How much do Social Sciences, General bachelor's degree graduates from Michigan State University earn?

The reported median is $58,797 four years after completion.

How much federal debt do graduates of this program have?

The reported median federal debt among borrowers is $29,198.

Is this program above or below similar programs?

Reported year-four earnings are 10% above the national median for the same field and degree level.

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COLLEGE + DEGREE OUTCOMES

Social Sciences, General bachelor's degree at Michigan State University

East Lansing, MI · Public

What this page covers

Federal data group related majors at the same college and degree level. One record can include several named programs or concentrations.

The short version

Reported earnings are notably above similar programs.

$5,431 above the national median for the same field and degree level.

Debt as a share of earnings: 49.7% of annual earnings
Highest price with a positive payoff: Not reached
Modeled 10-year payoff: −47% · Negative payoff
Available price data: College-wide context only

PRICE SENSITIVITY

The price can change the verdict.

Hold observed earnings constant and see how the modeled ten-year payoff changes as annual price rises.

← Negative payoff$0Positive payoff →

$0Annual price−$42,030

$8,000Annual price−$74,030

$16,000Annual price−$106,030

$20,000Current college-wide context−$122,030

$24,000Annual price−$138,030

$32,000Annual price−$170,030

$40,000Annual price−$202,030

OUTCOME SIGNALS

Graduate outcomes from several angles.

Follow earnings over time and inspect the cohort behind each federal measure.

+25%Earnings growth, year 1 → 5$46,206 → $57,882

158Earn above high-school thresholdGraduate count in the year-4 cohort

126Working in the college’s stateGraduate count in the year-4 cohort

203Year-5 earnings observationsCohort behind the year-5 median

182Borrowers representedCohort behind the debt median

$26,714Awarding-school debtDebt attributed to the college granting the credential

Not availableRecent awardsIPEDS 2024–25 first-major completions in this field and credential

NEW FEDERAL PROGRAM CONTEXT

Size, aid and an earnings floor.

The Department of Education’s 2026 informational preview adds current program participation and a preliminary earnings comparison. It does not make a final eligibility determination.

679Students receiving federal aid2024–25 Title IV enrollment

63Federal-aid completers2024–25 program completers

275Pell Grant recipients2024–25 program count

472Federal loan borrowers2024–25 unduplicated count

6.6%Federal-aid non-completion rate2022–23 program cohort · 35 non-completers

201Graduates not recorded as employedHistorical federal cohort, three years after completion

Preliminary federal earnings benchmark$32,989Informational preview, not a final accountability result

Observed year-4 earnings$58,797$25,808 above the preliminary benchmark

Additional borrowing reported for this category: 141 Parent PLUS borrowers.

Source: U.S. Department of Education PPD:2026 informational preview. Program categories use OPEID, four-digit field and credential level; federal-aid counts do not represent every enrolled student. Completion and employment measures use older cohorts shown above and are not combined into the payoff estimate.

01 · PRICE CONTEXT$19,680

Institution-wide annual average net price, not this program’s price.

02 · BORROWING$29,198

Median federal debt across schools attended at this academic level.

03 · EARNINGS$58,797

Observed median earnings four full years after completion.

04 · REPAYMENT$310/mo

Estimated standard 10-year federal payment.

WHAT WILL IT COST?

Published college costs provide the starting point.

Your exact offering, aid, residency and time to finish determine the price you actually pay.

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AVERAGE NET PRICE$19,680Institution-wide annual figure

COST OF ATTENDANCE$32,198Institution-wide annual budget

ADMISSION RATE84.8%Institution context

COMPLETION RATE80.7%Institution-wide completion rate

WHAT DO GRADUATES EARN?

Reported earnings after completion.

Each point may represent a different federal cohort. A missing bar means the figure was unavailable or suppressed.

$46,206Year 1

$58,797Year 4

$57,882Year 5

CAN THE EARNINGS SUPPORT THE DEBT?

6.3% of gross monthly earnings

Estimated monthly payment divided by observed gross monthly earnings. This excludes taxes, other debts and income-driven repayment.

Gross monthly earnings$4,900

Estimated loan payment$310

182borrowers represented where reported

HOW DOES IT COMPARE?

