelor's Degree | Hanover, NH | $81,722 | $19,250 | +23% | Positive payoff |
| 5 | George Washington UniversityBachelor's Degree | Washington, DC | $78,857 | Not available | +4% | Positive payoff |
| 6 | Barnard CollegeBachelor's Degree | New York, NY | $77,821 | $15,899 | +11% | Positive payoff |
| 7 | New York UniversityBachelor's Degree | New York, NY | $77,650 | $18,875 | -1% | Negative payoff |
| 8 | Northwestern UniversityBachelor's Degree | Evanston, IL | $75,267 | $14,567 | +2% | Positive payoff |
| 9 | Cornell UniversityBachelor's Degree | Ithaca, NY | $73,200 | $11,900 | -4% | Negative payoff |
| 10 | University of PennsylvaniaBachelor's Degree | Philadelphia, PA | $72,217 | $11,600 | -8% | Negative payoff |
| 11 | Fordham UniversityBachelor's Degree | Bronx, NY | $71,581 | $25,000 | -26% | Negative payoff |
| 12 | University of California, BerkeleyBachelor's Degree | Berkeley, CA | $71,363 | $13,131 | +13% | Positive payoff |
| 13 | University of Southern CaliforniaBachelor's Degree | Los Angeles, CA | $70,555 | $10,324 | -18% | Negative payoff |
| 14 | Boston CollegeBachelor's Degree | Chestnut Hill, MA | $70,121 | $19,000 | -28% | Negative payoff |
| 15 | California Polytechnic State University-San Luis ObispoBachelor's Degree | San Luis Obispo, CA | $69,883 | $16,750 | +1% | Positive payoff |
| 16 | University of Notre DameBachelor's Degree | Notre Dame, IN | $69,704 | $19,800 | -14% | Negative payoff |
| 17 | Northeastern UniversityBachelor's Degree | Boston, MA | $69,585 | $27,000 | -19% | Negative payoff |
| 18 | Northeastern University Professional ProgramsBachelor's Degree | Boston, MA | $69,585 | $27,000 | WithheldPrice-proxy sensitive | Not available |
| 19 | University of Virginia-Main CampusBachelor's Degree | Charlottesville, VA | $68,538 | $20,500 | -12% | Negative payoff |
| 20 | Notre Dame de Namur UniversityBachelor's Degree | Belmont, CA | $68,503 | $26,500 | WithheldPrice-proxy sensitive | Not available |
| 21 | The College of New JerseyBachelor's Degree | Ewing, NJ | $68,260 | $24,208 | -20% | Negative payoff |
| 22 | Loyola Marymount UniversityBachelor's Degree | Los Angeles, CA | $68,053 | $19,500 | -38% | Negative payoff |
| 23 | California Lutheran UniversityBachelor's Degree | Thousand Oaks, CA | $67,998 | Not available | -23% | Negative payoff |
| 24 | Assumption UniversityBachelor's Degree | Worcester, MA | $67,635 | $27,000 | -24% | Negative payoff |
| 25 | Hobart William Smith CollegesBachelor's Degree | Geneva, NY | $67,556 | $26,500 | -26% | Negative payoff |
| 26 | Quinnipiac UniversityBachelor's Degree | Hamden, CT | $67,262 | Not available | -35% | Negative payoff |
| 27 | Wagner CollegeBachelor's Degree | Staten Island, NY | $67,061 | Not available | -25% | Negative payoff |
| 28 | Syracuse UniversityBachelor's Degree | Syracuse, NY | $67,044 | $24,750 | -34% | Negative payoff |
| 29 | University of Maryland-College ParkBachelor's Degree | College Park, MD | $65,974 | $20,460 | -14% | Negative payoff |
| 30 | Hartwick CollegeBachelor's Degree | Oneonta, NY | $65,765 | $27,000 | -32% | Negative payoff |
| 31 | CUNY Brooklyn CollegeBachelor's Degree | Brooklyn, NY | $65,606 | Not available | +7% | Positive payoff |
| 32 | Brandeis UniversityBachelor's Degree | Waltham, MA | $65,481 | $27,000 | -37% | Negative payoff |
| 33 | SUNY College at GeneseoBachelor's Degree | Geneseo, NY | $65,234 | $21,226 | -20% | Negative payoff |
| 34 | Clark UniversityBachelor's Degree | Worcester, MA | $64,988 | $23,569 | -32% | Negative payoff |
| 35 | La Salle UniversityBachelor's Degree | Philadelphia, PA | $64,953 | $27,500 | -23% | Negative payoff |
