Sociology at Texas Tech University

Texas Tech's sociology program starts graduates at $32,207—below both the state and national medians—but the story improves dramatically over time. Four years out, earnings jump 48% to nearly $48,000, well above the typical sociology graduate's trajectory. Among Texas's 57 sociology programs, this ranks near the middle initially, but that strong earnings growth suggests graduates are finding solid career paths despite the modest start.

The debt picture is manageable. At $25,000, it matches both state and national medians for sociology majors, creating a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.78 in that first year—higher than ideal, but not crushing given the income growth ahead. By year four, that same debt burden looks far more reasonable against the higher salary base. This isn't competing with UT Austin's nearly $40,000 starting salaries, but it's also not asking students to take on significantly more debt for the credential.

For families comfortable with a slower initial launch in exchange for steady upward mobility, this program works. The first year will be financially tight, but graduates who stick with careers using their degree see meaningful income gains. If your student needs immediate high earnings to manage debt, look at those top-tier programs instead. But if they can weather that first year at around $32,000, the trajectory justifies the investment.