Bachelor's+23% vs national median6,471 grads tracked
Social Sciences at Pennsylvania State University (The)
Ranked 26th of 387 bachelor's programs in Social Sciences by 5-year earnings.
Median · 1 year out
$46,251
middle 50%: $31,237 – $64,459
Median · 5 years out
$73,531
middle 50%: $51,713 – $103,065
Median · 10 years out
$98,078
middle 50%: $66,068 – $142,787
Salary trajectory
Median earnings vs the national median for Social Sciences (bachelor's) graduates.
This program (median)National median, same major & degreeMiddle 50% of graduates
Social Sciences majors at Penn State earn a median of $46k in their first year. Year 10 earnings reach $98k.
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
5.9 yrs
≈ $6,851 total interest
Same major at other universities
College of William & Mary
$76,450 · 5 yrs out
Georgia Institute of Technology
$75,615 · 5 yrs out
University of Connecticut
$75,161 · 5 yrs out
CUNY Bernard M. Baruch College
$74,530 · 5 yrs out
University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill
$74,011 · 5 yrs out
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
$73,713 · 5 yrs out
CUNY Graduate School & University Center
$73,442 · 5 yrs out
Saint John's University
$72,585 · 5 yrs out
Hampden Sydney College
$72,309 · 5 yrs out
Saint Olaf College
$72,148 · 5 yrs out
University of Massachusetts - Amherst
$72,073 · 5 yrs out
University of the District of Columbia
$71,961 · 5 yrs out
Other majors at Pennsylvania State University (The)
Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services (Doctorate)
$182,178 · 5 yrs out
Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services (Doctorate)
$177,057 · 5 yrs out
Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services (Master's)
$143,044 · 5 yrs out
Engineering (Doctorate)
$135,252 · 5 yrs out
Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services (Master's)
$130,869 · 5 yrs out
Mathematics and Statistics (Doctorate)
$122,394 · 5 yrs out
Petroleum Engineering (Bachelor's)
$116,440 · 5 yrs out
Computer and Information Sciences, General (Bachelor's)
$115,495 · 5 yrs out
Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management (Bachelor's)
$115,004 · 5 yrs out
Health Professions and Related Programs (Doctorate)
$114,831 · 5 yrs out
Mining and Mineral Engineering (Bachelor's)
$114,734 · 5 yrs out
Computer Engineering (Bachelor's)
$114,727 · 5 yrs out