U.S. median for this major: $52,120.
College Scorecard field of study; 152 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 $31,247. College Scorecard.
The University of Texas at Austin 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 The University of Texas at Austin'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 | $12,553 | $52,723 | 2.1 years |
| $30–48k | $14,297 | $60,047 | 2.4 years |
| $48–75k | $17,207 | $72,269 | 2.9 years |
| $75–110k | $24,406 | $102,505 | 4.1 years |
| $110k+ | $30,082 | $126,344 | 5.0 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.2 years, the average time graduates took (73% 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 ($58,807) minus $33,516 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in TX (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $25,291 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 Texas colleges
Every Texas 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 | Texas Christian University | $62,392 | $23,187 | $36,660 | 86% |
| 2 | The University of Texas at Austin | $58,807 | $23,000 | $19,857 | 89% |
| 3 | Texas A&M University-College Station | $57,857 | $19,000 | $21,315 | 84% |
| 4 | Baylor University | $57,822 | $25,937 | $41,104 | 80% |
| 5 | The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley | $57,807 | — | $4,831 | 51% |
| 6 | The University of Texas at Arlington | $54,401 | $30,941 | $13,951 | 54% |
| 7 | University of North Texas at Dallas | $53,689 | — | $6,420 | 42% |
| 8 | Texas State University | $53,434 | $25,000 | $16,805 | 55% |
| 9 | Texas Woman's University | $52,196 | $33,719 | $11,963 | 49% |
| 10 | Texas Tech University | $51,527 | $25,000 | $19,070 | 69% |
| 11 | University of North Texas | $49,257 | $21,782 | $15,649 | 61% |
| 12 | The University of Texas at Dallas | $46,551 | — | $18,267 | 76% |
| 13 | University of Houston-Downtown | $46,106 | $27,375 | $10,542 | 33% |
| 14 | The University of Texas at San Antonio | $45,866 | $24,490 | $10,836 | 53% |
| 15 | University of Houston | $45,530 | $18,500 | $14,276 | 65% |
| 16 | East Texas A&M University | $45,301 | $26,490 | $11,841 | 43% |
| 17 | Texas A&M University-San Antonio | $45,191 | $17,458 | $11,196 | 40% |
| 18 | Texas A & M International University | $44,654 | $15,812 | $3,637 | 46% |
| 19 | Lamar University | $44,286 | $36,615 | $9,366 | 37% |
| 20 | Wiley University | $42,714 | — | $7,092 | 24% |
| 21 | Sam Houston State University | $42,152 | $29,000 | $16,404 | 55% |
| 22 | McMurry University | $41,749 | — | $19,581 | 44% |
| 23 | Midwestern State University | $39,067 | — | $11,656 | 43% |
| 24 | The University of Texas at El Paso | $35,325 | $22,328 | $9,403 | 50% |
33 more Texas 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 The University of Texas at Austin, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About The University of Texas at Austin
- Acceptance rate: 27% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 89% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $75,121
- Full cost breakdown · all 101 majors · overview
Related majors at The University of Texas at Austin
- Psychology$56,821
- Psychology (Research)—
- Social Work$59,850
- Political Science$75,988
- Economics$89,354
- Urban Studies / Affairs—
The University of Texas at Austin Sociology questions
How much do The University of Texas at Austin Sociology graduates earn?
Sociology graduates of The University of Texas at Austin earn a median $58,807 four years after graduating and $39,621 one year after. The U.S. median for Sociology graduates across 458 colleges is $52,120.
How much debt do The University of Texas at Austin Sociology graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Sociology graduates of The University of Texas at Austin is $23,000, about 39% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $25,000.
Is The University of Texas at Austin a good school for Sociology in Texas?
On pay, Sociology graduates of The University of Texas at Austin earn $58,807 four years out, $12,479 above the median for the same major across 24 Texas colleges ($46,328) and $6,687 above the U.S. median ($52,120). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.
Where does The University of Texas at Austin rank for Sociology in Texas?
Of 24 Texas colleges reporting Sociology graduate earnings, The University of Texas at Austin ranks 2nd. The highest is Texas Christian University at $62,392.
What jobs do Sociology graduates get?
A common career is social science research assistants, with a median wage of $64,900 in the Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX 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: “The University of Texas at Austin Sociology: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/the-university-of-texas-at-austin/majors/sociology (College Scorecard and BLS data).