Sociology at Boise State University

Boise State's sociology program lands graduates in difficult financial territory right out of college, with first-year earnings of $26,809 falling nearly $8,000 below the national median and ranking in just the 5th percentile nationally. Within Idaho, the picture improves somewhat—it sits at the 40th percentile statewide—but that still means graduates earn about $2,800 less than the Idaho median and trail behind programs at University of Idaho and BYU-Idaho by roughly $4,500 annually.

The program's saving grace is significant earnings growth: graduates see a 42% jump to $38,117 by year four, which eventually surpasses both state and national benchmarks. However, that initial year matters enormously for managing $25,635 in debt, which nearly equals first-year income. Starting with such constrained earnings makes loan repayment challenging precisely when it matters most.

For families considering this program, the question is whether your student can weather those tough early years financially. If they'll need parental support during the first 2-3 years while earnings catch up, this trajectory could work. But if they need to be financially independent immediately after graduation, other Idaho programs would position them better from day one. The eventual earnings recovery doesn't erase the difficulty of those initial years.