Social Sciences, General graduates from University of Chicago earn $74,690 median salary — above the national average for this program. Median debt: $43,505.
Social Sciences, General at University of Chicago
Chicago, Illinois • Master's
What the IPEDS & College Scorecard Data Shows for Social Sciences, General at University of Chicago
This page combines two federal data products: IPEDS institutional characteristics for University of Chicago and the College Scorecard field-of-study (FOS) file for Social Sciences, General at the master'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 208 completers in the most recent cohort for this program at University of Chicago, the denominator behind the median earnings figure.
Median graduate earnings of $74,690 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 $61,234 across all institutions offering Social Sciences, General, graduates here earn above the national average for this program. Across all programs at University of Chicago, the mean median-earnings figure is $94,503, 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 Social Sciences, General graduates at University of Chicago is $43,505, which translates to roughly $363 per month on a standard 10-year repayment plan. The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.58 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
Social Sciences, General at Other Schools
| School | Median Earnings | Median Debt |
|---|---|---|
| Johns Hopkins University | $128,590 | $41,000 |
| Utica University | $101,777 | — |
| Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Great Valley | $82,440 | — |
| Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus | $82,440 | — |
| University of Chicago (this school) | $74,690 | $43,505 |
| Mercer University | $67,767 | $34,167 |
| Pennsylvania Western University | $65,444 | $26,214 |
| Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University | $57,722 | $26,138 |
| Boston University | $57,318 | — |
| Bellevue University | $56,332 | $65,092 |
Other Programs at University of Chicago
| Program | Median Earnings | Median Debt |
|---|---|---|
| Law | $279,203 | $188,691 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | $243,256 | $92,529 |
| Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods | $190,915 | $52,045 |
| Computer Programming | $179,964 | — |
| Computer Science | $178,068 | — |
| Mathematics | $172,826 | $12,000 |
| Computer Science | $169,765 | $80,205 |
| Statistics | $161,842 | $48,437 |
| Economics | $159,578 | $13,395 |
| Statistics | $130,189 | — |
Other Schools with Social Sciences, General
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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.