Social Sciences at North Dakota State University-Main Campus

A social sciences degree from NDSU carries an estimated debt load of $24,423—notably lower than both the state median ($27,431) and national median ($25,500) for these programs. That's the good news. The more challenging reality is that comparable programs nationally suggest first-year earnings around $37,459, yielding a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.65. While manageable on paper, this means graduates could be directing roughly two-thirds of their first year's income toward debt if they followed aggressive repayment schedules.

What complicates the picture further is that within North Dakota, social sciences programs typically produce lower earnings than the national average—the state median sits at $34,490, about $3,000 below the national figure. If NDSU's actual outcomes track closer to state norms rather than national ones, the debt burden becomes proportionally heavier. At the same time, NDSU's relatively lower estimated debt compared to peer institutions in the state could offset some of that earnings gap.

The practical takeaway: this program appears financially viable if your child plans to leverage the degree strategically—toward graduate school, specific career paths in government or non-profits, or jobs outside North Dakota where social sciences salaries run higher. Without that intentional planning, the combination of modest starting salaries and typical student debt could create a tight financial squeeze in those crucial early career years.