U.S. median for this major: $52,120.
College Scorecard field of study; 19 graduates with earnings reported. A small group, so treat this figure with caution
Median for graduates who received federal aid.
College Scorecard field of study
About 19% 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 $91,250. College Scorecard.
Northwestern University 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 Northwestern University'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 | $1,764 | $7,232 | under 1 year |
| $30–48k | $6,099 | $25,006 | under 1 year |
| $48–75k | $7,898 | $32,382 | under 1 year |
| $75–110k | $18,282 | $74,956 | 1.9 years |
| $110k+ | $48,777 | $199,986 | 5.1 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.1 years, the average time graduates took (88% 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 ($75,267) minus $35,797 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in IL (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $39,470 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 Illinois colleges
Every Illinois 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 | Northwestern University | $75,267 | $14,567 | $29,167 | 95% |
| 2 | Loyola University Chicago | $61,429 | $22,250 | $36,079 | 73% |
| 3 | Northern Illinois University | $58,023 | $27,000 | $13,391 | 49% |
| 4 | Augustana College | $57,943 | $26,497 | $22,736 | 73% |
| 5 | North Central College | $56,281 | $27,000 | $21,044 | 64% |
| 6 | University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign | $55,393 | $21,154 | $14,355 | 85% |
| 7 | Dominican University | $54,686 | $27,000 | $11,745 | 55% |
| 8 | University of Illinois Chicago | $53,962 | $19,315 | $10,974 | 62% |
| 9 | Northeastern Illinois University | $53,747 | $17,457 | $14,109 | 22% |
| 10 | Elmhurst University | $53,075 | $24,505 | $24,185 | 70% |
| 11 | DePaul University | $52,791 | $24,500 | $30,902 | 68% |
| 12 | McKendree University | $52,428 | $27,000 | $24,717 | 53% |
| 13 | Chicago State University | $51,485 | $38,087 | $12,335 | 15% |
| 14 | Southern Illinois University Edwardsville | $51,465 | $26,500 | $14,889 | 57% |
| 15 | Illinois State University | $51,000 | $25,000 | $19,398 | 65% |
| 16 | Western Illinois University | $50,080 | $30,478 | $12,937 | 45% |
| 17 | Eastern Illinois University | $48,925 | $25,817 | $12,786 | 47% |
21 more Illinois 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 Northwestern University, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About Northwestern University
- Acceptance rate: 8% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 95% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $89,363
- Full cost breakdown · all 85 majors · overview
Related majors at Northwestern University
- Psychology$73,646
- Psychology (Research)—
- Social Sciences—
- Political Science$73,231
- Economics$126,006
- Urban Studies / Affairs—
Northwestern University Sociology questions
How much do Northwestern University Sociology graduates earn?
Sociology graduates of Northwestern University earn a median $75,267 four years after graduating and $38,402 one year after. The U.S. median for Sociology graduates across 458 colleges is $52,120.
How much debt do Northwestern University Sociology graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Sociology graduates of Northwestern University is $14,567, about 19% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $25,000.
Is Northwestern University a good school for Sociology in Illinois?
On pay, Sociology graduates of Northwestern University earn $75,267 four years out, $21,520 above the median for the same major across 17 Illinois colleges ($53,747) and $23,147 above the U.S. median ($52,120). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.
Where does Northwestern University rank for Sociology in Illinois?
Of 17 Illinois colleges reporting Sociology graduate earnings, Northwestern University ranks 1st, the highest.
What jobs do Sociology graduates get?
A common career is social science research assistants, with a median wage of $64,890 in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN area 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: “Northwestern University Sociology: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/northwestern-university/majors/sociology (College Scorecard and BLS data).