# Portland State University: Sociology (bachelor's)

Portland, OR. IPEDS 209807, CIP 45.11. Page: https://educationguide.com/colleges/portland-state-university/majors/sociology

## Graduate outcomes
- Median earnings 1 year after graduating: $28,708
- Median earnings 4 years after graduating: $53,753 (U.S. median for this major: $52,120 across 458 colleges)
- Median federal loan debt: $25,000 (U.S. median $25,000)
- Rank in OR: 4 of 5 colleges by 4-year earnings
- Versus the OR median for this major (5 colleges, $55,204): -$1,451
- Versus the U.S. median: +$1,633

## Cost to finish and years to pay back (EducationGuide calculation)
School-wide net price x 4.42 years (average time graduates took). Earnings gain = $53,753 minus $36,549 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in OR (Census ACS 2020-2024).

| Family income | Net price / yr | Cost to finish | Years to pay back |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0-30k | $7,655 | $33,835 | 2.0 years |
| 30-48k | $7,752 | $34,264 | 2.0 years |
| 48-75k | $8,981 | $39,696 | 2.3 years |
| 75-110k | $12,993 | $57,429 | 3.3 years |
| 110k+ | $19,112 | $84,475 | 4.9 years |

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

## Sociology at OR colleges
| College | Earnings 4 yrs | Median debt | Avg. net price | Graduation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oregon State University | $56,865 | $21,882 | $19,604 | 70% |
| Oregon State University-Cascades Campus | $56,865 | $21,882 | $18,048 | 56% |
| University of Oregon | $55,204 | $23,592 | $22,182 | 72% |
| Portland State University | $53,753 | $25,000 | $9,552 | 53% |
| Lewis & Clark College | $52,232 | not reported | $36,013 | 75% |

## Careers
- Social Science Research Assistants (SOC 19-4061): median wage $59,850 Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA, $56,770 OR, $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).