Science, Technology and Society at University of Oklahoma-Norman Campus

The University of Oklahoma's Science, Technology and Society program leaves parents flying blind. Because too few students graduate from this interdisciplinary major, the Department of Education suppresses its actual outcomes. What we can say is that similar STS programs nationally produce first-year earnings around $44,700 with debt near $23,900—a manageable 0.53 ratio that suggests graduates can handle their loan payments.

But that national picture obscures wide variation. Peer STS programs range from $53,900 at the high end down to considerably less, and without knowing where OU's graduates fall in that spectrum, you're essentially betting on outcomes that could vary by $15,000 or more annually. The interdisciplinary nature of this major—combining science policy, ethics, and social analysis—means career paths diverge sharply. Some graduates leverage it into science policy work or graduate programs; others struggle to translate the degree into immediate employment.

Given that OU is the only Oklahoma school offering this program and there's no state data for comparison, you're making this decision in an information vacuum. If your child is passionate about STS and has a clear career trajectory in mind (law school, policy work, science communication), the estimated debt load won't sink them. But if they're exploring broadly, a more established major with transparent outcomes might be the wiser investment.