Social Sciences at Ball State University

A Bachelor's in Social Sciences from Ball State appears to track fairly close to national norms, though without program-specific data, there's inherent uncertainty about whether this particular degree delivers on those benchmarks. Peer programs nationally suggest starting earnings around $37,500, climbing to nearly $44,000 by year four—a modest but steady trajectory. The estimated $24,400 in debt sits just below the national median for social sciences programs, yielding a manageable debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.65. That means roughly eight months of pre-tax income to cover the full debt load, which falls within reasonable bounds.

The real question is trajectory. Social sciences degrees tend to unlock value over time rather than immediately, and the jump from $37,500 to $43,900 by year four suggests some career progression is happening. Ball State's 72% admission rate and solid but not elite student profile (34% Pell recipients, average SAT of 1172) indicate this is an accessible option for Indiana families, but you're betting on your child's ability to leverage the degree into specific career pathways—public administration, non-profit work, human services—where the credential matters.

Without data from Ball State's actual graduates or even comparable Indiana programs, you're working with educated guesses rather than proven outcomes. If your child has a clear sense of how they'll use this degree and isn't taking on significantly more debt than these estimates, it's defensible. If they're still exploring and borrowing heavily, the lack of visibility into actual outcomes should factor into the decision.