Best colleges for Social Sciences in New York
Ranked by graduate earnings
University of Rochester, New York University and Columbia University are the top bachelor's Social Sciences programs in New York by graduate earnings. University of Rochester leads with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $37,491, College Scorecard. Columbia University, New York University and University of Rochester award the most Social Sciences degrees in New York: 80, 65 and 31 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25). 13 New York colleges offer Social Sciences and award 257 degrees and certificates a year in all.
The Social Sciences program, officially titled 'Social Sciences, Other', focuses on the study of human behavior within social and cultural contexts. This interdisciplinary field encompasses various branches that analyze how individuals and…
Top 5 bachelor's programs, ranked by graduate earnings
Ranked by median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard. Programs with fewer than 20 graduates a year, a graduation rate under 30%, or online, degree-completion or graduate-only status rank after the rest.
| # | Institution | Starting salary (1 yr) | Graduates / yr | Grad rate | Net price | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Rochester Rochester Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $37,491 | 31 | 85% | $25,874 | $21,366 |
| 2 | New York University New York Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $35,772 | 65 | 88% | $29,023 | $20,188 |
| 3 | Columbia University New York Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $34,845 | 80 | 96% | $15,315 | $26,000 |
| 4 | Russell Sage College Troy Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $27,436 | 20 | 56% | $22,451 | $26,865 |
| 5 | CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice New York Public · Bachelor's degree Small program | $37,919 | 7 | 56% | — | — |
Colleges awarding the most Social Sciences degrees in New York
Top 10 by graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25 completions). Certificate and associate programs, online, degree-completion and graduate-only schools, and schools with a graduation rate under 30% are listed in full below.
| # | Institution | Graduates / yr | Starting salary (1 yr) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Columbia University New York Private not-for-profit | 80 | $34,845 |
| 2 | New York University New York Private not-for-profit | 65 | $35,772 |
| 3 | University of Rochester Rochester Private not-for-profit | 31 | $37,491 |
| 4 | Russell Sage College Troy Private not-for-profit | 20 | $27,436 |
| 5 | Cornell University Ithaca Private not-for-profit | 13 | Not reported |
| 6 | Bard College Annandale-On-Hudson Private not-for-profit | 10 | Not reported |
| 7 | CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice New York Public | 7 | $37,919 |
| 8 | SUNY Brockport Brockport Public | 4 | Not reported |
| 9 | Vassar College Poughkeepsie Private not-for-profit | 3 | Not reported |
| 10 | Skidmore College Saratoga Springs Private not-for-profit | 2 | Not reported |
ShowHide the other 3 New York colleges offering Social Sciences
| Institution | City | Control | Graduates / yr |
|---|---|---|---|
| Empire State University (Degree completion) | Saratoga Springs | Public | 20 |
| Elmira College | Elmira | Private not-for-profit | 1 |
| University at Buffalo | Buffalo | Public | 1 |
Career outlook
What this program leads to: Social Scientists and Related Workers, All Other (SOC 19-3099).
What Social Scientists and Related Workers, All Other earn in New York
Related careers
Common questions
Answers for students comparing Social Sciences programs in New York.
Which New York colleges award the most Social Sciences degrees?+
Columbia University (80 graduates a year), New York University (65 graduates a year) and University of Rochester (31 graduates a year) award the most Social Sciences degrees in New York, per IPEDS 2024–25 completions. In all, 13 New York colleges offer Social Sciences.
What is the best college for Social Sciences in New York?+
By graduate earnings, University of Rochester leads among bachelor's Social Sciences programs in New York, with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $37,491, College Scorecard. New York University and Columbia University follow. By degrees awarded, Columbia University is the largest, with 80 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25).
Which Social Sciences program in New York has the highest-earning graduates?+
By median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard, University of Rochester tops the list at $37,491. Compare it against graduates a year, graduation rate, cost, and debt in the ranked table above.
How much do Social Scientists and Related Workers, All Other earn in New York?+
The average annual wage for Social Scientists and Related Workers, All Other in New York is $105,210 (median $104,770), across about 3,410 jobs. Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025.
What is the focus of the Social Sciences program?+
The Social Sciences program, officially titled 'Social Sciences, Other', focuses on the study of human behavior within social and cultural contexts. This interdisciplinary field encompasses various branches that analyze how individuals and…
What is the job outlook for Social Scientists and Related Workers, All Other?+
The national job outlook is about -1.7% growth with around 3,200 annual openings (BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034).
What is the typical education requirement?+
A Bachelor's degree is the typical entry-level education for this field (BLS).
About the data on this page
Every figure comes from an official federal or public source. Here is each one and the release it is currently on.
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