Social Sciences Doctor’s Degrees
There are 1,552 schools in the United States where you can earn adoctor’s degree in Social Sciences. In recent years, the majority of students earning degrees in this area were men, and about22% were students from underrepresented racial-ethnic groups. Also, 41.4% of Social Sciences graduates were international students.
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Education Levels of Social Sciences Majors
During the most recent year for which data is available, 185,019 people earned theirSocial Sciences majors across all award levels. The following table shows the number of diplomas awarded in Social Sciences at each degree level.
| Education Level | Number of Grads |
|---|---|
| Certificate | 246 |
| Associate’s Degree | 22,814 |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 134,637 |
| Master’s Degree | 23,444 |
| Doctor’s Degree (this page) | 3,734 |
Earnings of Social Sciences Majors With Doctor’s Degrees (All Award Levels)
Federal data tracks the median salary for graduates with adoctor’s degree in Social Sciences of $55,597 four years after graduation. These figures are reported program-wide, across all award levels.
However, this can depend on a number of factors, such as where you live and the number of years of experience you have.
| Years After Graduation | Median Earnings |
|---|---|
| 1 year | $42,225 |
| 4 years | $55,597 |
| 5 years | $64,933 |
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker (program-wide, all award levels).
Student Debt (All Award Levels)
We do not have the data to calculate the median and range of debt loads for Social Sciences students with their doctor’s degree.
Student Diversity
This degree is more popular with male students. About 51.7% of graduates in this field are men.
| Gender | Number of Grads |
|---|---|
| Men | 1,908 |
| Women | 1,785 |
The racial-ethnic distribution of Social Sciences graduates is as follows:
| Race / Ethnicity | Number of Grads | Share |
|---|---|---|
| White | 1,359 | 36.8% |
| Asian | 161 | 4.4% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 220 | 6.0% |
| Black or African American | 173 | 4.7% |
| American Indian / Alaska Native | 10 | 0.3% |
| Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander | 3 | 0.1% |
| Two or More Races | 88 | 2.4% |
| Race Unknown | 150 | 4.1% |
| International Students | 1,529 | 41.4% |
This degree is very popular with international students. Around 41.4% of graduates are in this category.
See the minority definition in the References below.
Most Popular Social Sciences Programs for Doctor’s Degrees
There are 1,707 colleges that offer a doctor’s degree in Social Sciences. Learn more about the most popular below:
The most popular school in the United States for Social Sciences students seeking a doctor's degree is University of California-Los Angeles. This school awarded 2,753 doctor's degrees in Social Sciences in the most recent reporting year. Graduates who complete their doctor's degree in Social Sciences here go on to a median salary of $40,669.
University of Chicago is a popular choice for Social Sciences majors seeking their doctor's degree. This school awarded 2,074 doctor's degrees in Social Sciences in the most recent reporting year. Data shows that graduates who hold this degree go on to make a median salary of $40,669.
University of California-Santa Barbara comes in at #3 on our list of the most popular colleges offering doctor's degrees in Social Sciences. During the most recent year for which we have data, 1,927 people received their doctor's degree in Social Sciences from this school. Data shows that graduates who hold this degree go on to make a median salary of $40,669.
Johns Hopkins University is a popular choice for Social Sciences majors seeking their doctor's degree. This school awarded 1,818 doctor's degrees in Social Sciences in the most recent reporting year. Graduates who complete their doctor's degree in Social Sciences here go on to a median salary of $40,669.
University of California-Berkeley comes in at #5 on our list of the most popular colleges offering doctor's degrees in Social Sciences. During the most recent year for which we have data, 1,725 people received their doctor's degree in Social Sciences from this school. Graduates who complete their doctor's degree in Social Sciences here go on to a median salary of $40,669.
University of Wisconsin-Madison comes in at #6 on our list of the most popular colleges offering doctor's degrees in Social Sciences. This school awarded 1,706 doctor's degrees in Social Sciences in the most recent reporting year. Graduates who complete their doctor's degree in Social Sciences here go on to a median salary of $40,669.
