Program Analysis
At $38,768 per year, Sociology graduates from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University earn slightly above the $34,392 national median. The premium is real but not dramatic.
At 8.5x the cost of in-state tuition, the ten-year earnings outlook represents a strong return. Not exceptional, but meaningfully positive.
AI risk is moderate — 42% task exposure — and the 8% scenario spread suggests disruption would dent but not destroy the earnings outlook.
The $22,562 debt-to-$38,768 income ratio translates to about 7 months of earnings. Standard loan terms should handle this comfortably.
Ranked #142 out of 414 programs, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University's Sociology offering sits in the upper half but doesn't break into the top tier.
The five-year earnings trajectory from $38,768 to $53,098 shows 37% growth, reflecting steady but unremarkable salary progression.