| 36 | National UniversityBachelor's Degree | San Diego, CA | $64,860 | $28,125 | -27% | Negative payoff |
| 37 | Binghamton UniversityBachelor's Degree | Vestal, NY | $64,797 | $25,500 | -26% | Negative payoff |
| 38 | Providence CollegeBachelor's Degree | Providence, RI | $64,750 | $27,000 | -47% | Negative payoff |
| 39 | University of California, Los AngelesBachelor's Degree | Los Angeles, CA | $64,692 | $14,500 | -14% | Negative payoff |
| 40 | College of the Holy CrossBachelor's Degree | Worcester, MA | $64,642 | $26,449 | -41% | Negative payoff |
| 41 | George Mason UniversityBachelor's Degree | Fairfax, VA | $64,603 | $20,514 | -22% | Negative payoff |
| 42 | Siena UniversityBachelor's Degree | Loudonville, NY | $64,070 | Not available | -39% | Negative payoff |
| 43 | Boston UniversityBachelor's Degree | Boston, MA | $63,791 | $26,750 | -32% | Negative payoff |
| 44 | Connecticut CollegeBachelor's Degree | New London, CT | $63,777 | $20,670 | -42% | Negative payoff |
| 45 | University of MiamiBachelor's Degree | Coral Gables, FL | $63,764 | $18,250 | -43% | Negative payoff |
| 46 | Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State UniversityBachelor's Degree | Blacksburg, VA | $63,654 | $22,859 | -33% | Negative payoff |
| 47 | Central Washington UniversityBachelor's Degree | Ellensburg, WA | $63,608 | $25,000 | -27% | Negative payoff |
| 48 | University of Michigan-Ann ArborBachelor's Degree | Ann Arbor, MI | $63,419 | $18,568 | -21% | Negative payoff |
| 49 | Shepherd UniversityBachelor's Degree | Shepherdstown, WV | $63,412 | $20,030 | -18% | Negative payoff |
| 50 | Franklin and Marshall CollegeBachelor's Degree | Lancaster, PA | $63,251 | $19,000 | -44% | Negative payoff |
| 51 | University of Massachusetts GlobalBachelor's Degree | Aliso Viejo, CA | $63,036 | $30,273 | -42% | Negative payoff |
| 52 | Gonzaga UniversityBachelor's Degree | Spokane, WA | $62,626 | $25,991 | -45% | Negative payoff |
| 53 | Spelman CollegeBachelor's Degree | Atlanta, GA | $62,587 | $26,747 | -48% | Negative payoff |
| 54 | Morehouse CollegeBachelor's Degree | Atlanta, GA | $62,517 | $29,500 | -48% | Negative payoff |
| 55 | University of RedlandsBachelor's Degree | Redlands, CA | $62,516 | $24,500 | -42% | Negative payoff |
| 56 | California State University, East BayBachelor's Degree | Hayward, CA | $62,427 | $18,654 | -20% | Negative payoff |
| 57 | Texas Christian UniversityBachelor's Degree | Fort Worth, TX | $62,392 | $23,187 | -47% | Negative payoff |
| 58 | San Francisco State UniversityBachelor's Degree | San Francisco, CA | $62,385 | $15,000 | -24% | Negative payoff |
| 59 | Moravian UniversityBachelor's Degree | Bethlehem, PA | $62,315 | $27,000 | -43% | Negative payoff |
| 60 | Mount Holyoke CollegeBachelor's Degree | South Hadley, MA | $62,313 | $21,000 | -39% | Negative payoff |
| 61 | Michigan State UniversityBachelor's Degree | East Lansing, MI | $62,204 | $26,985 | -34% | Negative payoff |
| 62 | Chapman UniversityBachelor's Degree | Orange, CA | $62,047 | $20,500 | -53% | Negative payoff |
| 63 | University of Mount Saint VincentBachelor's Degree | Bronx, NY | $61,964 | $25,500 | -36% | Negative payoff |
| 64 | University of San FranciscoBachelor's Degree | San Francisco, CA | $61,883 | $25,000 | -51% | Negative payoff |
| 65 | Manhattanville UniversityBachelor's Degree | Purchase, NY | $61,752 | $26,000 | -37% | Negative payoff |
| 66 | University of DelawareBachelor's Degree | Newark, DE | $61,725 | $24,661 | -33% | Negative payoff |
| 67 | Tufts UniversityBachelor's Degree | Medford, MA | $61,719 | $15,000 | -51% | Negative payoff |
| 68 | Loyola University ChicagoBachelor's Degree | Chicago, IL | $61,429 | $22,250 | -49% | Negative payoff |
