Sociology and Anthropology: earnings, debt, and careers
CIP 45.13. Official graduate outcomes from the U.S. Department of Education across 72 programs, and the careers this field is linked to.
Graduate earnings by credential level
| Credential | Programs | Graduates (recent year) | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Typical program median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Undergraduate certificate | 1 | 0 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Associate's degree | 2 | 0 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Bachelor's degree | 64 | 494 | $37,664 | $46,959 | $23,875 9 programs |
| Master's degree | 4 | 2 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Professional degree (JD, MD, and similar) | 1 | 0 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
National earnings are published by the Department of Education for each field and credential level Verified data. Typical program median debt is ConnectPrep's calculation: the median across programs of each program's median federal debt Calculated estimate. It covers federal loans only.
Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard, Most Recent Field of Study Data. Varies by measure; see measure definitions. Published October 15, 2026. Retrieved October 18, 2026. Methodology.
Bachelor's degree programs with the highest early earnings
| School | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Roger Williams University RI · Private, nonprofit · 16 graduates measured | $44,223 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth MA · Public · 25 graduates measured | $43,129 | $41,529 | $27,436 |
| St Olaf College MN · Private, nonprofit · 27 graduates measured | $41,777 | $60,225 | $24,500 |
| College of Staten Island CUNY NY · Public · 84 graduates measured | $40,184 | $50,716 | $9,280 |
| University of Puget Sound WA · Private, nonprofit · 36 graduates measured | $34,476 | $48,940 | $23,000 |
| Centre College KY · Private, nonprofit · 25 graduates measured | $32,654 | Data unavailable | $21,500 |
| Valdosta State University GA · Public · 21 graduates measured | $31,115 | $41,619 | $27,651 |
| Knox College IL · Private, nonprofit · 17 graduates measured | $29,704 | $45,120 | Data unavailable |
| Lewis & Clark College OR · Private, nonprofit · 32 graduates measured | $29,450 | $52,622 | $21,875 |
Ranked by published median earnings one year after completion. Programs with suppressed earnings do not appear, so this is not a ranking of program quality.
Careers linked to Sociology and Anthropology
| Occupation | Median wage, all workers | Change 2025 to 2035 | Typical entry education |
|---|---|---|---|
| Managers, all other | $141,900 | +4.9% | Bachelor's degree |
| Sociologists | $106,030 | +3.8% | Master's degree |
| Anthropologists and archeologists | $70,770 | +6.0% | Master's degree |
| Anthropology and archeology teachers, postsecondary | $99,650 | +2.6% | Doctoral or professional degree |
| Sociology teachers, postsecondary | $84,290 | +2.2% | Doctoral or professional degree |
Occupations mapped to this field in the NCES and BLS CIP to SOC crosswalk. Occupation wages describe all workers, not recent graduates.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics and U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 Crosswalk. CIP 2020 and SOC 2018 taxonomies. Published April 30, 2020. Retrieved October 18, 2026. Methodology.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, National. May 2025 reference period. Published April 30, 2026. Retrieved October 18, 2026. Methodology.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections, Table 1.2: Occupational projections, 2025-35, and worker characteristics, 2025. Base year 2025, projected year 2035. Published August 27, 2026. Retrieved October 18, 2026. Methodology.
Detailed CIP codes in this field (1)
- 45.1301 Sociology and Anthropology