$58,797 vs. $53,366

$5,431 above the national median for the same field and credential.

Same-field national median

WHAT WORK CAN IT LEAD TO?

Related occupations, wages and outlook.

Official CIP–SOC links show careers the curriculum may prepare students for, not observed jobs held by this school’s graduates. BLS wages describe everyone working in an occupation.

BLS May 2025 wage estimates and 2025–35 employment projections.

Managers, All Other$134,260 median wageMI estimate · 9,380 jobs · 11-9199$104,810–$169,280 middle 50% of MI wages+4.9% projected U.S. growth · 100,900 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeSocial Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary, All Other$97,450 median wageMI estimate · 220 jobs · 25-1069$65,990–$135,870 middle 50% of MI wages+1.6% projected U.S. growth · 1,300 openings/yrTypical entry: Doctoral or professional degreeSocial Scientists and Related Workers, All Other$84,260 median wageMI estimate · 660 jobs · 19-3099$68,020–$106,330 middle 50% of MI wages-0.2% projected U.S. growth · 2,700 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeStatisticians$102,710 median wageMI estimate · 570 jobs · 15-2041$74,110–$143,220 middle 50% of MI wages+11.0% projected U.S. growth · 1,900 openings/yrTypical entry: Master's degreeSociologists$88,040 median wageMI estimate · 90 jobs · 19-3041$64,180–$153,130 middle 50% of MI wages+3.8% projected U.S. growth · 200 openings/yrTypical entry: Master's degreeSecondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$66,030 median wageMI estimate · 25,540 jobs · 25-2031$57,670–$81,230 middle 50% of MI wages-0.2% projected U.S. growth · 63,500 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeSocial Science Research Assistants$60,210 median wageMI estimate · 750 jobs · 19-4061$49,520–$64,220 middle 50% of MI wages+5.0% projected U.S. growth · 4,900 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeSociology Teachers, Postsecondary$102,870 median wageMI estimate · 370 jobs · 25-1067$82,320–$111,290 middle 50% of MI wages+2.2% projected U.S. growth · 1,000 openings/yrTypical entry: Doctoral or professional degreeSurvey Researchers$101,550 median wageMI estimate · 150 jobs · 19-3022$76,210–$125,610 middle 50% of MI wages-4.8% projected U.S. growth · 600 openings/yrTypical entry: Master's degreeElementary School Teachers, Except Special Education$65,110 median wageMI estimate · 40,910 jobs · 25-2021$52,040–$79,150 middle 50% of MI wages-0.4% projected U.S. growth · 87,500 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeMiddle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$63,790 median wageMI estimate · 15,420 jobs · 25-2022$50,630–$79,150 middle 50% of MI wages-0.4% projected U.S. growth · 38,800 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degree

Possible alternatives

Same degree, stronger on at least one reported measure.

Every option below reports higher earnings, lower federal debt or a lower college-wide net price. Same-state options appear first.

Allendale, MI

Grand Valley State University

$1,798 less debt · $3,363 lower annual net price

Earnings: $52,520
Debt: $27,400
Annual net price: $16,317

View outcomes →

Dearborn, MI

University of Michigan-Dearborn

$10,188 lower annual net price

Earnings: $31,967
Debt: $38,850
Annual net price: $9,492

View outcomes →

Nashville, TN

Vanderbilt University

$44,432 higher earnings · $18,198 less debt · $3,834 lower annual net price

Earnings: $103,229
Debt: $11,000
Annual net price: $15,846

View outcomes →

Cambridge, MA

Harvard University

$20,199 higher earnings · $9,261 less debt · $614 lower annual net price

Earnings: $78,996
Debt: $19,937
Annual net price: $19,066

View outcomes →

Compare these programs →

DATA QUALITY

Check the evidence behind the estimate.

203 observations in the earnings cohort

June 10, 2026 College Scorecard release

Observed, estimated and contextual figures are labeled separately throughout this page

IS IT WORTH IT AT YOUR PRICE?

Your price and current earnings determine the result.

Add your grants, borrowing and current salary to estimate payment pressure, break-even time and ten-year payoff.

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