Sociology at Franklin and Marshall College

Franklin & Marshall's sociology graduates start below both national and Pennsylvania benchmarks, but the story changes dramatically four years out. That first-year median of $31,444 sits in just the 29th percentile nationally and 40th in Pennsylvania—concerning numbers for a selective liberal arts college where admitted students average 1394 on the SAT. However, the 75% earnings jump to nearly $55,000 by year four suggests these graduates are accessing career pathways that take longer to develop, likely leveraging F&M's alumni network and the broader value of its degree.

The $19,000 debt load helps offset the slow start. While it's higher than many Pennsylvania sociology programs (82nd percentile), it's still manageable given the four-year earnings trajectory. Compare this to similar PA schools like Gettysburg or La Salle, where graduates earn more initially but you're looking at higher debt loads. The real question is whether your child can weather those lean early years—and whether the small sample size here (under 30 graduates) means these numbers might shift considerably with more data.

This feels like a program for students pursuing graduate school, non-profit work, or other paths where the F&M credential opens doors over time rather than immediately. If your child needs strong first-year earnings to manage debt, look elsewhere in Pennsylvania. If they have runway to grow into their career, the long-term trajectory is more promising than the initial numbers suggest.