Social Sciences at Tabor College

A debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.72 suggests manageable financial footing for this bachelor's degree, though the limited graduate data means we're working with national benchmarks rather than Tabor-specific outcomes. Based on comparable social sciences programs nationwide, first-year earnings around $37,500 against roughly $27,000 in debt creates a workable path to repayment—students would dedicate about a third of their gross first-year income to standard 10-year loan payments.

The gap between these estimated figures and Kansas State's reported $40,793 for social sciences graduates warrants attention. That $3,300 difference could reflect Tabor's smaller size and rural location in Hillsboro, where networking opportunities and employer visibility differ from what larger Kansas institutions offer. With 38% of students receiving Pell grants, Tabor serves many first-generation and lower-income families who may value the intimate campus environment, but those same students need strong career outcomes to justify taking on nearly $27,000 in debt.

Without actual graduate outcomes from Tabor's program, you're making an investment based largely on faith in the school's approach rather than demonstrated results. If your child thrives in small settings and has clear career plans that don't require a top-tier research university's resources, the financial picture appears survivable. But for families who need proven ROI data before committing to significant debt, the absence of reported outcomes—not unusual for a small program but limiting nonetheless—makes this a harder call to make confidently.