Sociology at University of New Hampshire-Main Campus

UNH's sociology program significantly outperforms the national field—95th percentile in earnings—but that impressive statistic needs New Hampshire context. At $42,048 in first-year earnings, graduates match the state median exactly and earn 60% more than the typical sociology major nationwide. However, they're also competing with Dartmouth sociology grads who start at $64,377. The gap narrows as UNH grads see solid 19% earnings growth to $50,160 by year four, while carrying reasonable debt of $27,000 (below the national median).

The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.64 is manageable—graduates could theoretically pay off loans within a year of post-tax income. For an 87% admission rate school serving a relatively affluent student body (only 18% Pell Grant recipients), these outcomes represent decent value. The program appears to prepare students for New Hampshire's job market adequately, even if it doesn't quite compete with elite in-state alternatives.

For parents, the calculus depends on net cost after aid. If your student qualifies for significant financial support, this program delivers above-average career outcomes for sociology majors. But if you're paying close to full out-of-state tuition, the earnings trajectory—while positive—may not justify premium costs when similar programs exist at lower price points in your home state.