Sociology graduates from University of South Carolina Aiken earn $49,530 median salary — above the national average for this program. Median debt: $26,882.
Sociology at University of South Carolina Aiken
Aiken, South Carolina • Bachelor's
What the IPEDS & College Scorecard Data Shows for Sociology at University of South Carolina Aiken
This page combines two federal data products: IPEDS institutional characteristics for University of South Carolina Aiken 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 20 completers in the most recent cohort for this program at University of South Carolina Aiken, the denominator behind the median earnings figure.
Median graduate earnings of $49,530 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 University of South Carolina Aiken, the mean median-earnings figure is $51,276, 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 University of South Carolina Aiken is $26,882, which translates to roughly $224 per month on a standard 10-year repayment plan. The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.54 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 University of South Carolina Aiken
| Program | Median Earnings | Median Debt |
|---|---|---|
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | $78,231 | $23,667 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | $62,849 | $30,750 |
| Industrial Engineering | $60,091 | — |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | $58,908 | $23,828 |
| Communication and Media Studies | $58,203 | $25,802 |
| Applied Mathematics | $50,439 | — |
| Sociology (current) | $49,530 | $26,882 |
| Biology, General | $45,363 | $25,874 |
| Psychology, General | $45,163 | $26,000 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods | $43,728 | $22,500 |
View all 13 programs at University of South Carolina Aiken →
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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.