Home › University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign › Sociology

Sociology at University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Champaign, IL · Public · Bachelor's Degree
41 /100
DegreeOutlook Score (Base Case) — assumes in-state tuition
41
Optimistic
41
Base Case
39
Pessimistic
Earnings $31,548/yr (-8% vs median)
AI Risk High (42% exposed)
Job Market Very Large (114,800 openings/yr)
ROI 9.4x earnings multiple (4.4x out-of-state)
Ranked #159 of 414 Sociology programs Top 50%

How AI Changes the Outlook

Three scenarios based on how aggressively AI disrupts the career paths available to Sociology graduates.

Optimistic
No Disruption		 Base Case
Gradual AI		 Pessimistic
Aggressive AI
10-Year Earnings $615K $604K $550K
Earnings Multiple (In-State) 9.6x 9.4x 8.6x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) 4.5x 4.4x 4.0x
Probability of Field Employment 48% 44% 34%
DegreeOutlook Score 41 41 39

10-Year Earnings Projection

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

4-Year Tuition, In-State (Sticker)
$64,016
Out-of-state: $138,004 (4.4x ROI)
4-Year Net Price (After Aid)
$60,804
5% less than sticker · See by income
Median Debt at Graduation
$19,500
7.4 months of Year 1 earnings
Reported Earnings (5 Year)
$61,548
95% growth from Year 1

About University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign's 44% acceptance rate reflects moderate selectivity, with 34,623 students enrolled in Champaign, IL.

See all programs and financial aid at University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign →

Top Career Paths

Managers, all other $136,550/yr
Sociologists $101,690/yr
Sociology teachers, postsecondary $82,540/yr
View all 5 career paths with salary ranges and AI risk →

Compare & Explore

Compare this program → View all 414 schools offering Sociology →

Sociology at Other Schools

Dartmouth College ($64,377) Columbia University in the City of New York ($58,541) Santa Clara University ($53,612) Colgate University ($51,788) Trinity College ($50,077) King's College ($48,529) Barnard College ($48,215) Boston College ($48,091)

Other Majors at University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Computer Science ($124,530) Computer and Information Sciences, General ($113,503) Mathematics and Computer Science ($109,843) Computer Engineering ($103,123) Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering ($86,483) Systems Engineering ($81,785) Nuclear Engineering ($81,134) Mechanical Engineering ($80,187)

Is a Trade Program a Better Fit?

Compare Sociology trade programs on TradeSchoolOutlook →

For students who prefer applied learning, trade programs can deliver strong earnings with significantly less debt and shorter time to employment.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the DegreeOutlook Score for Sociology at University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign?
A score of 41/100 indicates below-average financial outcomes for Sociology. Earnings, ROI, or AI risk factors are pulling the score down.
Will AI replace Sociology careers?
With 42% of typical job tasks exposed to AI, this is one of the higher-risk fields. Our pessimistic scenario projects $549,726 in decade earnings vs $615,139 in the optimistic case — a meaningful gap.
Scores use College Scorecard earnings, BLS employment projections, and AI task-exposure research. See full methodology →