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CIP 45.0101 Social Sciences

Social Sciences, General

IPEDS Completions, US Department of Education · 2025

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Total graduates

15,139

2025 · 331 schools

International share

2.5%

372 international students

Bachelor's degrees

5,355

2.7% international

Master's degrees

441

30.2% international

Overview

Social Sciences, General is an interdisciplinary field that encompasses a wide range of subjects aimed at understanding human behavior, societal structures, and cultural dynamics. This major typically includes disciplines such as sociology, psychology, anthropology, political science, and economics, allowing students to explore the complexities of human interactions and societal trends.

Students in this program develop critical thinking and analytical skills as they engage with various theories and methodologies. They learn to examine social issues, conduct research, and interpret data, which equips them to address real-world problems. The curriculum often emphasizes both qualitative and quantitative research techniques, enabling students to gather insights from diverse populations and contexts.

Graduates with a degree in Social Sciences, General are well-prepared for a variety of careers in fields such as education, social work, public policy, community development, and market research. Their ability to analyze social phenomena makes them valuable in roles that require an understanding of human behavior and societal influences.

Moreover, this major fosters a comprehensive understanding of global issues, cultural diversity, and social justice, encouraging students to become informed and active citizens. With the increasing importance of social sciences in addressing contemporary challenges, such as inequality, globalization, and environmental sustainability, this field remains relevant and impactful.

Overall, Social Sciences, General offers a broad foundation for students interested in exploring the complexities of society and equips them with the skills necessary for various professional paths or further academic pursuits.

Graduates by year

Graduates by degree level (first and second majors)

AssociateBachelor'sMaster'sDoctoral

From 2002 to 2025, graduates grew 15% and the international share went from 2.0% to 2.5%.

International share (%)
Graduates by group, 2025
White
36.2%
Asian
6.9%
Hispanic
32.9%
Black
11.1%
Other
10.6%
Intl.
2.5%

Colleges that award this degree

In 2025, 331 schools awarded this degree as a first major. The table lists those in the 2027 U.S. News National or Liberal Arts rankings, plus the unranked schools with the most graduates.

