Social Sciences
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Types of Degrees Social Sciences Majors Are Getting
The following table lists how many social sciences graduations there were in 2018-2019 for each degree level.
Education Level | Number of Grads |
---|---|
Master’s Degree | 17,314 |
Doctor’s Degree | 3,726 |
Graduate Certificate | 1,777 |
What Social Sciences Majors Need to Know
In an O*NET survey, social sciences majors were asked to rate what knowledge areas, skills, and abilities were important in their occupations. These answers were weighted on a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being the most important.
Knowledge Areas for Social Sciences Majors
According to O*NET survey takers, a major in social sciences should prepare you for careers in which you will need to be knowledgeable in the following areas:

- English Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
- Education and Training - Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
- Mathematics - Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
- Computers and Electronics - Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
- Law and Government - Knowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process.
Skills for Social Sciences Majors
social sciences majors are found most commonly in careers in which the following skills are important:

- Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
- Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.
- Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
- Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
- Writing - Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
Abilities for Social Sciences Majors
Social Sciences majors often go into careers where the following abilities are vital:

- Written Comprehension - The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
- Oral Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
- Oral Comprehension - The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
- Written Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
- Deductive Reasoning - The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
What Can You Do With a Social Sciences Major?
Below is a list of occupations associated with social sciences:
Who Is Getting a Master’s Degree in Social Sciences?
Racial-Ethnic Diversity
At the countrywide level, the racial-ethnic distribution of social sciences majors is as follows:

Race/Ethnicity | Number of Grads |
---|---|
Asian | 763 |
Black or African American | 1,205 |
Hispanic or Latino | 1,482 |
White | 7,761 |
International Students | 4,715 |
Other Races/Ethnicities | 1,388 |
Geographic Diversity
Social Sciences appeals to people across the globe. About 27.2% of those with this major are international students.
How Much Do Social Sciences Majors Make?
Master’s Degree Starting Salary
Data from the U.S. Department of Education shows that social sciences students who graduated in 2015-2017 with a master’s degree made a median starting salary of $49,900 per year. During this timeframe, most salaries fell between $42,400 (25th percentile) and $60,575 (75th percentile).

It is possible that some of these people may have taken positions that were not related to social sciences.
Salaries According to BLS
Social Sciences majors often go into careers where salaries can range from $68,340 to $94,080 (25th to 75th percentile). This range includes all degree levels, so the salary for a person with just a bachelor’s degree may be a little less and the one for a person with an advanced degree may be a little more.
To put that into context, according to BLS data from the first quarter of 2020, the typical high school graduate makes between $30,000 and $57,900 a year (25th through 75th percentile). The average person with a bachelor’s degree (any field) makes between $45,600 and $99,000. Advanced degree holders make the most with salaries between $55,600 and $125,400.
Amount of Education Required for Careers Related to Social Sciences
Some careers associated with social sciences require an advanced degree while some may not even require a bachelor’s. Whatever the case may be, pursuing more education usually means that more career options will be available to you.
Find out what the typical degree level is for social sciences careers below.

Education Level | Percentage of Workers |
---|---|
High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED) | 0.3% |
Post-Secondary Certificate - awarded for training completed after high school (for example, in agriculture or natural resources, computer services, personal or culinary services, engineering technologies, healthcare, construction trades, mechanic and repair technologies, or precision production) | 1.4% |
Some College Courses | 0.9% |
Associate’s Degree (or other 2-year degree) | 1.9% |
Bachelor’s Degree | 27.4% |
Post-Baccalaureate Certificate - awarded for completion of an organized program of study; designed for people who have completed a Baccalaureate degree but do not meet the requirements of academic degrees carrying the title of Master. | 1.6% |
Master’s Degree | 27.0% |
Post-Master’s Certificate - awarded for completion of an organized program of study; designed for people who have completed a Master’s degree but do not meet the requirements of academic degrees at the doctoral level. | 1.8% |
First Professional Degree - awarded for completion of a program that: requires at least 2 years of college work before entrance into the program, includes a total of at least 6 academic years of work to complete, and provides all remaining academic requirements to begin practice in a profession. | 0.9% |
Doctoral Degree | 33.7% |
Post-Doctoral Training | 0.9% |
Online Social Sciences Programs
In the 2018-2019 academic year, 1,707 schools offered some type of social sciences program. The following table lists the number of programs by degree level, along with how many schools offered online courses in the field.
Degree Level | Colleges Offering Programs | Colleges Offering Online Classes |
---|---|---|
Certificate (Less Than 1 Year) | 328 | 28 |
Certificate (1-2 years) | 89 | 7 |
Certificate (2-4 Years) | 11 | 2 |
Associate’s Degree | 974 | 140 |
Bachelor’s Degree | 319 | 61 |
Post-Baccalaureate | 328 | 28 |
Master’s Degree | 1,520 | 128 |
Post-Master’s | 69 | 0 |
Doctor’s Degree (Research) | 689 | 4 |
Doctor’s Degree (Professional Practice) | 2 | 0 |
Doctor’s Degree (Other) | 1 | 0 |
Is a Degree in Social Sciences Worth It?
The median salary for a social sciences grad is $85,750 per year. This is based on the weighted average of the most common careers associated with the major.
This is 115% more than the average salary for an individual holding a high school degree. This adds up to a gain of about $917,000 after 20 years!

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Majors Related to Social Sciences
You may also be interested in one of the following majors related to social sciences.
Major | Number of Grads |
---|---|
Education | 187,512 |
Psychology | 38,863 |
Communication & Journalism | 11,707 |
Library Science | 5,644 |
History | 4,418 |
Family, Consumer & Human Sciences | 3,917 |
Area, Ethnic, Culture, & Gender Studies | 2,550 |
References
- College Factual
- College Scorecard
- National Center for Education Statistics
- O*NET Online
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
- Usual Weekly Earnings of Wage and Salary Workers First Quarter 2020
- Image Credit: By AndrГ© KГјnzelmann under License
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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