# Black Hills State University: Sociology (bachelor's)

Spearfish, SD. IPEDS 219046, CIP 45.11. Page: https://educationguide.com/colleges/black-hills-state-university/majors/sociology

## Graduate outcomes
- Median earnings 1 year after graduating: not reported
- Median earnings 4 years after graduating: $49,833 (U.S. median for this major: $52,120 across 458 colleges)
- Median federal loan debt: $37,329 (U.S. median $25,000)
- Rank in SD: 3 of 3 colleges by 4-year earnings
- Versus the SD median for this major (3 colleges, $50,765): -$932
- Versus the U.S. median: -$2,287

## Cost to finish and years to pay back (EducationGuide calculation)
School-wide net price x 4.48 years (average time graduates took). Earnings gain = $49,833 minus $35,797 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in SD (Census ACS 2020-2024).

| Family income | Net price / yr | Cost to finish | Years to pay back |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0-30k | $11,863 | $53,146 | 3.8 years |
| 30-48k | $13,379 | $59,938 | 4.3 years |
| 48-75k | $15,588 | $69,834 | 5.0 years |
| 75-110k | $18,072 | $80,963 | 5.8 years |
| 110k+ | $18,604 | $83,346 | 5.9 years |

Method: https://educationguide.com/how-we-score#value

## Sociology at SD colleges
| College | Earnings 4 yrs | Median debt | Avg. net price | Graduation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Dakota State University | $51,910 | $26,000 | $19,841 | 62% |
| Northern State University | $50,765 | not reported | $15,812 | 49% |
| Black Hills State University | $49,833 | $37,329 | $15,911 | 43% |

## Careers
- Social Science Research Assistants (SOC 19-4061): median wage not reported metro, $44,820 SD, $61,990 U.S.; U.S. jobs 5% by 2035

## Sources and years
- Earnings (4 yr): Treasury AY2017-2018, AY2018-2019 pooled earnings cohort measured in CY2022, CY2023, inflation adjusted to 2024 dollars; debt: NSLDS pooled AY2018-19, AY2019-20 cohort

Free to reuse with attribution: cite "EducationGuide.com" with a link to the page URL. Most figures are U.S. government data (public domain); loan default rates and athletics come from the Urban Institute Education Data Portal (ODC-By 1.0, attribution required) and founding years from Wikidata (CC0).