Sociology at University of Houston-Downtown

The small sample size here demands caution, but the trajectory is worth noting: graduates start at $31,555 but reach $48,478 by year four—a 54% jump that significantly outpaces typical salary growth. That four-year number places graduates well above both state and national medians for sociology degrees, though the first-year earnings lag behind Texas comparables by about $1,400. Among Texas sociology programs, this ranks around the 40th percentile initially, meaning more than half of state programs show stronger immediate outcomes.

The debt load of $27,375 sits slightly above both state and national norms, creating a manageable but not ideal 0.87 debt-to-earnings ratio in year one. For context, UT Austin sociology graduates start about $8,000 higher, which would justify the higher admission standards there. UH-Downtown serves a different population—52% receive Pell grants—and the open admission policy means students arrive with varying levels of preparation (average SAT: 1041).

For families considering this program: the earnings growth pattern suggests graduates find better opportunities over time, but those first few years may be financially tight. If your student needs an accessible sociology degree in Houston and can weather modest starting pay, the four-year outlook improves considerably. However, with fewer than 30 graduates in this dataset, treat these numbers as directional rather than definitive.