U.S. median for this major: $52,120.
College Scorecard field of study; 66 graduates with earnings reported
Median for graduates who received federal aid.
College Scorecard field of study
About 39% of median earnings 4 years out. U.S. median $25,000.
College Scorecard field of study (federal loans)
Average after grants for all families receiving federal aid. Pick your income above.
Sticker price $24,018. College Scorecard.
ISU Sociology: pay against the field, and payback
Same major, other colleges
Median earnings 4 years after graduating; state and U.S. figures are the median of each covered college's graduates in this major. College Scorecard; calculated by EducationGuide.
Sociology nationally: jobs, pay at ages 25-34, every state →
Cost to finish and years to pay back, by income
Uses ISU's school-wide net price (no college reports it by major) and this major's graduate earnings.
| Family income | Net price / yr | Cost to finish | Years to pay back |
|---|---|---|---|
| $0–30k | $10,582 | $45,714 | 2.4 years |
| $30–48k | $11,506 | $49,706 | 2.6 years |
| $48–75k | $15,463 | $66,800 | 3.5 years |
| $75–110k | $19,605 | $84,694 | 4.4 years |
| $110k+ | $22,496 | $97,183 | 5.1 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.3 years, the average time graduates took (54% finished in 4 years; students who entered fall 2017, IPEDS). Years to pay back = cost to finish ÷ the earnings gain: median earnings of Sociology graduates 4 years after graduating ($55,714) minus $36,661 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in IA (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $19,053 a year. Before taxes, loan interest and earnings given up while in school. Method
College Scorecard; IPEDS Graduation Rates; U.S. Census Bureau ACS. Calculated by EducationGuide.
Sociology at Iowa colleges
Every Iowa college we cover that reports Sociology graduate earnings, highest first. Net price is the school-wide average after grants.
| Rank | College | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt | Avg. net price | Graduation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Iowa State University | $55,714 | $21,935 | $18,589 | 75% |
| 2 | University of Iowa | $54,464 | $24,750 | $22,531 | 75% |
| 3 | University of Northern Iowa | $53,198 | $24,594 | $15,901 | 68% |
| 4 | Central College | $51,996 | $25,000 | $23,377 | 66% |
| 5 | University of Dubuque | $51,512 | — | $23,386 | 40% |
| 6 | William Penn University | $49,077 | $28,963 | $22,601 | 33% |
15 more Iowa colleges offer Sociology but have too few graduates to report earnings.
Careers for Sociology graduates
Social Science Research Assistants
Median annual wage, all workers. U.S. jobs +5.0% by 2035. Typical entry: bachelor's degree.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35. Careers from the federal major-to-occupation crosswalk.
What families pay at ISU, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About ISU
- Acceptance rate: 89% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 75% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $63,386
- Full cost breakdown · all 93 majors · overview
Related majors at ISU
- Psychology$49,286
- Political Science$57,752
- Economics$75,355
ISU Sociology questions
How much do ISU Sociology graduates earn?
Sociology graduates of Iowa State University earn a median $55,714 four years after graduating and $40,602 one year after. The U.S. median for Sociology graduates across 458 colleges is $52,120.
How much debt do ISU Sociology graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Sociology graduates of Iowa State University is $21,935, about 39% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $25,000.
Is ISU a good school for Sociology in Iowa?
On pay, Sociology graduates of Iowa State University earn $55,714 four years out, $3,117 above the median for the same major across 6 Iowa colleges ($52,597) and $3,594 above the U.S. median ($52,120). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.
Where does ISU rank for Sociology in Iowa?
Of 6 Iowa colleges reporting Sociology graduate earnings, Iowa State University ranks 1st, the highest.
What jobs do Sociology graduates get?
A common career is social science research assistants, with a median wage of $40,940 in Iowa and $61,990 nationally.
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Sources: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (field of study: median earnings and federal loan debt of graduates who received federal aid); BLS. How we score
Data: JSON · Markdown · all datasets
Cite this: “Iowa State University Sociology: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/iowa-state-university/majors/sociology (College Scorecard and BLS data).