Social Sciences, General: degree ROI, salary & best colleges
Social Sciences, General graduates earn a median $53,366 four years after finishing — $5,006/yr above the $48,360 high-school baseline. At a typical $16,902/yr net price ($67,608 over four years), that pays back in about 13.5 years. Federal data pools 294 bachelor's programs graduating roughly 5,311 students a year. (Scorecard field-of-study, 2026 · our math.)
Social Sciences, General ranks #146 of 202 bachelor's fields by earnings — pays more than 28% of majors.
| # | College | State | Grad earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vanderbilt University | TN | $103,229 |
| 2 | New York University | NY | $91,917 |
| 3 | Harvard University | MA | $78,996 |
| 4 | Manhattan University | NY | $75,745 |
| 5 | University of Washington-Seattle Campus | WA | $75,301 |
| 6 | Campbell University | NC | $71,052 |
| 7 | Towson University | MD | $68,242 |
| 8 | University of Massachusetts Global | CA | $64,307 |
| 9 | Thomas Edison State University | NJ | $63,772 |
| 10 | California State University-San Marcos | CA | $63,622 |
| 11 | Empire State University | NY | $61,925 |
| 12 | Washington State University | WA | $61,617 |
College Scorecard field-of-study (2026), program-level median earnings for this CIP · our ranking.
How we compute this. Earnings are the national median for graduates of this field measured 1 and 4 years after completion (Scorecard field-of-study, bachelor's). Premium = 4-year earnings − the $48,360 high-school baseline. Payback = a representative 4-year net cost (median college net price × 4) ÷ premium. Field medians blend every school — a specific program can pay far more or less. Full method on the methodology page; the field ranking is on ROI by major.
How fast does Social Sciences, General pay grow after graduation?
From $43,431 one year out to $53,366 four years out — a $9,935 climb, or 23% over three years. Both are federal medians of the same graduating cohorts, so the gap reflects real wage progression rather than a change in who is measured.
How many students graduate in Social Sciences, General each year?
About 5,311 bachelor's graduates a year across 294 programs in the federal file. Cohort size matters when reading the median: a field this size averages across a wide range of employers, regions and job titles.