Home › University of Houston-Downtown › Social Sciences, General

Social Sciences, General at University of Houston-Downtown

Houston, TX · Public · Bachelor's Degree
62 /100
DegreeOutlook Score (Base Case) — assumes in-state tuition
63
Optimistic
62
Base Case
61
Pessimistic
Earnings $45,687/yr (18% vs median)
AI Risk High (45% exposed)
Job Market Very Large (318,400 openings/yr)
ROI 15.9x earnings multiple (6.9x out-of-state)
Ranked #7 of 76 Social Sciences, General programs Top 10%

How AI Changes the Outlook

Three scenarios based on how aggressively AI disrupts the career paths available to Social Sciences, General graduates.

Optimistic
No Disruption		 Base Case
Gradual AI		 Pessimistic
Aggressive AI
10-Year Earnings $488K $489K $464K
Earnings Multiple (In-State) 15.8x 15.9x 15.0x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) 6.9x 6.9x 6.5x
Probability of Field Employment 61% 54% 43%
DegreeOutlook Score 63 62 61

10-Year Earnings Projection

*Year 1 uses actual reported earnings. Scenarios diverge as AI impact compounds over time.

4-Year Tuition, In-State (Sticker)
$30,832
Out-of-state: $71,152 (6.9x ROI)
4-Year Net Price (After Aid)
$58,492
-90% less than sticker · See by income
Median Debt at Graduation
$21,452
5.6 months of Year 1 earnings
Reported Earnings (5 Year)
$48,194
5% growth from Year 1

Program Analysis

At $45,687 per year, Social Sciences, General graduates from University of Houston-Downtown earn slightly above the $38,652 national median. The premium is real but not dramatic.

Every dollar of in-state tuition returns an estimated 15.9x in decade earnings — an exceptional ratio that places this among the highest-ROI Social Sciences, General programs nationally.

Some AI exposure exists in Social Sciences, General's typical career paths, with 45% of job tasks potentially affected. The pessimistic scenario still projects solid returns, with a 5% gap from the optimistic case.

The median debt load of $21,452 represents less than half a year of starting salary — among the lightest debt-to-income ratios we track.

Ranked #7 of 76 programs, University of Houston-Downtown's Social Sciences, General program falls in the top 10%, outperforming most peers on financial outcomes.

Five-year earnings of $48,194 are relatively flat compared to the $45,687 starting salary — typical of fields with stable but capped salary bands.

About University of Houston-Downtown

With 91% of applicants admitted, University of Houston-Downtown prioritizes broad access, serving 12,812 students in Houston, TX. With 52% of students on Pell Grants, the campus draws from a broad economic spectrum.

See all programs and financial aid at University of Houston-Downtown →

Top Career Paths

Managers, all other $136,550/yr
Statisticians $103,300/yr
Sociologists $101,690/yr
View all 11 career paths with salary ranges and AI risk →

Compare & Explore

Compare this program → View all 76 schools offering Social Sciences, General →

Social Sciences, General at Other Schools

Mercer University ($61,612) Vanderbilt University ($61,389) University of Washington-Seattle Campus ($57,538) Harvard University ($56,540) Upper Iowa University ($56,221) Campbell University ($50,653) University of Maryland Global Campus ($50,557) New York University ($49,016)

Other Majors at University of Houston-Downtown

Computer Engineering Technologies/Technicians ($68,144) Computer and Information Sciences, General ($56,475) Accounting and Related Services ($54,128) Business Administration, Management and Operations ($53,764) Quality Control and Safety Technologies/Technicians ($51,840) Management Information Systems and Services ($51,314) Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences ($50,894) Mathematics ($49,496)

Consider the Trade Route?

Compare Social Sciences, General trade programs on TradeSchoolWorth →

Trade programs often mean less time in school, lower student debt, and hands-on career paths that tend to be more resilient to AI disruption.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the DegreeOutlook Score for Social Sciences, General at University of Houston-Downtown?
A score of 62/100 puts this program in competitive territory — solid outcomes, though not at the top of the Social Sciences, General field.
Will AI replace Social Sciences, General careers?
With 45% of typical job tasks exposed to AI, this is one of the higher-risk fields. Our pessimistic scenario projects $463,858 in decade earnings vs $488,364 in the optimistic case — a meaningful gap.
Scores use College Scorecard earnings, BLS employment projections, and AI task-exposure research. See full methodology →