Sociology at Saint Xavier University

Saint Xavier's sociology program sits comfortably in the middle of the pack—60th percentile among Illinois programs—but that middle ground includes a $35,000 starting salary that lags nearly $8,000 behind Chicago State and $5,000 behind Northwestern. With 37 sociology programs across Illinois, parents should understand that Saint Xavier delivers average outcomes at average cost, which may be fine if location and fit matter, but raises questions if stronger alternatives are accessible.

The debt picture is actually encouraging: $27,000 sits well below both state and national medians, translating to a 0.77 debt-to-earnings ratio that's manageable compared to many social science programs. That controlled borrowing matters when starting salaries in the mid-$30,000s leave limited room for aggressive loan repayment. The university serves a largely working-class population (56% receive Pell grants), and these debt levels suggest reasonable restraint in an expensive city like Chicago.

The critical caveat: these numbers come from fewer than 30 graduates, making them statistically unreliable. One or two outlier salaries can swing the median significantly. If your student is considering Saint Xavier specifically for its urban setting or community connections, the program appears financially workable. But purely on the numbers, several Illinois schools deliver notably stronger sociology outcomes, and with an 86% admission rate, Saint Xavier isn't offering exclusivity to offset the earnings gap.