Social Sciences at Skidmore College

A $26,000 debt load for first-year earnings around $36,000 puts this social sciences degree within reasonable territory, but parents paying Skidmore's selective liberal arts price tag need to understand what they're actually getting. These figures come from other social sciences programs in New York—we don't have actual outcomes for Skidmore's own graduates in this field. That means the financial picture could be better or worse depending on how effectively this particular program leverages Skidmore's small classes and alumni network.

The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.73 sits comfortably below the warning threshold of 1.0, suggesting graduates from comparable New York programs can manage their loans on entry-level social sciences salaries. What's harder to assess is whether Skidmore's selective admissions (23% acceptance rate, 1388 average SAT) translate into better outcomes than these peer-program averages suggest. Other elite institutions in the state show a wide range: CUNY Graduate School graduates earn $54,000 while NYU graduates start around $36,000—the same as the state median.

If your child is drawn to Skidmore's environment and educational approach, the estimated financial picture doesn't scream red flags. But acknowledge you're making this investment without knowing how Skidmore's specific program performs financially. Check whether the college publishes its own post-graduation outcomes and whether the particular social science concentration your child wants (psychology versus anthropology, for instance) aligns with career paths that justify the investment.