U.S. median for this major: $52,120.
College Scorecard field of study; 38 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 53% 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 $32,521. College Scorecard.
Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Harrisburg 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 Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Harrisburg'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 | $16,219 | $70,877 | 5.3 years |
| $30–48k | $16,221 | $70,886 | 5.3 years |
| $48–75k | $21,176 | $92,539 | 6.9 years |
| $75–110k | $25,103 | $109,700 | 8.2 years |
| $110k+ | $29,834 | $130,375 | 9.7 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.4 years, the average time graduates took (19% 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 ($49,197) minus $35,797 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in PA (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $13,400 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 Pennsylvania colleges
Every Pennsylvania 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 | University of Pennsylvania | $72,217 | $11,600 | $28,699 | 97% |
| 2 | La Salle University | $64,953 | $27,500 | $19,409 | 57% |
| 3 | Franklin and Marshall College | $63,251 | $19,000 | $36,425 | 84% |
| 4 | Moravian University | $62,315 | $27,000 | $30,670 | 72% |
| 5 | Wilkes University | $58,006 | $26,000 | $27,743 | 63% |
| 6 | Duquesne University | $55,050 | $26,983 | $37,730 | 77% |
| 7 | Millersville University of Pennsylvania | $54,329 | $26,000 | $20,787 | 58% |
| 8 | Albright College | $53,702 | $25,500 | $20,024 | 51% |
| 9 | East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania | $53,273 | $27,000 | $18,134 | 43% |
| 10 | University of Pittsburgh-Bradford | $51,654 | $25,000 | $15,350 | 48% |
| 11 | University of Pittsburgh-Johnstown | $51,654 | $25,000 | $18,202 | 56% |
| 12 | University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus | $51,654 | $25,000 | $30,434 | 86% |
| 13 | Commonwealth University of Pennsylvania | $50,984 | $29,119 | $15,699 | 54% |
| 14 | Lincoln University | $50,141 | — | $14,977 | 44% |
| 15 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Harrisburg | $49,197 | $26,000 | $23,330 | 26% |
| 16 | Pennsylvania State University | $49,197 | $26,000 | $32,875 | 86% |
| 17 | Cheyney University of Pennsylvania | $47,889 | — | $14,265 | 41% |
| 18 | Indiana University of Pennsylvania | $47,851 | $27,000 | $16,804 | 56% |
| 19 | Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania | $47,841 | $27,250 | $23,726 | 56% |
| 20 | Temple University | $47,631 | $26,000 | $28,198 | 75% |
| 21 | Westminster College | $47,502 | — | $19,859 | 65% |
| 22 | Lebanon Valley College | $46,836 | — | $26,979 | 65% |
| 23 | Bryn Mawr College | $42,666 | — | $31,759 | 82% |
| 24 | Pennsylvania Western University | $42,662 | — | $18,256 | 52% |
39 more Pennsylvania 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 Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Harrisburg, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Harrisburg
- Acceptance rate: 98% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 26% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $63,435
- Full cost breakdown · all 34 majors · overview
Related majors at Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Harrisburg
- Psychology$49,543
- Political Science$68,918
- Economics$81,228
Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Harrisburg Sociology questions
How much do Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Harrisburg Sociology graduates earn?
Sociology graduates of Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Harrisburg earn a median $49,197 four years after graduating and $35,016 one year after. The U.S. median for Sociology graduates across 458 colleges is $52,120.
How much debt do Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Harrisburg Sociology graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Sociology graduates of Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Harrisburg is $26,000, about 53% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $25,000.
Is Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Harrisburg a good school for Sociology in Pennsylvania?
On pay, Sociology graduates of Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Harrisburg earn $49,197 four years out, $2,122 below the median for the same major across 24 Pennsylvania colleges ($51,319) and $2,923 below the U.S. median ($52,120). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.
Where does Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Harrisburg rank for Sociology in Pennsylvania?
Of 24 Pennsylvania colleges reporting Sociology graduate earnings, Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Harrisburg ranks 15th. The highest is University of Pennsylvania at $72,217.
What jobs do Sociology graduates get?
A common career is social science research assistants, with a median wage of $50,450 in the Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA area and $61,990 nationally.
Is Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Harrisburg the right fit for your family?
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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: “Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Harrisburg Sociology: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/pennsylvania-state-university-penn-state-harrisburg/majors/sociology (College Scorecard and BLS data).