U.S. median for this major: $52,120.
College Scorecard field of study; 21 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 43% 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 $34,321. College Scorecard.
URI 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 URI'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 | $14,368 | $60,633 | 4.4 years |
| $30–48k | $12,923 | $54,535 | 3.9 years |
| $48–75k | $17,803 | $75,129 | 5.4 years |
| $75–110k | $23,394 | $98,723 | 7.1 years |
| $110k+ | $28,460 | $120,101 | 8.6 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.2 years, the average time graduates took (57% 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 ($53,802) minus $39,880 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in RI (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $13,922 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 Rhode Island colleges
Every Rhode Island 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 | Providence College | $64,750 | $27,000 | $48,523 | 86% |
| 2 | Rhode Island College | $59,643 | $21,100 | $9,478 | 48% |
| 3 | University of Rhode Island | $53,802 | $23,250 | $21,440 | 73% |
4 more Rhode Island 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 URI, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About URI
- Acceptance rate: 72% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 73% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $69,743
- Full cost breakdown · all 78 majors · overview
Related majors at URI
- Psychology$56,571
- Political Science$60,559
- Economics$77,225
- Criminology—
URI Sociology questions
How much do URI Sociology graduates earn?
Sociology graduates of University of Rhode Island earn a median $53,802 four years after graduating and $42,554 one year after. The U.S. median for Sociology graduates across 458 colleges is $52,120.
How much debt do URI Sociology graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Sociology graduates of University of Rhode Island is $23,250, about 43% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $25,000.
Is URI a good school for Sociology in Rhode Island?
On pay, Sociology graduates of University of Rhode Island earn $53,802 four years out, $5,841 below the median for the same major across 3 Rhode Island colleges ($59,643) and $1,682 above the U.S. median ($52,120). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.
Where does URI rank for Sociology in Rhode Island?
Of 3 Rhode Island colleges reporting Sociology graduate earnings, University of Rhode Island ranks 3rd. The highest is Providence College at $64,750.
What jobs do Sociology graduates get?
A common career is social science research assistants, with a median wage of $52,470 in the Providence-Warwick, RI-MA 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: “University of Rhode Island Sociology: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/university-of-rhode-island/majors/sociology (College Scorecard and BLS data).