# West Virginia University: Sociology (bachelor's)

Morgantown, WV. IPEDS 238032, CIP 45.11. Page: https://educationguide.com/colleges/west-virginia-university/majors/sociology

## Graduate outcomes
- Median earnings 1 year after graduating: $34,063
- Median earnings 4 years after graduating: $54,596 (U.S. median for this major: $52,120 across 458 colleges)
- Median federal loan debt: $24,223 (U.S. median $25,000)
- Rank in WV: 2 of 2 colleges by 4-year earnings
- Versus the U.S. median: +$2,476

## Cost to finish and years to pay back (EducationGuide calculation)
School-wide net price x 4.33 years (average time graduates took). Earnings gain = $54,596 minus $32,695 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in WV (Census ACS 2020-2024).

| Family income | Net price / yr | Cost to finish | Years to pay back |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0-30k | $9,450 | $40,919 | 1.9 years |
| 30-48k | $12,501 | $54,129 | 2.5 years |
| 48-75k | $14,179 | $61,395 | 2.8 years |
| 75-110k | $18,710 | $81,014 | 3.7 years |
| 110k+ | $20,273 | $87,782 | 4.0 years |

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

## Sociology at WV colleges
| College | Earnings 4 yrs | Median debt | Avg. net price | Graduation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shepherd University | $63,412 | $20,030 | $11,363 | 51% |
| West Virginia University | $54,596 | $24,223 | $15,634 | 65% |

## Careers
- Social Science Research Assistants (SOC 19-4061): median wage not reported Morgantown, WV, $51,140 WV, $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).