Compare 102 Social Sciences, General. programs ranked by graduate earnings. Average earnings: $52,270. Top programs: $103,229+.
With top graduates earning $103,229, Social Sciences, General. stands out as a field where program choice matters more than school name. The gap between the best and median programs exceeds $50K—proof that evaluating programs individually beats relying on institutional prestige. Across 102 ranked programs, outcomes track program quality, not school reputation.
Vanderbilt University leads with Social Sciences graduates earning $103,229—nearly double the $52,270 national average across all 102 programs. Close behind, UC Berkeley's program delivers $101,138, with graduates carrying just $13,000 in student debt. The fact that a public university matches a private institution at the top reinforces the core lesson: evaluate the program, not the name on the diploma.
UC Berkeley graduates borrow $13,000 and face just a 2.3% student payment burden—an 'Excellent' GPS affordability rating—meaning loan payments are a negligible share of post-grad income. For families weighing parent loans too, Berkeley again leads with a combined 8.0% family burden, also rated 'Excellent.' Compare that to NYU's 18.8% family burden on the same list, and the gap makes the choice clear.
Highest program earnings: $103,229
Strong outcomes ($80,700) with 58% acceptance rate
2.3% payment burden | Excellent
8.0% family burden | Excellent
| Rank | School | Program Earnings | Cohort Size | Student Debt | Student GPS | Parent Debt | Parent GPS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Vanderbilt UniversityPrivate | $103,229 | 245 | $14,000 | Excellent | $30,844 | Good |
| #2 | $101,138 | 187 | $13,000 | Excellent | $28,508 | Excellent | |
| #3 | New York UniversityPrivate | $91,917 | 61 | $20,500 | Excellent | $64,795 | Challenging |
| #4 | $80,700 | 41 | $21,500 | Excellent | $25,294 | Good | |
| #5 | Harvard UniversityPrivate | $78,996 | 195 | $14,000 | Excellent | $28,000 | Good |
| #6 | Manhattan UniversityPrivate | $75,745 | 20 | $26,000 | Excellent | $56,630 | Challenging |
| #7 | $75,301 | 64 | $14,615 | Excellent | $24,883 | Good | |
| #8 | Campbell UniversityPrivate | $71,052 | 21 | $22,500 | Excellent | $40,055 | Challenging |
| #9 | University Of RochesterPrivate | $68,333 | 25 | $21,000 | Excellent | $30,000 | Manageable |
| #10 | Towson UniversityPublic | $68,242 | 20 | $18,718 | Excellent | $28,489 | Manageable |
| #11 | Williams CollegePrivate | $68,219 | 15 | — | — | — | — |
| #12 | Loyola University MarylandPrivate | $67,373 | 26 | $27,000 | Good | $50,344 | High |
| #13 | $65,085 | 38 | $21,500 | Excellent | $35,000 | Challenging | |
| #14 | Whittier CollegePrivate | $64,736 | 21 | $24,937 | Good | $36,148 | Challenging |
| #15 | $63,772 | 101 | $12,500 | Excellent | $11,459 | Good | |
| #16 | $63,622 | 30 | $17,350 | Excellent | $18,031 | Manageable | |
| #17 | $61,617 | 250 | $19,500 | Excellent | $29,968 | Challenging | |
| #18 | $61,526 | 7 | $20,332 | Excellent | $21,279 | Manageable | |
| #19 | $59,440 | 10 | $12,950 | Excellent | $8,107 | Good | |
| #20 | Kalamazoo CollegePrivate | $59,193 | 14 | $26,077 | Good | $49,500 | High |
| #21 | $59,028 | 13 | $22,000 | Good | $26,471 | Challenging | |
| #22 | Touro UniversityPrivate | $58,798 | 42 | $15,547 | Excellent | $23,400 | Manageable |
| #23 | $58,797 | 96 | $23,250 | Good | $37,401 | High | |
| #24 | $58,680 | 67 | $19,500 | Excellent | $22,000 | Manageable | |
| #25 | Florida State UniversityPublic | $58,460 | 278 | $18,000 | Excellent | $17,000 | Manageable |
Our program rankings answer: "Which schools have the best outcomes for graduates of this specific major?"
Unlike traditional rankings that measure overall school quality, these rankings focus on program-level outcomes. A school that's #200 overall might have a top-10 nursing program — and that matters if you're studying nursing.
Data based on May 2026 refresh for 2026 rankings, based on Department of Education reporting standards. Learn about our methodology →
