WhatGradsMake
Associate-5% vs national median47 grads tracked

Social Sciences at Palo Alto College

Ranked 35th of 42 associate programs in Social Sciences by 5-year earnings.

Median · 1 year out
$41,357
middle 50%: $27,237 – $49,855
Median · 5 years out
$41,244
middle 50%: $25,287 – $55,464
Median · 10 years out
$80,729
middle 50%: $62,446 – $174,257

Salary trajectory

Median earnings vs the national median for Social Sciences (associate) graduates.

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

Graduates of Palo Alto College's associate program in Social Sciences earn a median $41,357 one year after graduating, rising to $80,729 by year ten. Five years out, earnings run 5% below the national median of $43,361 for this field, ranking 35th of 42 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
8.3 yrs
≈ $9,879 total interest

Same major at other universities

Virginia Western Community College
$42,936 · 5 yrs out
Virginia Peninsula Community College
$42,575 · 5 yrs out
University of Cincinnati
$42,325 · 5 yrs out
South Texas College
$41,577 · 5 yrs out
Northern Oklahoma College
$41,477 · 5 yrs out
Tidewater Community College
$41,381 · 5 yrs out
Del Mar College
$41,019 · 5 yrs out
San Antonio College
$40,550 · 5 yrs out
Shawnee State University
$40,342 · 5 yrs out
Northwest College
$38,355 · 5 yrs out
Sinclair Community College
$38,315 · 5 yrs out
Linn-Benton Community College
$38,050 · 5 yrs out

Other majors at Palo Alto College

Engineering (Associate)
$87,351 · 5 yrs out
Engineering/Engineering-Related Technologies/Technicians (Certificate)
$64,834 · 5 yrs out
Engineering/Engineering-Related Technologies/Technicians (Associate)
$62,224 · 5 yrs out
Applied Horticulture and Horticultural Business Services (Associate)
$58,998 · 5 yrs out
Health/Medical Preparatory Programs (Associate)
$56,877 · 5 yrs out
Health Professions and Related Programs (Associate)
$56,272 · 5 yrs out
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies (Associate)
$55,746 · 5 yrs out
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other (Associate)
$55,746 · 5 yrs out
Applied Horticulture and Horticultural Business Services (Certificate)
$55,181 · 5 yrs out
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Associate)
$54,286 · 5 yrs out
Marketing (Associate)
$53,921 · 5 yrs out
Foreign Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics (Associate)
$53,793 · 5 yrs out

Related fields of study

Anthropology
Compare universities
Archeology
Compare universities
Criminology
Compare universities
Economics
Compare universities
Geography and Cartography
Compare universities
International Relations and National Security Studies
Compare universities