# Central College: Sociology (bachelor's)

Pella, IA. IPEDS 153108, CIP 45.11. Page: https://educationguide.com/colleges/central-college/majors/sociology

## Graduate outcomes
- Median earnings 1 year after graduating: $38,034
- Median earnings 4 years after graduating: $51,996 (U.S. median for this major: $52,120 across 458 colleges)
- Median federal loan debt: $25,000 (U.S. median $25,000)
- Rank in IA: 4 of 6 colleges by 4-year earnings
- Versus the IA median for this major (6 colleges, $52,597): -$601
- Versus the U.S. median: -$124

## Cost to finish and years to pay back (EducationGuide calculation)
School-wide net price x 4.15 years (average time graduates took). Earnings gain = $51,996 minus $36,661 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in IA (Census ACS 2020-2024).

| Family income | Net price / yr | Cost to finish | Years to pay back |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0-30k | $16,231 | $67,359 | 4.4 years |
| 30-48k | $16,237 | $67,384 | 4.4 years |
| 48-75k | $19,532 | $81,058 | 5.3 years |
| 75-110k | $21,936 | $91,034 | 5.9 years |
| 110k+ | $27,165 | $112,735 | 7.4 years |

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

## Sociology at IA colleges
| College | Earnings 4 yrs | Median debt | Avg. net price | Graduation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Iowa State University | $55,714 | $21,935 | $18,589 | 75% |
| University of Iowa | $54,464 | $24,750 | $22,531 | 75% |
| University of Northern Iowa | $53,198 | $24,594 | $15,901 | 68% |
| Central College | $51,996 | $25,000 | $23,377 | 66% |
| University of Dubuque | $51,512 | not reported | $23,386 | 40% |
| William Penn University | $49,077 | $28,963 | $22,601 | 33% |

## Careers
- Social Science Research Assistants (SOC 19-4061): median wage not reported metro, $40,940 IA, $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).