Sociology graduates from Vanderbilt University earn $83,649 median salary — above the national average for this program.
Sociology at Vanderbilt University
Nashville, Tennessee • Bachelor's
What the IPEDS & College Scorecard Data Shows for Sociology at Vanderbilt University
This page combines two federal data products: IPEDS institutional characteristics for Vanderbilt University 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 38 completers in the most recent cohort for this program at Vanderbilt University, the denominator behind the median earnings figure.
Median graduate earnings of $83,649 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 Vanderbilt University, the mean median-earnings figure is $93,916, providing internal context for whether this specific field out-earns other options at the same institution.
Debt signals complete the ROI picture. Median federal debt is not separately reported for this program at this school.. 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 (this school) | $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 Vanderbilt University
| Program | Median Earnings | Median Debt |
|---|---|---|
| Applied Mathematics | $216,406 | $61,500 |
| Medical Clinical Sciences/Graduate Medical Studies | $199,064 | — |
| Finance and Financial Management Services | $198,584 | $76,096 |
| Law | $196,797 | $139,857 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | $190,365 | $90,787 |
| Health and Medical Administrative Services | $178,361 | $78,044 |
| Public Health | $166,705 | $53,550 |
| Computer Science | $160,021 | $14,500 |
| Mathematics | $141,171 | $9,644 |
| Marketing | $140,404 | $60,500 |
Other Schools with Sociology
Quick picks offering the same program — compare side by side
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.