U.S. median for this major: $52,120.
College Scorecard field of study; 128 graduates with earnings reported
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 $30,359. College Scorecard.
Western Washington 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 Western Washington 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 | $12,915 | $57,213 | 4.1 years |
| $30–48k | $14,147 | $62,671 | 4.5 years |
| $48–75k | $17,539 | $77,698 | 5.5 years |
| $75–110k | $24,301 | $107,653 | 7.7 years |
| $110k+ | $27,984 | $123,969 | 8.8 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.4 years, the average time graduates took (42% 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 ($54,263) minus $40,219 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in WA (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $14,044 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 Western Washington University, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About Western Washington University
- Acceptance rate: 93% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 65% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $62,569
- Full cost breakdown · all 97 majors · overview
Related majors at Western Washington University
- Psychology$53,224
- Psychology (Research)—
- Social Sciences—
- Political Science$49,640
- Economics$64,123
- Criminology—
Western Washington University Sociology questions
How much do Western Washington University Sociology graduates earn?
Sociology graduates of Western Washington University earn a median $54,263 four years after graduating and $33,039 one year after. The U.S. median for Sociology graduates across 458 colleges is $52,120.
How much debt do Western Washington University Sociology graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Sociology graduates of Western Washington University is $20,087, about 37% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $25,000.
Is Western Washington University a good school for Sociology in Washington?
On pay, Sociology graduates of Western Washington University earn $54,263 four years out, $3,583 below the median for the same major across 9 Washington colleges ($57,846) and $2,143 above the U.S. median ($52,120). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.
Where does Western Washington University rank for Sociology in Washington?
Of 9 Washington colleges reporting Sociology graduate earnings, Western Washington University ranks 8th. 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: “Western Washington University Sociology: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/western-washington-university/majors/sociology (College Scorecard and BLS data).