RankSchoolStateGraduatesInternational
#3 Harvard University Massachusetts 157 17
#7 University of Pennsylvania Pennsylvania 1 0
#9 University of Chicago Illinois 216 96
#9 Northwestern University Illinois 14 0
#12 Columbia University in the City of New York New York 46 21
#16 Vanderbilt University Tennessee 283 14
#25 University of Michigan-Ann Arbor Michigan 8 0
#27 University of Southern California California 19 2
#31 New York University New York 65 18
#34 University of California-Irvine California 22 0
#34 University of Wisconsin-Madison Wisconsin 4 0
#44 Ohio State University-Main Campus Ohio 38 0
#49 University of Washington-Seattle Campus Washington 60 0
#59 Florida State University Florida 290 1
#59 Tulane University of Louisiana Louisiana 10 0
#59 Stevens Institute of Technology New Jersey 4 0
#59 University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus Pennsylvania 1 0
#69 Michigan State University Michigan 93 4
#72 Syracuse University New York 10 4
#85 University of Delaware Delaware 2 2
#85 University at Buffalo New York 177 6
#100 University of South Florida-Main Campus Florida 111 5
#116 University of Oregon Oregon 262 4
#121 Arizona State University-Tempe Arizona 16 1
#121 University of the Pacific California 1 0
#121 University of Central Florida Florida 32 1
#133 University of Vermont Vermont 2 1
#137 San Diego State University California 40 0
#137 San Jose State University California 9 0
#137 Clarkson University New York 1 0
#156 California State University-Fullerton California 13 0
#156 Florida A&M University Florida 24 1
#156 Kansas State University Kansas 35 0
#156 Oregon State University Oregon 6 0
#169 Michigan Technological University Michigan 5 0
#169 Touro College New York 30 0
#179 Gallaudet University D.C. 1 0
#179 University of Utah Utah 110 2
#191 Adelphi University New York 11 0
#191 Washington State University Washington 207 3
#202 Ohio University-Main Campus Ohio 10 0
#208 California State University--Fresno California 28 0
#208 California State University-Sacramento California 20 0
#208 University of La Verne California 4 0
#208 University of North Texas Texas 32 1
#227 University of Michigan-Dearborn Michigan 27 0
#227 University of North Dakota North Dakota 14 0
#236 University of Colorado Denver Colorado 6 0
#236 Bethel University Minnesota 3 0
#236 University of Nevada--Las Vegas Nevada 7 0
#236 Portland State University Oregon 194 0
#250 University of Texas-Rio Grande Valley Texas 9 0
#262 Central Michigan University Michigan 3 0
#276 Harding University Arkansas 1 0
#276 Regis University Colorado 3 0
#276 University of Missouri--St. Louis Missouri 18 0
#299 Azusa Pacific University California 2 0
#299 Boise State University Idaho 14 0
#308 North Carolina Central University North Carolina 119 0
#332 Jacksonville University Florida 13 1
#332 Mercy University New York 53 1
#342 Daemen University New York 2 0
#342 Campbell University North Carolina 7 0
#342 University of Akron Ohio 3 0
#342 Cleveland State University Ohio 1 0
#342 University of Texas--Tyler Texas 9 0
#353 University of Michigan--Flint Michigan 5 0
#353 Plymouth State University New Hampshire 2 0
#353 University of Puerto Rico-Rio Piedras Puerto Rico 8 0
#353 Pennsylvania Western University Pennsylvania 1 0
#365 Troy University Alabama 40 0
#365 Northern Kentucky University Kentucky 11 0
#365 William Carey University Mississippi 6 0
#365 Liberty University Virginia 2 0
#376 Belhaven University Mississippi 3 1
#382 Wilmington University Delaware 110 1
#382 Palm Beach Atlantic University Florida 4 0
#382 Governors State University Illinois 3 0
#382 Roosevelt University Illinois 1 0
#382 Southern University and A&M College Louisiana 4 0
#382 Inter American University of Puerto Rico, Metropolitan Campus Puerto Rico 1 0
#382 Universidad Ana G. Mendez-Gurabo Campus Puerto Rico 2 0
LAC #11 United States Air Force Academy Colorado 1 0
LAC #22 Colgate University New York 1 0
LAC #31 Denison University Ohio 6 0
LAC #60 Hobart and William Smith Colleges New York 4 0
LAC #68 College of St. Benedict Minnesota 4 0
LAC #72 Bard College New York 165 46
LAC #74 St. John's University (MN) Minnesota 4 0
LAC #109 Westmont College California 2 0
LAC #132 Bennington College Vermont 2 0
LAC #158 Bryn Athyn College of the New Church Pennsylvania 9 1
LAC #160 Salem College North Carolina 1 0
LAC #160 University of Virginia's College at Wise Virginia 54 2
LAC #160 University of Puerto Rico at Cayey Puerto Rico 5 0
LAC #170 Western Oregon University Oregon 15 0
LAC #176 Virginia Wesleyan University Virginia 5 0
LAC #177 Grambling State University Louisiana 11 0
LAC #184 Indiana University-Southeast Indiana 2 0
LAC #184 Allen University South Carolina 17 0
— East Los Angeles College California 1,037 12
— College of the Canyons California 454 5
— Sierra College California 422 1
— Antelope Valley Community College District California 409 1
— Ohlone College California 380 12
— Santa Rosa Junior College California 359 4
— American River College California 350 0
— Butte College California 339 5
— J Sargeant Reynolds Community College Virginia 326 2
— Folsom Lake College California 313 1
— Brookdale Community College New Jersey 288 8
— Palomar College California 257 5
— Northern Virginia Community College Virginia 256 4
— Mt San Antonio College California 250 0
— Yuba College California 193 0
— Woodland Community College California 192 0
— University of Maryland Global Campus Maryland 189 0
— Southern New Hampshire University New Hampshire 189 1
— College of San Mateo California 183 3
— Clovis Community College California 158 0
— Tidewater Community College Virginia 151 0
— Glendale Community College California 149 1
— Laney College California 147 2
— Porterville College California 147 0
— Virginia Peninsula Community College Virginia 146 2
— Merced College California 142 2
— Frederick Community College Maryland 131 2
— Bellevue University Nebraska 122 0
— Fresno City College California 121 0
— Shasta College California 120 0

Purple: international students are 25% or more of the school's graduates.

Related jobs and pay

OccupationUS employmentMean hourly wageMean annual wage
Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education 1,065,210 — $76,320
Managers, All Other 622,190 $73.99 $153,890
Social Scientists and Related Workers, All Other 37,100 $51.78 $107,690
Social Science Research Assistants 30,640 $31.80 $66,140
Social Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary, All Other 16,580 — $88,390

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025.

Graduate counts: IPEDS Completions, US Department of Education, 2002–2025. Rankings: 2027 U.S. News.