Social Sciences at Roosevelt University

At $26,975 in estimated debt against first-year earnings around $37,500, this program's financial profile mirrors the national baseline for social sciences bachelor's degrees—a field where economic returns typically arrive later through graduate credentials or career advancement rather than immediate post-graduation paychecks. The 0.72 debt-to-earnings ratio sits in manageable territory, suggesting graduates could reasonably handle loan payments, though they shouldn't expect rapid debt payoff.

What complicates the picture is that we're relying entirely on national benchmarks because Roosevelt's social sciences cohort was too small for the Department of Education to report actual outcomes. This means we're making educated guesses based on what happens at peer programs nationwide, not tracking what Roosevelt graduates specifically achieve. For a Chicago institution serving a substantial population of Pell-eligible students (46%), local job market access and alumni networks matter enormously—factors these national estimates can't capture.

The real question is whether Roosevelt provides the networking, internship pipelines, and career support that turn a social sciences degree into concrete employment. Before committing, ask the department for employment outcomes they track internally, typical first jobs graduates land, and whether alumni work in fields you're targeting. With such a high admission rate, student initiative likely determines success more than institutional selectivity.