Sociology (Bachelor's Degree) at Illinois Institute of Technology

Est. Earnings (1yr)

$34,769

Est. from IL median (16 programs)

Est. Median Debt

$26,497

Est. from IL median (9 programs)

Analysis

Illinois Institute of Technology charges premium tuition for what appears to be an average outcome in sociology. Based on comparable programs across Illinois, graduates might expect around $34,800 in first-year earnings—squarely in line with the state median but trailing several public universities by $5,000 to $8,000. The estimated $26,500 in debt isn't catastrophic, but it's middle-of-the-pack for a school with IIT's academic profile and cost structure.

The bigger question is fit. IIT built its reputation on STEM fields, not social sciences. While the school attracts solid students (average SAT of 1296), sociology programs at less expensive Illinois public universities show stronger early earnings. Chicago State's sociology grads, for instance, reportedly earn $42,700 in their first year—24% more than the state median IIT's program appears to match. That's a meaningful difference when you're carrying similar debt loads.

For families paying IIT's private school prices, this looks like a mismatch between cost and likely return. The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.76 is manageable on paper, but only if those estimated earnings materialize. If your child is set on sociology, Illinois has stronger-performing programs at lower price points. If they're committed to IIT, they should explore whether double-majoring in one of the school's core STEM fields might justify the investment.

Where Illinois Institute of Technology Stands

Earnings vs. debt across all sociology bachelors's programs nationally

Compare to Similar Programs in Illinois

Sociology bachelors's programs at peer institutions in Illinois (37 total in state)

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School	In-State Tuition	Earnings (1yr)*	Earnings (4yr)	Median Debt*	Debt/Earnings
Illinois Institute of TechnologyChicago	$51,763	$34,769*	—	$26,497*	—
Chicago State UniversityChicago	$12,754	$42,687*	$37,689	$38,087*	0.89
McKendree UniversityLebanon	$34,070	$40,015*	$40,805	$27,000*	0.67
Eastern Illinois UniversityCharleston	$13,403	$39,547*	$43,925	$25,817*	0.65
Northwestern UniversityEvanston	$65,997	$38,402*	$45,402	$14,567*	0.38
Northeastern Illinois UniversityChicago	$12,383	$36,686*	$36,554	$17,457*	0.48
National Median	—	$34,102*	—	$25,000*	0.73

* Estimated from similar programs

Career Paths

Occupations commonly associated with sociology graduates

Sociologists

Study human society and social behavior by examining the groups and social institutions that people form, as well as various social, religious, political, and business organizations. May study the behavior and interaction of groups, trace their origin and growth, and analyze the influence of group activities on individual members.

$101,690/yrJobs growth:Master's degree

Sociology Teachers, Postsecondary

Teach courses in sociology. Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of teaching and research.

$83,980/yrJobs growth:

Social Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary, All Other

All postsecondary social sciences teachers not listed separately.

$83,980/yrJobs growth:

Managers, All Other

All managers not listed separately.

Regulatory Affairs Managers

Plan, direct, or coordinate production activities of an organization to ensure compliance with regulations and standard operating procedures.

Compliance Managers

Plan, direct, or coordinate activities of an organization to ensure compliance with ethical or regulatory standards.

Loss Prevention Managers

Plan and direct policies, procedures, or systems to prevent the loss of assets. Determine risk exposure or potential liability, and develop risk control measures.

Wind Energy Operations Managers

Manage wind field operations, including personnel, maintenance activities, financial activities, and planning.

Wind Energy Development Managers

Lead or manage the development and evaluation of potential wind energy business opportunities, including environmental studies, permitting, and proposals. May also manage construction of projects.

Brownfield Redevelopment Specialists and Site Managers

Plan and direct cleanup and redevelopment of contaminated properties for reuse. Does not include properties sufficiently contaminated to qualify as Superfund sites.

Social Science Research Assistants

Assist social scientists in laboratory, survey, and other social science research. May help prepare findings for publication and assist in laboratory analysis, quality control, or data management.

About This Data

Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (October 2025 release)

Population: Graduates who received federal financial aid (Title IV grants or loans). At Illinois Institute of Technology, approximately 29% of students receive Pell grants. Students who did not receive federal aid are not included in these figures.

Earnings: Median earnings from IRS W-2 data for graduates who are employed and not enrolled in further education, measured 1 year after completion. Earnings are pre-tax and include wages, salaries, and self-employment income.

Debt: Median cumulative federal loan debt at graduation. Does not include private loans or Parent PLUS loans borrowed on behalf of students.

Estimated Earnings: Actual earnings data is not available for this program (typically due to privacy thresholds when fewer than 30 graduates reported earnings). The estimate shown is based on the median of 16 similar programs in IL. Actual outcomes may vary.