Social Sciences at Asbury University

A social sciences bachelor's degree from Asbury appears to cost about $1,500 more in debt than the national norm for this credential, while producing first-year earnings near the national median of $37,459. Peer programs nationally suggest graduates typically carry around $25,500 in debt for this degree, and with Asbury's estimated $26,975, the debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.72 falls within a manageable range—meaning students would owe roughly 9 months of their first year's salary.

The challenge is that we're working entirely with estimates here, since Asbury's graduate sample is too small for the Department of Education to publish actual outcomes. Similar bachelor's programs in Kentucky, like Western Kentucky's social sciences degree, report first-year earnings around $38,659, which aligns closely with what we'd expect from Asbury. Still, without school-specific data, it's impossible to know whether Asbury's career services, alumni network, or curriculum produce better or worse results than these peer programs.

For families considering this investment, the estimated debt burden is reasonable but not exceptional. The real question is whether Asbury's particular approach to social sciences—and its connections in Kentucky's job market—justify the cost when you're making this decision based on what similar programs produce rather than what Asbury graduates actually earn. If possible, ask the school directly about graduate outcomes and job placement rates to fill in these gaps.