Sociology graduates from Purdue University-Main Campus earn $55,072 median salary — above the national average for this program. Median debt: $19,500.
Sociology at Purdue University-Main Campus
West Lafayette, Indiana • Bachelor's
What the IPEDS & College Scorecard Data Shows for Sociology at Purdue University-Main Campus
This page combines two federal data products: IPEDS institutional characteristics for Purdue University-Main Campus and the College Scorecard field-of-study (FOS) file for Sociology at the bachelor's credential level. The FOS file is keyed by CIP (Classification of Instructional Programs) code, which means earnings and debt figures here reflect only graduates of this specific program — not the school as a whole. IPEDS reports 130 completers in the most recent cohort for this program at Purdue University-Main Campus, the denominator behind the median earnings figure.
Median graduate earnings of $55,072 represent Treasury-verified wages approximately one year after program completion, drawn from Social Security Administration records linked to federal financial aid applicants. Compared to the national mean of $47,762 across all institutions offering Sociology, graduates here earn above the national average for this program. Across all programs at Purdue University-Main Campus, the mean median-earnings figure is $78,065, providing internal context for whether this specific field out-earns other options at the same institution.
Debt signals complete the ROI picture. The median cumulative federal loan debt for Sociology graduates at Purdue University-Main Campus is $19,500, which translates to roughly $163 per month on a standard 10-year repayment plan. The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.35 is under the 1.0 threshold the College Scorecard uses to flag favorable gainful-employment outcomes — earnings in year one already exceed cumulative borrowing. Program-level debt and earnings come from the Department of Education’s College Scorecard FOS release, updated annually.
Earnings Comparison
Program Details
Debt & ROI
Sociology at Other Schools
| School | Median Earnings | Median Debt |
|---|---|---|
| Columbia University in the City of New York | $101,536 | $27,000 |
| William & Mary | $87,655 | $14,000 |
| Vanderbilt University | $83,649 | — |
| Dartmouth College | $81,722 | $19,250 |
| George Washington University | $78,857 | — |
| Barnard College | $77,821 | $14,899 |
| New York University | $77,650 | $18,875 |
| Northwestern University | $75,267 | $13,622 |
| Cornell University | $73,200 | $11,650 |
| University of Pennsylvania | $72,217 | — |
Other Programs at Purdue University-Main Campus
| Program | Median Earnings | Median Debt |
|---|---|---|
| Agricultural Business and Management | $155,217 | — |
| Computer Science | $146,685 | $19,136 |
| Engineering, Other | $140,404 | — |
| Computer and Information Sciences, General | $140,205 | — |
| Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering | $137,523 | — |
| Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration | $135,033 | $99,174 |
| Mechanical Engineering | $133,021 | — |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | $132,747 | $41,000 |
| Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering | $131,275 | $32,946 |
| Veterinary Medicine | $123,596 | $113,597 |
Other Schools with Sociology
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About the Data
Data from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard Field of Study file. Earnings are median earnings for graduates after completion, drawn from U.S. Treasury tax records linked to federal financial aid applicants. Institutional characteristics come from IPEDS. Debt figures represent the median cumulative federal loan debt at graduation.
Debt-to-earnings ratio compares cumulative debt to annual earnings. A ratio below 1.0 indicates that annual earnings exceed total debt, generally considered favorable. Estimated monthly payments assume a standard 10-year repayment plan.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.