Social Sciences at University of California-Davis

UC Davis social sciences graduates carry remarkably little debt—just $12,790, less than 95% of similar programs nationwide—while earning solidly above both national and California medians. That half-the-average debt load is the real story here, creating a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.28 that most liberal arts programs can't touch. A graduate starts at $45,000 and reaches nearly $60,000 within four years, showing steady career progression rather than the earnings stagnation that plagues many humanities fields.

The program ranks in the 60th percentile among California's social sciences offerings—respectable but not elite. Berkeley grads start around $61,000, but they're also navigating a far more competitive environment. What matters for most families is the combination: Davis provides 86th percentile national earnings with debt loads that won't burden your child through their twenties.

The moderate sample size means these numbers could shift somewhat year-to-year, but the core value proposition is clear. Your child gets UC-caliber education and outcomes without the debt trap that makes many social sciences degrees financially precarious. If they're genuinely passionate about this field, the math actually works here.