San Diego State University Social Sciences: earnings, debt & careers

Social Sciences graduates of San Diego State University earn a median $52,095 four years after graduating ($23,704 after one year), with median federal loan debt of $20,915. That is $425 below the U.S. median for Social Sciences graduates ($52,520 across 85 colleges), and ranks 8th of 11 California colleges.

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Earnings, 4 years after graduating
$52,095

U.S. median for this major: $52,520.

College Scorecard field of study

Earnings, 1 year after
$23,704

Median for graduates who received federal aid.

College Scorecard field of study

Median debt at graduation
$20,915

About 40% of median earnings 4 years out. U.S. median $26,130.

College Scorecard field of study (federal loans)

What your family pays
$15,364 /yr

Average after grants for all families receiving federal aid. Pick your income above.

Sticker price $27,780. College Scorecard.

Social Sciences at California colleges

Every California college we cover that reports Social Sciences graduate earnings, highest first. Net price is the school-wide average after grants.

RankCollegeEarnings, 4 yrsMedian debtAvg. net priceGraduation
1Whittier College$64,736$24,937$25,75760%
2University of Massachusetts Global$64,307—$32,65443%
3California State University-San Marcos$63,622$18,719$10,22955%
4Hope International University$58,263—$29,31049%
5California State University-Monterey Bay$57,200$11,000$13,66359%
6California State University-Sacramento$56,363$16,194$9,33856%
7California State University-Stanislaus$55,109$15,446$6,06753%
8San Diego State University$52,095$20,915$15,36476%
9California State University-Chico$50,845$16,500$14,48063%
10California State University-San Bernardino$47,348—$4,56455%
11University of Southern California$42,038—$32,74092%

19 more California colleges offer Social Sciences but have too few graduates to report earnings.

Careers for Social Sciences graduates

Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education

San Diego area$97,000
California$99,650
U.S.$63,970

Median annual wage, all workers. U.S. jobs -0.4% by 2035. Typical entry: bachelor's degree.

Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education

San Diego area$102,810
California$101,370
U.S.$72,040

Median annual wage, all workers. U.S. jobs -0.2% by 2035. Typical entry: bachelor's degree.

Social Science Research Assistants

San Diego area$66,520
California$60,250
U.S.$61,990

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 San Diego State University, by income

School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.

College Scorecard

About San Diego State University

Related majors at San Diego State University

San Diego State University Social Sciences questions

How much do San Diego State University Social Sciences graduates earn?

Social Sciences graduates of San Diego State University earn a median $52,095 four years after graduating and $23,704 one year after. The U.S. median for Social Sciences graduates across 85 colleges is $52,520.

How much debt do San Diego State University Social Sciences graduates have?

The median federal loan debt for Social Sciences graduates of San Diego State University is $20,915, about 40% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $26,130.

Where does San Diego State University rank for Social Sciences in California?

Of 11 California colleges reporting Social Sciences graduate earnings, San Diego State University ranks 8th. The highest is Whittier College at $64,736.

What jobs do Social Sciences graduates get?

A common career is elementary school teachers, except special education, with a median wage of $97,000 in the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA area and $63,970 nationally. Others include secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education and social science research assistants.

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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
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Cite this: “San Diego State University Social Sciences: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/san-diego-state-university/majors/social-sciences (College Scorecard and BLS data).