Social Sciences at Stevens Institute of Technology

Stevens is primarily an engineering powerhouse with sky-high SAT scores (1447 average), which makes the estimated $37,459 first-year earnings for its social sciences bachelor's particularly striking. Peer programs at similar institutions suggest students would earn roughly $6,500 less annually than the typical New Jersey social sciences graduate, who earns around $44,000. For a school commanding selective admissions and likely premium tuition, that's a substantial gap—especially when nearby Ramapo College produces social sciences graduates earning in the $43,000 range.

The estimated debt load of $27,000 isn't catastrophic on its own, sitting close to the national median. But paired with those below-state-average earnings projections, you're looking at a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.72—manageable but unimpressive for what Stevens charges. Social sciences programs at peer institutions typically don't generate the same returns as Stevens' engineering tracks, which is worth acknowledging if your student is choosing this path at a STEM-focused school where resources and networks tilt heavily toward technical fields.

The bottom line: unless your child has compelling reasons to study social sciences specifically at Stevens—faculty connections, research opportunities, or graduate school plans where the Stevens name carries weight—they'd likely see better financial outcomes at state schools offering the same major. The engineering halo doesn't extend equally across all programs here.