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Social Sciences at Western Kentucky University

Bowling Green, KY · Public · Bachelor's Degree · Social Sciences, General
49 /100
DegreeOutlook Score (Base Case) — assumes in-state tuition
50
Optimistic
49
Base Case
52
Pessimistic
Earnings $38,659/yr (0% vs median)
AI Risk High (45% exposed)
Job Market Very Large (318,400 openings/yr)
ROI 10.6x earnings multiple (4.5x out-of-state)
Ranked #46 of 76 Social Sciences, General programs

How AI Changes the Outlook

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

Optimistic
No Disruption		 Base Case
Gradual AI		 Pessimistic
Aggressive AI
10-Year Earnings $486K $487K $462K
Earnings Multiple (In-State) 10.6x 10.6x 10.1x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) 4.5x 4.5x 4.3x
Probability of Field Employment 61% 54% 43%
DegreeOutlook Score 50 49 52

10-Year Earnings Projection

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

4-Year Tuition, In-State (Sticker)
$45,744
Out-of-state: $108,000 (4.5x ROI)
4-Year Net Price (After Aid)
$43,664
5% less than sticker · See by income
Reported Earnings (5 Year)
$46,608
21% growth from Year 1

About Western Kentucky University

A 97% acceptance rate means Western Kentucky University is accessible to most applicants, enrolling 12,267 students in Bowling Green, KY.

See all programs and financial aid at Western Kentucky University →

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 →

Social Sciences 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 Western Kentucky University

Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering ($74,205) Mechanical Engineering ($70,722) Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing ($68,294) Management Information Systems and Services ($64,252) Construction Engineering Technologies ($63,013) Industrial Production Technologies/Technicians ($60,675) Civil Engineering ($60,086) Economics ($53,857)

Explore the Trade Alternative

Compare Social Sciences trade programs on TradeSchoolOutlook →

Not every career requires a four-year degree. Trade programs in related fields can offer competitive salaries with a fraction of the student loan burden.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the DegreeOutlook Score for Social Sciences at Western Kentucky University?
A score of 49/100 indicates below-average financial outcomes for Social Sciences. Earnings, ROI, or AI risk factors are pulling the score down.
Will AI replace Social Sciences careers?
With 45% of typical job tasks exposed to AI, this is one of the higher-risk fields. Our pessimistic scenario projects $462,103 in decade earnings vs $485,873 in the optimistic case — a meaningful gap.
Scores use College Scorecard earnings, BLS employment projections, and AI task-exposure research. See full methodology →