Social Sciences at Southern Oregon University

Southern Oregon University's social sciences graduates earn nearly $42,000 their first year out—about $6,000 more than Oregon's median for these programs and $4,400 above the national benchmark. That's solid performance for a regional university, placing it above both Oregon State and Portland State. The only caution here is sample size: with fewer than 30 graduates reporting, these numbers could shift considerably with a larger cohort. Still, ranking in the 69th percentile nationally suggests something's working, whether that's strong local employer relationships or effective career services.

The debt picture looks manageable. At $27,167, graduates owe just slightly more than the national median, and the debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.65 means debt is well below first-year income. Compare that favorably to many humanities programs where debt can equal or exceed annual earnings. For Oregon families, this represents a reasonable investment—particularly since students are likely paying in-state tuition at a school with an 83% admission rate.

The small sample size matters, though. If your student would be among the first waves through this program structure, or if SOU recently revamped its social sciences offerings, these numbers might not predict their experience. But if this represents steady-state performance, it's a competent choice for students who want to stay in Oregon and aren't aiming for the flagship university experience.