Doctoral (Research)+5% vs national median561 grads tracked
Social Sciences at University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill
Ranked 15th of 61 doctoral (research) programs in Social Sciences by 5-year earnings.
Median · 1 year out
$78,718
middle 50%: $59,325 – $104,398
Median · 5 years out
$96,986
middle 50%: $78,054 – $124,690
Median · 10 years out
$112,607
middle 50%: $91,065 – $146,688
Salary trajectory
Median earnings vs the national median for Social Sciences (doctoral (research)) graduates.
This program (median)National median, same major & degreeMiddle 50% of graduates
Social Sciences research doctorates from UNC-Chapel Hill command a median first-year salary of $79k. Earnings climb to $113k by year ten.
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
4 yrs
≈ $4,294 total interest
Same major at other universities
University of Minnesota - Twin Cities
$99,870 · 5 yrs out
University of Michigan
$99,731 · 5 yrs out
Old Dominion University
$99,192 · 5 yrs out
University of Wisconsin - Madison
$98,263 · 5 yrs out
University of Virginia
$98,232 · 5 yrs out
University of Texas at Dallas
$97,859 · 5 yrs out
State University of New York at Stony Brook
$96,406 · 5 yrs out
State University of New York at Albany
$95,797 · 5 yrs out
Ohio State University (The)
$95,159 · 5 yrs out
Pennsylvania State University (The)
$94,589 · 5 yrs out
University of Massachusetts - Amherst
$94,549 · 5 yrs out
South Dakota State University
$94,389 · 5 yrs out
Other majors at University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill
Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services (Doctorate)
$214,723 · 5 yrs out
Dentistry (Doctorate)
$192,150 · 5 yrs out
Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services (Doctorate)
$178,780 · 5 yrs out
Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services (Master's)
$167,515 · 5 yrs out
Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration (Doctorate)
$151,181 · 5 yrs out
Health Professions and Related Programs (Doctorate)
$150,648 · 5 yrs out
Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration (Bachelor's)
$147,757 · 5 yrs out
Medicine (Doctorate)
$140,602 · 5 yrs out
Computer Science (Bachelor's)
$127,840 · 5 yrs out
Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services (Master's)
$125,175 · 5 yrs out
Journalism (Bachelor's)
$124,373 · 5 yrs out
Library Science (Doctorate)
$121,393 · 5 yrs out