Sociology: American Public University System vs California State University-Sacramento
Head-to-Head
| American Public University System | California State University-Sacramento | |
|---|---|---|
| Earnings Multiple (In-State) | 15.6x | 18.4x |
| Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) | 15.6x | 7.2x |
| 4-Year Tuition (In-State) | $33,600 | $30,408 |
| Year 1 Earnings | $47,633 | $37,040 |
| 10-Year Earnings | $524K | $560K |
| Median Debt | $21,693 | $14,975 |
| Debt-to-Earnings Ratio | 5.5 months | 4.9 months |
| DegreeWorth Score (In-State) | 57/100 | 53/100 |
Both programs have high AI automation risk (42% task exposure) — the same career paths apply to Sociology graduates regardless of school. See full AI analysis →
ROI Breakdown
How tuition costs translate into long-term earnings for Sociology graduates.
| American Public University System | California State University-Sacramento | |
|---|---|---|
| 4-Year Tuition (In-State) | $33,600 | $30,408 |
| 4-Year Tuition (Out-of-State) | $33,600 | $77,928 |
| 10-Year Projected Earnings | $524K | $560K |
| Earnings Multiple (In-State) | 15.6x | 18.4x |
| Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) | 15.6x | 7.2x |
| 5-Year Salary Growth | +16% | +57% |
"Earnings Multiple" = projected 10-year earnings ÷ 4-year tuition. Higher is better. Not a discounted financial ROI.
AI Disruption Scenarios
Both schools share identical AI exposure for Sociology (same career paths). The score differences below reflect how each school's earnings and ROI hold up under stress.
| American Public University System | California State University-Sacramento | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Optim. | Base | Pessim. | Optim. | Base | Pessim. | |
| 10-Year Earnings | $527K | $524K | $487K | $567K | $560K | $516K |
| Earnings Multiple (IS) | 15.7x | 15.6x | 14.5x | 18.6x | 18.4x | 17.0x |
| DegreeWorth Score | 58 | 57 | 52 | 54 | 53 | 50 |
For the full AI analysis of Sociology career paths, see the American Public University System or California State University-Sacramento program pages.
Earnings Trajectory Comparison
Projected annual earnings for Sociology graduates. Year 1 uses actual reported data.
Career Paths
Sociology graduates from both schools map to the same career paths. Differences in earnings reflect school prestige, location, and employer networks.
| Career Path | Wage | Openings/yr | Growth | AI Risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Managers, all other | $136,550 | 106,700 | +4.5% | 47% |
| Sociologists | $101,690 | 300 | +3.6% | 54% |
| Sociology teachers, postsecondary | $82,540 | 1,100 | +2.1% | 43% |
| Social sciences teachers, postsecondary, all other | $75,040 | 1,500 | +1.7% | 0% |
| Social science research assistants | $58,040 | 5,200 | +4.4% | 67% |