U.S. median for this major: $52,120.
College Scorecard field of study; 75 graduates with earnings reported
Median for graduates who received federal aid.
College Scorecard field of study
About 41% 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 $31,713. College Scorecard.
University of Missouri-Columbia 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 University of Missouri-Columbia'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 | $13,841 | $59,516 | 3.0 years |
| $30–48k | $13,378 | $57,525 | 2.9 years |
| $48–75k | $13,722 | $59,005 | 3.0 years |
| $75–110k | $19,762 | $84,977 | 4.3 years |
| $110k+ | $26,304 | $113,107 | 5.8 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.3 years, the average time graduates took (56% 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 ($55,098) minus $35,438 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in MO (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $19,660 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 Missouri colleges
Every Missouri college we cover that reports Sociology graduate earnings, highest first. Net price is the school-wide average after grants. Colleges marked "mostly 2-year" or "bachelor's & associate" award more associate degrees than bachelor's; their bachelor's programs often serve working adults finishing a degree (for example, nurses completing a BSN), so their graduates' earnings can run higher than those of students starting college at 18.
| Rank | College | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt | Avg. net price | Graduation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Missouri-Columbia | $55,098 | $22,500 | $20,268 | 75% |
| 2 | Truman State University | $52,584 | — | $12,780 | 69% |
| 3 | University of Missouri-Kansas City | $49,936 | $20,799 | $13,310 | 55% |
| 4 | Columbia College | $49,542 | $32,276 | $22,715 | 42% |
| 5 | University of Central Missouri | $45,862 | $24,100 | $14,462 | 54% |
| 6 | Drury University | $43,676 | $33,900 | $20,831 | 62% |
| 7 | Drury University-College of Continuing Professional Studiesbachelor's & associate | $43,676 | $33,900 | $10,566 | 43% |
| 8 | Missouri State University-Springfield | $43,425 | $25,191 | $17,613 | 58% |
| 9 | Missouri Southern State University | $40,957 | — | $12,007 | 42% |
| 10 | University of Missouri-St Louis | $39,878 | $26,686 | $15,071 | 57% |
16 more Missouri 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 University of Missouri-Columbia, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About University of Missouri-Columbia
- Acceptance rate: 78% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 75% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $63,403
- Full cost breakdown · all 87 majors · overview
Related majors at University of Missouri-Columbia
- Psychology$55,839
- Social Work$56,157
- Political Science$64,747
- Economics$74,661
University of Missouri-Columbia Sociology questions
How much do University of Missouri-Columbia Sociology graduates earn?
Sociology graduates of University of Missouri-Columbia earn a median $55,098 four years after graduating and $33,386 one year after. The U.S. median for Sociology graduates across 458 colleges is $52,120.
How much debt do University of Missouri-Columbia Sociology graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Sociology graduates of University of Missouri-Columbia is $22,500, about 41% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $25,000.
Is University of Missouri-Columbia a good school for Sociology in Missouri?
On pay, Sociology graduates of University of Missouri-Columbia earn $55,098 four years out, $10,329 above the median for the same major across 10 Missouri colleges ($44,769) and $2,978 above the U.S. median ($52,120). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.
Where does University of Missouri-Columbia rank for Sociology in Missouri?
Of 10 Missouri colleges reporting Sociology graduate earnings, University of Missouri-Columbia ranks 1st, the highest.
What jobs do Sociology graduates get?
A common career is social science research assistants, with a median wage of $65,050 in the Columbia, MO area and $61,990 nationally.
Is University of Missouri-Columbia 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: “University of Missouri-Columbia Sociology: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/university-of-missouri-columbia/majors/sociology (College Scorecard and BLS data).