Social Sciences at Cleveland State University

A debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.65 suggests a manageable financial start for this bachelor's degree, though the underlying figures deserve scrutiny. Based on national patterns from similar social sciences programs, Cleveland State graduates likely earn around $37,500 in their first year while carrying roughly $24,400 in debt—numbers that align with the national median for this field. For a school serving a substantial population of Pell grant recipients (39%), this estimated burden is neither exceptional nor alarming, though social sciences degrees rarely command premium starting salaries.

The challenge with Cleveland State's program is that we're working entirely from national proxies rather than actual graduate outcomes. The suppressed data—common when cohorts are small—means we can't assess whether this specific program outperforms or underperforms its peers. What we do know is that social sciences graduates nationally face highly variable career paths: some move into well-compensated roles in business or government, while others struggle in underpaid nonprofit or administrative positions. The estimated first-year earnings suggest a middle-of-the-road start, but career trajectory matters far more than initial salary in this field.

If your child is drawn to social sciences, the estimated debt load at Cleveland State won't trap them, but they should have concrete plans for translating the degree into employment—internships, quantitative skills, or graduate school preparation. Without program-specific outcomes to evaluate, you're essentially betting on the national average.