Sociology at Roosevelt University

Based on comparable sociology programs across Illinois, Roosevelt's students likely face earnings around $34,800 with debt near $26,500—a ratio of 0.76 that's slightly better than many liberal arts degrees but still means carrying nearly nine months of gross income in student loans. What's harder to pin down is where exactly Roosevelt fits in the Illinois landscape: peer programs in the state show first-year earnings ranging from the mid-$30,000s to over $42,000, suggesting that institutional factors—location, career services, alumni networks—matter significantly for sociology graduates.

The challenge with a broadly applicable degree like sociology is that early earnings depend heavily on what career path students pursue. Roosevelt's Chicago location and high Pell grant population (46%) could work in students' favor if the school provides strong connections to social services, nonprofit, or municipal employers where sociology degrees translate directly to jobs. But that $34,800 estimate is just barely above the national median, while other Illinois schools are placing graduates into positions paying $5,000 to $8,000 more within the first year.

The debt burden here is manageable compared to many bachelor's programs, but parents should understand they're making this investment with limited visibility into this specific program's outcomes. If your student is considering Roosevelt for sociology, focus your due diligence on the program's career placement support and whether graduates actually secure jobs that justify even this moderate debt load.