Sociology at Northwestern University

Evanston, IL · Bachelor's Degree · about 42 graduates a year

$38,402
Median pay 1 year after graduating
$75,267
Median pay 4 years after graduating
$52,657
National median for this major (4 yrs)
#8 of 462
Rank by pay
#8 of 462
Rank, wage-adjusted
$13,622
Median federal debt

Northwestern University graduates in sociology earn 43% more than the national median for the same major four years after graduating. Their median federal debt equals about 18% of one year’s pay at that point.

How Northwestern University Compares for Sociology

All 462 colleges reporting sociology earnings at this degree level, ranked by median pay four years after graduation. “Wage-adjusted” divides pay by the square root of the state’s wage index so colleges in low-wage states aren’t penalized for local pay.

#College4 yrs afterWage-adjustedAdj. rank1 yr after
1Columbia University in the City of New York New York, NY$101,536$96,641#1$58,541
2William & Mary Williamsburg, VA$87,655$79,818#3—
3Vanderbilt University Nashville, TN$83,649$91,378#2—
4Dartmouth College Hanover, NH$81,722$75,274#4$64,377
5George Washington University Washington, DC$78,857$69,099#12—
6Barnard College New York, NY$77,821$74,069#7$48,215
7New York University New York, NY$77,650$73,907#9$22,697
8Northwestern University Evanston, IL$75,267$73,949#8$38,402
9Cornell University Ithaca, NY$73,200$69,671#11$36,709
10University of Pennsylvania Philadelphia, PA$72,217$73,445#10—
11Fordham University Bronx, NY$71,581$68,130#13$32,511

Other Majors at Northwestern University by Graduate Pay

Major4 yrs after1 yr afterRank in major
Information Science/Studies$163,740$102,998#1 of 148
Computer Science$155,106$99,981#28 of 349
Applied Mathematics$148,740$94,684#4 of 45
Industrial Engineering$138,720$89,811#1 of 94
Economics$126,006$84,932#21 of 368
Statistics$122,682$77,917#7 of 50
Chemical Engineering$111,040$80,709#12 of 158
Human Resources Management and Services$108,498$82,255#2 of 187
Mathematics$107,072$79,530#19 of 309
Biomedical/Medical Engineering$102,994$68,592#19 of 118
Mechanical Engineering$98,277$75,253#49 of 318
Manufacturing Engineering$97,819—#1 of 15
Communication and Media Studies$93,541$52,210#2 of 660
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities$93,180—#7 of 476
Community Organization and Advocacy$84,712$61,009#1 of 24
Journalism$80,258$50,426#3 of 187
History$78,966$50,161#13 of 459
Public Policy Analysis$78,752$48,558#9 of 34
International Relations and National Security Studies$74,477$58,326#30 of 118
Psychology$73,646$44,088#14 of 1027
Political Science and Government$73,231$54,737#89 of 565
Biology$71,181—#82 of 841
Psychology$62,905$36,890#3 of 9
English Language and Literature$62,147$31,748#39 of 576
Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies$59,372$39,012#15 of 103
Neurobiology and Neurosciences$54,279$35,334#56 of 67
Music$53,875$34,823#37 of 268
Radio, Television, and Digital Communication$51,471$24,611#65 of 158
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft$49,316$19,245#17 of 255
Public Health—$39,956—

Frequently Asked Questions

How much do Northwestern University sociology graduates make?

Graduates earn a median $38,402 one year after graduating and $75,267 four years after graduating. Figures are from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.

How does Northwestern University rank for sociology?

Among 462 colleges reporting earnings for sociology graduates, Northwestern University ranks #8 by median pay four years after graduation, and #8 after adjusting for state wage levels.

Is sociology at Northwestern University worth it?

Its graduates earn 43% more than the national median for sociology ($52,657), and the median federal debt at graduation is $13,622.

← All data for Northwestern University · Methodology

Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study data. Earnings are medians for graduates who received federal aid and were working and not enrolled; programs with few graduates are not reported. Wage adjustment uses Census ACS state median household income.