U.S. median for this major: $52,120.
College Scorecard field of study; 43 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 37% 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 $27,648. College Scorecard.
Washington State 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 Washington State 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 | $7,074 | $30,913 | 1.8 years |
| $30–48k | $8,971 | $39,203 | 2.2 years |
| $48–75k | $11,519 | $50,338 | 2.9 years |
| $75–110k | $18,426 | $80,522 | 4.6 years |
| $110k+ | $24,726 | $108,053 | 6.1 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.4 years, the average time graduates took (43% 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 ($57,846) minus $40,219 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in WA (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $17,627 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 Washington colleges
Every Washington 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 | Central Washington University | $63,608 | $25,000 | $18,476 | 54% |
| 2 | Gonzaga University | $62,626 | $25,991 | $35,119 | 86% |
| 3 | University of Washington-Seattle Campus | $60,292 | $19,286 | $14,091 | 85% |
| 4 | Pacific Lutheran University | $59,853 | $21,000 | $19,589 | 69% |
| 5 | Washington State University | $57,846 | $21,475 | $14,971 | 61% |
| 6 | Whitworth University | $57,755 | $26,873 | $26,534 | 71% |
| 7 | Eastern Washington University | $56,992 | $16,996 | $13,886 | 43% |
| 8 | Western Washington University | $54,263 | $20,087 | $21,193 | 65% |
| 9 | Seattle Pacific University | $46,974 | $25,000 | $24,488 | 62% |
4 more Washington 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 Washington State University, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About Washington State University
- Acceptance rate: 87% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 61% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $68,905
- Full cost breakdown · all 89 majors · overview
Related majors at Washington State University
- Psychology$56,681
- Social Sciences$61,617
- Political Science$67,264
- Economics$70,215
- Criminology—
Washington State University Sociology questions
How much do Washington State University Sociology graduates earn?
Sociology graduates of Washington State University earn a median $57,846 four years after graduating and $39,801 one year after. The U.S. median for Sociology graduates across 458 colleges is $52,120.
How much debt do Washington State University Sociology graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Sociology graduates of Washington State University is $21,475, about 37% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $25,000.
Is Washington State University a good school for Sociology in Washington?
On pay, Sociology graduates of Washington State University earn $57,846 four years out, $0 above the median for the same major across 9 Washington colleges ($57,846) and $5,726 above the U.S. median ($52,120). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.
Where does Washington State University rank for Sociology in Washington?
Of 9 Washington colleges reporting Sociology graduate earnings, Washington State University ranks 5th. The highest is Central Washington University at $63,608.
What jobs do Sociology graduates get?
A common career is social science research assistants, with a median wage of $50,420 in Washington 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: “Washington State University Sociology: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/washington-state-university/majors/sociology (College Scorecard and BLS data).