Analysis
Wake Forest's sociology graduates start at $46,257—outearning peers at 32 of 34 North Carolina programs and landing in the 95th percentile nationally. Only Duke's sociology majors earn more in the state. The numbers look especially strong against North Carolina's median of $31,728, though the small sample size (under 30 graduates) means these figures could shift with more data points.
The debt picture is reasonable at $23,000, translating to a manageable 0.50 ratio against first-year earnings. Combined with 25% earnings growth to nearly $58,000 by year four, graduates appear to be building solid career trajectories. This makes sense given Wake Forest's selective profile—students here benefit from the institution's strong reputation and network effects that sociology majors at less selective schools might not access.
The caveat matters: with fewer than 30 graduates in the dataset, a handful of high or low earners could significantly skew these numbers. That said, the wide gap between Wake Forest's outcomes and both state and national averages suggests real programmatic strength rather than statistical noise. For families already considering Wake Forest's $23,000 debt load manageable, the sociology program appears to deliver substantially better outcomes than typical alternatives.
Where Wake Forest University Stands
Earnings vs. debt across all sociology bachelors's programs nationally
Earnings Distribution
How Wake Forest University graduates compare to all programs nationally
Earnings Over Time
How earnings evolve from 1 year to 4 years after graduation
| School | 1 Year | 4 Years | Growth |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wake Forest University | $46,257 | $57,671 | +25% |
| Duke University | $45,551 | $53,607 | +18% |
| University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill | $30,623 | $51,279 | +67% |
| University of North Carolina Wilmington | $29,220 | $44,355 | +52% |
| University of North Carolina at Charlotte | $31,897 | $41,234 | +29% |
Compare to Similar Programs in North Carolina
Sociology bachelors's programs at peer institutions in North Carolina (34 total in state)
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| School | In-State Tuition | Earnings (1yr) | Earnings (4yr) | Median Debt | Debt/Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Wake Forest UniversityWinston-Salem | $64,758 | $46,257 | $57,671 | $23,000 | 0.50 |
 Duke UniversityDurham | $65,805 | $45,551 | $53,607 | — | — |
 North Carolina State University at RaleighRaleigh | $8,895 | $35,510 | — | $22,787 | 0.64 |
 University of North Carolina at PembrokePembroke | $3,571 | $34,051 | $35,722 | $28,526 | 0.84 |
 Fayetteville State UniversityFayetteville | $3,969 | $33,544 | $37,465 | $31,888 | 0.95 |
 East Carolina UniversityGreenville | $7,361 | $31,928 | $39,917 | $25,750 | 0.81 |
| National Median | — | $34,102 | — | $25,000 | 0.73 |
Career Paths
Occupations commonly associated with sociology graduates
Sociologists
Sociology Teachers, Postsecondary
Social Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary, All Other
Managers, All Other
Regulatory Affairs Managers
Compliance Managers
Loss Prevention Managers
Wind Energy Operations Managers
Wind Energy Development Managers
Brownfield Redevelopment Specialists and Site Managers
Social Science Research Assistants
About This Data
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (October 2025 release)
Population: Graduates who received federal financial aid (Title IV grants or loans). At Wake Forest University, approximately 9% of students receive Pell grants. Students who did not receive federal aid are not included in these figures.
Earnings: Median earnings from IRS W-2 data for graduates who are employed and not enrolled in further education, measured 1 year after completion. Earnings are pre-tax and include wages, salaries, and self-employment income.
Debt: Median cumulative federal loan debt at graduation. Does not include private loans or Parent PLUS loans borrowed on behalf of students.
Sample Size: Based on 26 graduates with reported earnings and 41 graduates with debt data. Small samples may not be representative.