Science, Technology and Society
Students study how science and technology shape and are shaped by social, political, ethical, and cultural forces, examining issues from AI ethics to climate policy. Graduates typically pursue careers in science policy, technology ethics consulting, science journalism, government advisory roles, and tech company policy teams. As technology raises increasingly complex societal questions, graduates who can bridge technical and humanistic perspectives are highly valued.
What Science, Technology and Society graduates do
Your degree prepares you for two distinct worlds: shaping minds in academia or shaping strategy in industry. As a postsecondary teacher, you’ll spend your days dissecting the ethics of AI in seminars, guiding student research on social media's impact, and publishing your own work on the history of innovation. The path is competitive, but the work is intellectually driven.
Alternatively, you could become a natural sciences manager in a biotech or tech firm. Here, you're no longer at the lab bench; you’re managing the people who are. Your days involve securing funding for R&D projects, supervising teams of scientists, and translating complex technical progress into actionable business strategy for executives. You’ll typically start as a researcher or policy analyst before advancing into these leadership roles.
AI will significantly change the day-to-day realities of these careers, particularly in management. Expect AI tools to automate routine data analysis and report generation, freeing you to focus on the human-centric tasks: leading your team, making tough ethical calls, and setting long-term strategic vision. Adaptability will be key to your success.
Students weighing Science, Technology and Society often also consider Biological & Physical Sciences and Systems Science and Theory — compare earnings, ROI, and AI outlook side by side.
Where Science, Technology and Society graduates work
Common career paths for Science, Technology and Society graduates, with median salaries, projected growth, and AI exposure per role. Roughly 22,000 combined openings per year across these roles.
| Role | Median Pay | Annual Openings | 10-yr Growth | AI Exposure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Natural sciences managers
|
$161,180
$114K–$215K
|
8,500 | +3.7% | High · 50% |
|
Postsecondary teachers, all other
|
$78,490
$56K–$123K
|
13,500 | +1.8% | Low · 0% |
Best schools for Science, Technology and Society
Schools ranked by DegreeOutlook Score (earnings × AI resilience × ROI × job-market size). Top 10 of 11.
| # | School | DW Score | 1-yr Earnings | ROI |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 |
North Carolina State University at Raleigh
Raleigh, NC · Public
|
55 | $43,150 | 19.2x |
| 6 |
Georgetown University
Washington, DC · Private nonprofit
|
51 | $51,399 | 3.4x |
| 7 |
Georgia Institute of Technology-Main Campus
Atlanta, GA · Public
|
50 | $40,297 | 14.0x |
| 8 |
Stanford University
Stanford, CA · Private nonprofit
|
44 | $44,736 | 2.7x |
| 9 |
Farmingdale State College
Farmingdale, NY · Public
|
38 | $31,638 | 15.4x |
| 10 |
Arizona State University Campus Immersion
Tempe, AZ · Public
|
36 | $39,993 | 7.3x |
| 11 |
Vassar College
Poughkeepsie, NY · Private nonprofit
|
16 | $27,215 | 0.0x |
Highest Earnings Top 5
| Troy University
AL |
$85,672 |
| Texas Tech University
TX |
$69,382 |
| James Madison University
VA |
$54,235 |
| Eastern Michigan University
MI |
$53,566 |
| Georgetown University
DC |
$51,399 |
Best ROI Top 5
| Troy University
AL |
20.9x |
| North Carolina State University at Raleigh
NC |
19.2x |
| Texas Tech University
TX |
17.8x |
| Farmingdale State College
NY |
15.4x |
| Georgia Institute of Technology-Main Campus
GA |
14.0x |
Related majors
Similar fields of study often offered alongside Science, Technology and Society.
Frequently asked about Science, Technology and Society
How much do Science, Technology and Society graduates earn?
Across 11 schools, Science, Technology and Society graduates earn an average of $49,208 per year in their first year after graduation. Earnings range from $27,215 to $85,672 depending on the school.
How exposed is Science, Technology and Society to AI disruption?
Our analysis classifies Science, Technology and Society as "Moderate" for AI risk — approximately 36% of typical job tasks overlap with current AI capabilities. That puts some of the daily work in the automation-sensitive category.
Where should I study Science, Technology and Society?
Based on our DegreeOutlook Score (combining earnings, AI resilience, job market size, and ROI), Texas Tech University ranks #1 for Science, Technology and Society with a score of 65/100 and graduate earnings of $69,382/yr.
Is a Science, Technology and Society degree worth the investment?
Typical graduates earn 11.5 times what they paid in tuition within a decade. This is a strong return on investment. Look at per-school ROI in the table above — averages can mask significant variation.