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 32% 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 $19,601. College Scorecard.
Shepherd University Sociology: pay against the field, and payback
Same major, other colleges
Fewer than 3 West Virginia colleges report earnings for this major, so there is no state median.
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 Shepherd 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 | $7,906 | $34,865 | 1.1 years |
| $30–48k | $7,753 | $34,191 | 1.1 years |
| $48–75k | $10,107 | $44,572 | 1.5 years |
| $75–110k | $14,000 | $61,740 | 2.0 years |
| $110k+ | $15,866 | $69,969 | 2.3 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.4 years, the average time graduates took (33% 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 ($63,412) minus $32,695 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in WV (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $30,717 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 West Virginia colleges
Every West Virginia 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 | Shepherd University | $63,412 | $20,030 | $11,363 | 51% |
| 2 | West Virginia University | $54,596 | $24,223 | $15,634 | 65% |
5 more West Virginia 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 Shepherd University, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About Shepherd University
- Acceptance rate: 97% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 51% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $49,358
- Full cost breakdown · all 33 majors · overview
Related majors at Shepherd University
- Psychology$41,344
- Social Work$48,122
- Political Science—
- Economics—
Shepherd University Sociology questions
How much do Shepherd University Sociology graduates earn?
Sociology graduates of Shepherd University earn a median $63,412 four years after graduating and $33,190 one year after. The U.S. median for Sociology graduates across 458 colleges is $52,120.
How much debt do Shepherd University Sociology graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Sociology graduates of Shepherd University is $20,030, about 32% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $25,000.
Where does Shepherd University rank for Sociology in West Virginia?
Of 2 West Virginia colleges reporting Sociology graduate earnings, Shepherd University ranks 1st, the highest.
What jobs do Sociology graduates get?
A common career is social science research assistants, with a median wage of $65,330 in the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV 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: “Shepherd University Sociology: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/shepherd-university/majors/sociology (College Scorecard and BLS data).