Social Sciences
Social Sciences is a major field of study, with over 1,506,610 professionals currently working in related careers. With 1,506,610 professionals in the field earning competitive wages, this degree offers strong career prospects.
Key Statistics
Institutions
Information about the types of higher education institutions that grant degrees in Social Sciences and the types of students that study this field.
Tuition Costs for Common Institutions
$3,861 Median In-State Public
$26,417 Median Out of State Private
Tuition costs for Social Sciences majors are, on average, $3,861 for in-state public colleges, and $26,417 for out of state private colleges.
Tuition costs comparison for Social Sciences programs.
Degrees Awarded Over Time
44,402 Total Degrees Awarded in 2023
This chart shows the number of degrees awarded in Social Sciences from 2015 to 2023.
Historical trend of degrees awarded in Social Sciences.
Top 5 Schools by Enrollment
| # | School | State | Enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Michigan State University | MI | 40,243 |
| 2 | Valencia College | FL | 35,125 |
| 3 | Miami Dade College | FL | 35,001 |
| 4 | Connecticut State Community College | CT | 32,292 |
| 5 | New York University | NY | 29,430 |
Schools with the largest enrollment offering Social Sciences programs.
Top 5 Most Affordable Tuition
| # | School | State | Tuition |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lee College | TX | $2,166 |
| 2 | Fort Peck Community College | MT | $2,250 |
| 3 | Pima Community College | AZ | $2,370 |
| 4 | Gulf Coast State College | FL | $2,370 |
| 5 | Valencia College | FL | $2,474 |
Schools with the lowest tuition costs for Social Sciences programs.
Top 5 Most Affordable Net Price
| # | School | State | Net Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Gulf Coast State College | FL | $2,339 |
| 2 | Fort Peck Community College | MT | $2,449 |
| 3 | Florida State College at Jacksonville | FL | $2,760 |
| 4 | Florida Gateway College | FL | $2,915 |
| 5 | Seminole State College of Florida | FL | $3,119 |
Schools with the lowest net price (after financial aid) for Social Sciences programs.
Graduation Rates
58.15% Median Graduation Rate (150% of normal time)
58.25% Average Graduation Rate
1,201 Institutions Reporting
46.43% - 70.52% Interquartile Range
Graduation/completion rates for Social Sciences programs across institutions.
Employment
Information on the businesses and industries that employ Social Sciences graduates and on wages and locations for those in the field.
Yearly Income for Common Jobs
$62,378 Average Wage in Workforce
The average salary for Social Sciences majors is $62,378.
Average annual salaries of the most common occupations for Social Sciences majors.
Occupations by Share
1,506,610 2023 Workforce
The number of Social Sciences graduates in the workforce has been growing.
Various jobs filled by those with a major in Social Sciences by share of the total number of graduates.
Return on Investment & Value
Financial analysis of Social Sciences degree including debt, earnings, and return on investment metrics.
Financial Value Analysis
ROI data is not available for this degree program.
Financial value comparison for Social Sciences degree.
Diversity
Demographic information for those who earn a degree in Social Sciences in the United States.
Workforce Age
N/A Average Age in 2023
This chart shows distribution of ages for employees with a degree in Social Sciences.
Age distribution for Social Sciences degree holders in the workforce.
Gender Distribution
43,359 Total Degrees Awarded
19,902 Male (45.90%)
23,457 Female (54.10%)
Gender distribution of Social Sciences degree recipients.
Race and Ethnicity Distribution
22,808 White (52.60%)
9,004 Hispanic or Latino (20.77%)
3,823 Black or African American (8.82%)
2,714 Asian (6.26%)
2,172 Two or More Races (5.01%)
Racial and ethnic distribution of Social Sciences degree recipients.
Degrees Awarded
The most common degree types awarded to students graduating in Social Sciences are Bachelors Degree, Masters Degree, and Associates Degree.
Distribution of degree types awarded in Social Sciences.
Skills
Data on the critical and distinctive skills necessary for those working in the Social Sciences field from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Required Skills
Social Sciences majors need many skills, but most especially Critical Thinking, Active Listening, and Reading Comprehension.
Rating of how necessary various skills are for Social Sciences majors.
Skills Bar Chart
This bar chart shows the same information as the radar chart, displaying the importance of each skill.
Skill importance ratings for Social Sciences majors.
About
Social Sciences
In 2023, 44,402 degrees were awarded across all undergraduate and graduate programs in Social Sciences.
CIP Code
45.1001 - Social Sciences
Insights and Analysis
Major Career Field: With over 1,506,610 professionals, Social Sciences represents one of the largest career fields in the United States. This substantial workforce size indicates strong employment opportunities and stability for graduates.
Data Sources
This page uses data from the following sources:
- College Scorecard - U.S. Department of Education
- Institutional characteristics, costs, completion rates, and earnings data
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: collegescorecard.ed.gov
- Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)
- Employment and wage data by occupation
- Latest data: May 2024
- Source: bls.gov/oes
- O*NET Online - U.S. Department of Labor
- Occupational skills, knowledge, abilities, and work activities
- Database version: 28.0 (August 2023)
- Source: onetcenter.org
- IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) - National Center for Education Statistics
- Institutional data, completions, enrollment, and financial aid
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: nces.ed.gov/ipeds
- Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS)
- Demographic and workforce data
- Latest data: 2023 ACS 5-Year Estimates
- Source: census.gov/acs
Data Processing: All data has been processed, cleaned, and aggregated for presentation. Where specific data points are unavailable, estimates are based on available data and clearly marked.
Last Updated: Data reflects the most recent available information as of January 2025.
Methodology
Data for this profile is sourced from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard dataset, IPEDS completion data, and Bureau of Labor Statistics employment data.
All financial figures are adjusted for inflation and represent the most recent available data. Employment and wage data are from the most recent Census Bureau ACS PUMS estimates.