WhatGradsMake
Master's+13% vs national median144 grads tracked

Social Sciences at University of Illinois Chicago

Ranked 16th of 151 master's programs in Social Sciences by 5-year earnings.

Median · 1 year out
$55,464
middle 50%: $31,679 – $74,545
Median · 5 years out
$86,191
middle 50%: $58,734 – $115,506
Median · 10 years out
$108,603
middle 50%: $77,611 – $151,716

Salary trajectory

Median earnings vs the national median for Social Sciences (master's) graduates.

This program (median)National median, same major & degreeMiddle 50% of graduates

Graduates of University of Illinois Chicago's master's program in Social Sciences earn a median $55,464 one year after graduating, rising to $108,603 by year ten. Five years out, earnings run 13% above the national median of $76,582 for this field, ranking 16th of 151 reporting programs.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau PSEO, release V4.13.0 2025Q4. Earnings are for graduates working in covered states; figures are medians in nominal dollars.

Will the degree pay for itself?

Drag the sliders — payback uses this program's actual salary curve.

Assumes a 6.5% APR loan and this program's median salary trajectory (interpolated between years 1, 5 and 10).

Paid off in
5.1 yrs
≈ $5,738 total interest

Same major at other universities

Salem State University
$91,284 · 5 yrs out
University of Minnesota - Twin Cities
$90,847 · 5 yrs out
University of Texas at Dallas
$87,471 · 5 yrs out
Georgia Institute of Technology
$87,210 · 5 yrs out
CUNY Hunter College
$86,744 · 5 yrs out
CUNY Queens College
$86,622 · 5 yrs out
University of Texas at Austin
$85,978 · 5 yrs out
Clemson University
$85,788 · 5 yrs out
University of Wisconsin - Madison
$84,991 · 5 yrs out
University of Utah
$84,874 · 5 yrs out
University of Connecticut
$84,347 · 5 yrs out
University of Virginia
$84,159 · 5 yrs out

Other majors at University of Illinois Chicago

Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services (Doctorate)
$203,383 · 5 yrs out
Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration (Doctorate)
$155,322 · 5 yrs out
Medicine (Doctorate)
$152,674 · 5 yrs out
Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services (Master's)
$149,199 · 5 yrs out
Health Professions and Related Programs (Doctorate)
$146,852 · 5 yrs out
Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services (Doctorate)
$143,939 · 5 yrs out
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Doctorate)
$139,846 · 5 yrs out
Dentistry (Doctorate)
$135,535 · 5 yrs out
Engineering (Doctorate)
$133,429 · 5 yrs out
Health Professions and Related Programs (Doctorate)
$123,770 · 5 yrs out
Mathematics and Statistics (Doctorate)
$117,024 · 5 yrs out
Computer Science (Bachelor's)
$115,930 · 5 yrs out

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