New York University is a popular choice for Social Sciences majors seeking their doctor's degree. This school awarded 1,658 doctor's degrees in Social Sciences in the most recent reporting year. Graduates who complete their doctor's degree in Social Sciences here go on to a median salary of $40,669.
University of California-Irvine comes in at #8 on our list of the most popular colleges offering doctor's degrees in Social Sciences. This school awarded 1,628 doctor's degrees in Social Sciences in the most recent reporting year. Data shows that graduates who hold this degree go on to make a median salary of $40,669.
Florida State University is a popular choice for Social Sciences majors seeking their doctor's degree. This school awarded 1,577 doctor's degrees in Social Sciences in the most recent reporting year. Graduates who complete their doctor's degree in Social Sciences here go on to a median salary of $40,669.
Columbia University in the City of New York is a popular choice for Social Sciences majors seeking their doctor's degree. During the most recent year for which we have data, 1,557 people received their doctor's degree in Social Sciences from this school. Data shows that graduates who hold this degree go on to make a median salary of $40,669.
Georgetown University is a popular choice for Social Sciences majors seeking their doctor's degree. This school awarded 1,554 doctor's degrees in Social Sciences in the most recent reporting year. Data shows that graduates who hold this degree go on to make a median salary of $40,669.
George Washington University is a popular choice for Social Sciences majors seeking their doctor's degree. This school awarded 1,388 doctor's degrees in Social Sciences in the most recent reporting year. Data shows that graduates who hold this degree go on to make a median salary of $40,669.
University of Michigan-Ann Arbor comes in at #13 on our list of the most popular colleges offering doctor's degrees in Social Sciences. During the most recent year for which we have data, 1,364 people received their doctor's degree in Social Sciences from this school. Data shows that graduates who hold this degree go on to make a median salary of $40,669.
University of Florida comes in at #14 on our list of the most popular colleges offering doctor's degrees in Social Sciences. This school awarded 1,307 doctor's degrees in Social Sciences in the most recent reporting year. Graduates who complete their doctor's degree in Social Sciences here go on to a median salary of $40,669.
University of Maryland-College Park comes in at #15 on our list of the most popular colleges offering doctor's degrees in Social Sciences. This school awarded 1,295 doctor's degrees in Social Sciences in the most recent reporting year. Data shows that graduates who hold this degree go on to make a median salary of $40,669.
University of South Florida comes in at #16 on our list of the most popular colleges offering doctor's degrees in Social Sciences. During the most recent year for which we have data, 1,295 people received their doctor's degree in Social Sciences from this school. Graduates who complete their doctor's degree in Social Sciences here go on to a median salary of $40,669.
University of California-Davis comes in at #17 on our list of the most popular colleges offering doctor's degrees in Social Sciences. This school awarded 1,264 doctor's degrees in Social Sciences in the most recent reporting year. Graduates who complete their doctor's degree in Social Sciences here go on to a median salary of $40,669.
Harvard University is a popular choice for Social Sciences majors seeking their doctor's degree. During the most recent year for which we have data, 1,240 people received their doctor's degree in Social Sciences from this school. Data shows that graduates who hold this degree go on to make a median salary of $40,669.
American University is a popular choice for Social Sciences majors seeking their doctor's degree. During the most recent year for which we have data, 1,238 people received their doctor's degree in Social Sciences from this school. Data shows that graduates who hold this degree go on to make a median salary of $40,669.
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill comes in at #20 on our list of the most popular colleges offering doctor's degrees in Social Sciences. During the most recent year for which we have data, 1,211 people received their doctor's degree in Social Sciences from this school. Data shows that graduates who hold this degree go on to make a median salary of $40,669.
Social Sciences Concentrations
| Major | Annual Degrees Awarded |
|---|---|
| Economics | 45,628 |
| Political Science and Government | 44,942 |
| Sociology | 31,380 |
| Social Sciences, General | 17,510 |
| International Relations and National Security Studies | 13,035 |
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References
The racial-ethnic minority student count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students, international students, and students whose race/ethnicity was unknown. This number is then divided by the total number of students to obtain the percentage of racial-ethnic minorities.
- College Factual
- National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS)
- O*NET Online
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
- U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard
More about our data sources and methodologies.
