Social Sciences degree: salary, jobs & colleges
Bachelor's graduates in social sciences earn a median $52,520 four years after finishing, across 85 U.S. colleges. At ages 25-34, people whose degree is in general social sciences earn $52,793, $9,256 less than all bachelor's holders. The most common job is elementary and middle school teachers (4%).
Median across 85 colleges; middle half $47,074–$58,460.
College Scorecard field of study (graduates who received federal aid)
Middle half $39,102–$71,068. 627 survey respondents.
Census ACS 2020-2024 microdata; field "General Social Sciences"; EducationGuide calculation
- All bachelor's, 25-34$62,049
- High school, 25-34$35,638
- This degree vs high school+$17,155/yr
Census ACS 2020-2024 microdata, workers not in school
Median across colleges reporting.
College Scorecard field of study
Jobs social sciences graduates hold
What employed 25-34-year-olds whose bachelor's is in general social sciences actually do, with U.S. wages and the outlook for each job. The first column comes from the Census survey; wages and growth from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
| Job | Share of graduates | U.S. median wage | Jobs growth 2025-35 | Typical entry | Interests |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary And Middle School Teachers | 4% | $64,170 | -0.4% | — | — |
| Social Workers, All Other | 4% | $71,900 | +2.3% | Bachelor's degree | — |
| Secondary School Teachers | 3% | $70,930 | -0.2% | — | — |
| Secretaries And Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, And Executive | 2% | $47,540 | -6.0% | High school diploma or equivalent | CES |
| Human Resources Workers | 2% | $76,700 | +6.1% | — | — |
| Teaching Assistants | 2% | $37,010 | +0.0% | — | — |
| Police Officers | 2% | $76,250 | +3.5% | — | — |
| Educational, Guidance, And Career Counselors And Advisors | 2% | $64,330 | +2.9% | Master's degree | SCE |
These 8 jobs account for 21% of employed graduates: people with this degree spread across many kinds of work.
Census ACS 2020-2024 microdata (ages 25-34, bachelor's as highest degree, employed); BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2025; BLS Employment Projections 2025-35; O*NET 31.0 interest codes (R realistic, I investigative, A artistic, S social, E enterprising, C conventional).
Social Sciences earnings by state
Two views of pay: recent graduates of the state's colleges four years out (College Scorecard), and everyone ages 25-34 living in the state with this field of degree (Census). States show a figure only with at least 3 colleges or 100 survey respondents.
| State | Graduates, 4 yrs (colleges) | Ages 25-34 (respondents) |
|---|---|---|
| California | $56,363 (11) | $55,860 (132) |
| Florida | $47,969 (5) | — |
| Michigan | $52,520 (3) | — |
| New York | $57,882 (10) | — |
| North Carolina | $44,793 (3) | — |
| Oregon | $52,242 (6) | — |
| Pennsylvania | $54,069 (6) | — |
| South Carolina | $44,416 (3) | — |
| Texas | $56,026 (3) | — |
| Washington | $61,617 (3) | — |
College Scorecard field of study (median of each college's graduates); Census ACS 2020-2024 microdata; EducationGuide calculations.
Colleges where social sciences graduates earn the most
In the states we cover so far (Florida, Virginia, California): 10 in Florida, 7 in Virginia, 29 in California offer this major. Open a college to see cost to finish and payback for your income.
| # | College | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Whittier CollegeCA | $64,736 | $24,937 |
| 2 | California State University-San MarcosCA | $63,622 | $18,719 |
| 3 | Florida State UniversityFL | $58,460 | $23,375 |
| 4 | Hope International UniversityCA | $58,263 | — |
| 5 | California State University-Monterey BayCA | $57,200 | $11,000 |
| 6 | California State University-SacramentoCA | $56,363 | $16,194 |
| 7 | California State University-StanislausCA | $55,109 | $15,446 |
| 8 | San Diego State UniversityCA | $52,095 | $20,915 |
| 9 | California State University-ChicoCA | $50,845 | $16,500 |
| 10 | Radford UniversityVA | $49,727 | $25,000 |
| 11 | Jacksonville UniversityFL | $48,761 | $31,000 |
| 12 | University of South FloridaFL | $47,969 | $24,095 |
College Scorecard field of study. Colleges meeting our core-data standard; online campuses left out.
Related degrees
Social Sciences degree questions
How much do Social Sciences graduates make?
Social Sciences graduates earn a median $52,520 four years after finishing, across 85 U.S. colleges that report it (the middle half of colleges: $47,074 to $58,460; College Scorecard, graduates who received federal aid). Among all workers ages 25-34 whose bachelor's degree is in general social sciences, the median is $52,793 (Census ACS 2020-2024).
Is a Social Sciences degree worth it?
At ages 25-34, people with a bachelor's in general social sciences earn a median $52,793: $9,256 less than all bachelor's degree holders ($62,049) and $17,155 more than high school graduates ($35,638). EducationGuide calculation from Census ACS 2020-2024 microdata, workers not in school.
What jobs do Social Sciences graduates get?
Among employed 25-34-year-olds whose bachelor's is in general social sciences, the most common jobs are elementary and middle school teachers (4%), social workers, all other (4%), secondary school teachers (3%). Elementary And Middle School Teachers earn a U.S. median $64,170.
How much do Social Sciences graduates earn in Florida?
Across 5 Florida colleges reporting, Social Sciences graduates earn a median $47,969 four years after graduating.
Sources: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard; U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey microdata; Bureau of Labor Statistics; O*NET 31.0 (U.S. Department of Labor, CC BY 4.0). Method
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Cite this: “Social Sciences degree: salary, jobs and colleges,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/degrees/social-sciences.