| 69 | Duke UniversityBachelor's Degree | Durham, NC | $61,425 | Not available | -45% | Negative payoff |
| 70 | University of La VerneBachelor's Degree | La Verne, CA | $61,350 | $23,415 | -37% | Negative payoff |
| 71 | American International CollegeBachelor's Degree | Springfield, MA | $61,173 | $33,750 | -41% | Negative payoff |
| 72 | Miami University-OxfordBachelor's Degree | Oxford, OH | $61,149 | $23,500 | -45% | Negative payoff |
| 73 | University of GeorgiaBachelor's Degree | Athens, GA | $61,124 | $20,625 | -32% | Negative payoff |
| 74 | Vassar CollegeBachelor's Degree | Poughkeepsie, NY | $61,106 | Not available | -52% | Negative payoff |
| 75 | Suffolk UniversityBachelor's Degree | Boston, MA | $61,032 | $27,000 | -46% | Negative payoff |
| 76 | Wake Forest UniversityBachelor's Degree | Winston-Salem, NC | $60,635 | $23,000 | -47% | Negative payoff |
| 77 | University of Washington-Seattle CampusBachelor's Degree | Seattle, WA | $60,292 | $19,286 | -35% | Negative payoff |
| 78 | Brigham Young UniversityBachelor's Degree | Provo, UT | $60,277 | $14,000 | -37% | Negative payoff |
| 79 | Drew UniversityBachelor's Degree | Madison, NJ | $60,261 | $26,750 | -45% | Negative payoff |
| 80 | University of California, Santa BarbaraBachelor's Degree | Santa Barbara, CA | $60,013 | $13,500 | -39% | Negative payoff |
| 81 | CUNY York CollegeBachelor's Degree | Jamaica, NY | $59,899 | $14,650 | -25% | Negative payoff |
| 82 | Pacific Lutheran UniversityBachelor's Degree | Tacoma, WA | $59,853 | $21,000 | -43% | Negative payoff |
| 83 | University of ConnecticutBachelor's Degree | Storrs, CT | $59,684 | $22,500 | -48% | Negative payoff |
| 84 | University of Connecticut-Waterbury CampusBachelor's Degree | Waterbury, CT | $59,684 | $22,500 | -34% | Negative payoff |
| 85 | University of Connecticut-Avery PointBachelor's Degree | Groton, CT | $59,684 | $22,500 | -38% | Negative payoff |
| 86 | University of Connecticut-StamfordBachelor's Degree | Stamford, CT | $59,684 | $22,500 | -41% | Negative payoff |
| 87 | University of Connecticut-Hartford CampusBachelor's Degree | Hartford, CT | $59,684 | $22,500 | -40% | Negative payoff |
| 88 | Rhode Island CollegeBachelor's Degree | Providence, RI | $59,643 | $21,100 | -33% | Negative payoff |
| 89 | Roanoke CollegeBachelor's Degree | Salem, VA | $59,580 | $27,000 | -48% | Negative payoff |
| 90 | Mount Saint Mary's UniversityBachelor's Degree | Los Angeles, CA | $59,575 | $29,250 | -45% | Negative payoff |
| 91 | Le Moyne CollegeBachelor's Degree | Syracuse, NY | $59,291 | Not available | -47% | Negative payoff |
| 92 | University of California, DavisBachelor's Degree | Davis, CA | $59,171 | $12,600 | -41% | Negative payoff |
| 93 | Stony Brook UniversityBachelor's Degree | Stony Brook, NY | $58,966 | $21,250 | -45% | Negative payoff |
| 94 | Franklin CollegeBachelor's Degree | Franklin, IN | $58,827 | $27,000 | -49% | Negative payoff |
| 95 | The University of Texas at AustinBachelor's Degree | Austin, TX | $58,807 | $23,000 | -47% | Negative payoff |
| 96 | Smith CollegeBachelor's Degree | Northampton, MA | $58,664 | $19,000 | -53% | Negative payoff |
| 97 | Occidental CollegeBachelor's Degree | Los Angeles, CA | $58,598 | $21,250 | -59% | Negative payoff |
| 98 | Hofstra UniversityBachelor's Degree | Hempstead, NY | $58,483 | $25,968 | -57% | Negative payoff |
| 99 | Canisius UniversityBachelor's Degree | Buffalo, NY | $58,469 | Not available | -47% | Negative payoff |
| 100 | University of Massachusetts-BostonBachelor's Degree | Boston, MA | $58,394 | $28,750 | -47% | Negative payoff |
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.