Sociology at Augustana College

Augustana sociology graduates start well below both the state and national medians, earning $30,290 their first year—about $4,500 less than the typical Illinois sociology grad. That puts this program in the bottom half of Illinois schools, trailing even public universities like Eastern Illinois by nearly $10,000. While the small sample size (under 30 graduates) means individual outcomes could vary significantly, the pattern is worth noting.

The trajectory does improve substantially: earnings jump 43% by year four to $43,344, which actually exceeds most state competitors. The debt load of $26,497 is right at state and national norms, creating a manageable 0.87 debt-to-earnings ratio. This suggests graduates can handle their student loans, though they're entering the workforce at a noticeable disadvantage compared to peers elsewhere.

With fewer than 30 graduates in this data, a few outliers could be skewing the picture either direction. For a family considering this program, the key question is whether Augustana's broader liberal arts experience justifies starting several thousand dollars behind graduates from similar Illinois schools. If your child values smaller classes and campus culture over maximizing initial earnings, the strong four-year growth offers some reassurance that the gap closes over time.