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Social Sciences · Social Sciences Rank #25 of 76

Social Sciencesat Upper Iowa University

Graduates earn $56,221/yr in their first year — about 45.0% above the national Social Sciences average. Base-case 10-year earnings $575K; scenarios range from $532K to $585K depending on AI disruption.

Fayette, IA Private nonprofit Bachelor's Degree
DegreeOutlook Score
54 AVERAGE
55
Optimistic
52
Pessimistic
Earnings
$56,221
1-year post-graduation
ROI
4.7x
Earnings : tuition
10-yr Base
$575K
Cumulative base-case earnings
AI Risk
High
52% task exposure
Program Analysis

What this degree looks like at Upper Iowa University

This program’s significant earnings advantage for a general social science major isn't about landing niche academic roles immediately. Instead, it likely reflects a strong emphasis on transferable skills like data analysis, research methodology, and critical thinking, which are highly valued across various industries. While Fayette is a smaller town, Upper Iowa University often serves a broader regional market, connecting graduates to opportunities in business analytics, project coordination, human resources, or even local government within Iowa and neighboring states.

Many graduates leverage this interdisciplinary foundation to enter management tracks or roles requiring robust analytical capabilities, often within agricultural businesses, financial services, or healthcare administration, where understanding human behavior and data is key. Your early career success here suggests the program equips you with the adaptability employers seek. Given the high AI risk for some social science roles, focus on developing specialized quantitative skills or a strong project management portfolio to maximize your long-term career resilience.

AI Outlook Integration

Three scenarios, ten years out

Each scenario is a different assumption about how AI reshapes the career paths this major feeds into. Earnings projections stack the full 10-year cumulative trajectory; scores use the same 0–100 metric as the hero, recomputed under that scenario's assumptions.

Pessimistic
Mass Automation
$532K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score52/100
Earnings Multiple7.0x
Base Case
Moderate Integration
$575K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score54/100
Earnings Multiple7.6x
Optimistic
AI Augmentation
$585K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score55/100
Earnings Multiple7.7x
Earnings Trajectory

10 year projection

Year-by-year earnings under each scenario. Base case reflects BLS growth patterns applied to Upper Iowa University's starting earnings; optimistic and pessimistic adjust for AI's effect on each career path this major feeds into.

Career Paths

Where Social Sciences graduates typically work

Common career destinations for this program's graduates, weighted by the school's specific occupation mix. Salary is BLS national median; AI risk is per-role task-exposure research.

1
Managers, all other
+4.5% 10-yr growth · 106,700 openings/yr
$136,550/yr
Moderate
2
Statisticians
+8.5% 10-yr growth · 2,000 openings/yr
$103,300/yr
High
3
Sociologists
+3.6% 10-yr growth · 300 openings/yr
$101,690/yr
High
4
Social scientists and related workers, all other
-1.7% 10-yr growth · 3,200 openings/yr
$100,340/yr
High
5
Sociology teachers, postsecondary
+2.1% 10-yr growth · 1,100 openings/yr
$82,540/yr
Moderate
6
Social sciences teachers, postsecondary, all other
+1.7% 10-yr growth · 1,500 openings/yr
$75,040/yr
Low
Source: BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics, May 2024. AI exposure from OpenAI GPTs-are-GPTs and Felten AIOE research.
Compare & Explore

Peer schools offering Social Sciences

How Upper Iowa University stacks up against other schools offering this major.

Highest earnings
Mercer University
GA · Private nonprofit
56
DW Score
$62K
1-yr earn
2.8x
ROI
Vanderbilt University
TN · Private nonprofit
63
DW Score
$61K
1-yr earn
2.5x
ROI
Top score
University of Washington-Seattle Campus
WA · Public
76
DW Score
$58K
1-yr earn
15.3x
ROI
Harvard University
MA · Private nonprofit
58
DW Score
$57K
1-yr earn
2.2x
ROI
Campbell University
NC · Private nonprofit
56
DW Score
$51K
1-yr earn
3.0x
ROI
Also at Upper Iowa University

Other top programs at Upper Iowa University

Other highest-scoring programs offered at Upper Iowa University, ranked by DegreeOutlook Score.

Consider the trade route

Not sure a 4-year degree is the right path? Trade programs in Social Sciences offer shorter timelines, lower debt, and strong AI resilience for hands-on careers.

Compare Social Sciences trade programs on TradeSchoolOutlook →
FAQ

Frequently asked about Social Sciences at Upper Iowa University

How does Upper Iowa University's Social Sciences program score?

This program scores 54/100, reflecting respectable but not exceptional financial outcomes for Social Sciences graduates.

How vulnerable is Social Sciences to AI automation?

AI won't 'replace' Social Sciences careers outright, but it is likely to reduce the number of job openings. We model 45% task exposure, which compresses field employment probability in our scenarios.