U.S. median for this major: $52,120.
College Scorecard field of study; 36 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 38% 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 $87,499. College Scorecard.
Wake Forest University 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 Wake Forest 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 | $6,525 | $26,426 | 1.0 years |
| $30–48k | $6,331 | $25,641 | under 1 year |
| $48–75k | $7,647 | $30,970 | 1.1 years |
| $75–110k | $12,771 | $51,723 | 1.9 years |
| $110k+ | $58,081 | $235,228 | 8.7 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.0 years, the average time graduates took (87% 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 ($60,635) minus $33,516 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in NC (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $27,119 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 North Carolina colleges
Every North Carolina 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 | Duke University | $61,425 | — | $29,612 | 97% |
| 2 | Wake Forest University | $60,635 | $23,000 | $28,719 | 89% |
| 3 | North Carolina State University at Raleigh | $52,142 | $22,787 | $17,303 | 85% |
| 4 | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill | $51,801 | $14,925 | $11,655 | 91% |
| 5 | University of North Carolina at Charlotte | $49,765 | $26,798 | $15,435 | 69% |
| 6 | University of North Carolina Wilmington | $48,591 | $24,125 | $20,109 | 71% |
| 7 | Appalachian State University | $47,180 | $20,606 | $16,836 | 75% |
| 8 | Western Carolina University | $46,195 | $23,250 | $13,315 | 60% |
| 9 | University of North Carolina at Pembroke | $44,935 | $28,526 | $10,260 | 44% |
| 10 | East Carolina University | $44,918 | $25,750 | $15,739 | 63% |
| 11 | University of North Carolina Asheville | $44,824 | $23,250 | $12,250 | 54% |
| 12 | North Carolina A & T State University | $44,104 | $33,540 | $10,846 | 57% |
| 13 | Fayetteville State University | $43,889 | $31,888 | $7,892 | 38% |
| 14 | University of North Carolina at Greensboro | $43,427 | $25,988 | $10,965 | 56% |
| 15 | Winston-Salem State University | $38,245 | — | $13,479 | 47% |
19 more North Carolina 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 Wake Forest University, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About Wake Forest University
- Acceptance rate: 22% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 89% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $78,158
- Full cost breakdown · all 38 majors · overview
Related majors at Wake Forest University
- Psychology$64,814
- Political Science$85,668
- Economics$98,209
Wake Forest University Sociology questions
How much do Wake Forest University Sociology graduates earn?
Sociology graduates of Wake Forest University earn a median $60,635 four years after graduating and $46,257 one year after. The U.S. median for Sociology graduates across 458 colleges is $52,120.
How much debt do Wake Forest University Sociology graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Sociology graduates of Wake Forest University is $23,000, about 38% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $25,000.
Is Wake Forest University a good school for Sociology in North Carolina?
On pay, Sociology graduates of Wake Forest University earn $60,635 four years out, $14,440 above the median for the same major across 15 North Carolina colleges ($46,195) and $8,515 above the U.S. median ($52,120). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.
Where does Wake Forest University rank for Sociology in North Carolina?
Of 15 North Carolina colleges reporting Sociology graduate earnings, Wake Forest University ranks 2nd. The highest is Duke University at $61,425.
What jobs do Sociology graduates get?
A common career is social science research assistants, with a median wage of $63,710 in North Carolina 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: “Wake Forest University Sociology: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/wake-forest-university/majors/sociology (College Scorecard and BLS data).