Social Sciences at Denison University

A selective liberal arts college charging roughly $27,000 in debt for a social sciences degree that peer programs suggest will earn $37,500 initially creates a manageable but unspectacular financial picture. The 0.72 debt-to-earnings ratio falls within reasonable bounds—not alarming, but nothing to celebrate either. That debt load represents about 8.6 months of gross income, which most graduates can navigate with standard repayment plans, though it won't leave much breathing room in those early years.

The larger question is whether Denison's premium positioning—its 17% admission rate and high-SAT student body—translates into better outcomes than these national estimates suggest. Elite institutions sometimes produce social sciences graduates who leverage networks and prestige into careers that outperform typical first-year numbers. But without actual reported data for this program, you're essentially betting on institutional reputation rather than verified results. Other social sciences programs nationally show considerable variation, with top performers reaching $43,000 and beyond.

For a family confident their student will activate Denison's advantages—internship networks, graduate school placement, alumni connections—the estimated numbers might understate the real value. But if you're relying purely on the credential itself to justify the investment, comparable programs elsewhere might deliver similar outcomes with less debt. The absence of reported data makes this fundamentally a leap of faith rather than an evidence-based decision.