undergradly.
Undergradly · Worth It?

Is this degree
actually worth it?

A straight answer for every major on the list — decision-oriented, not directory-style. Each page combines median earnings (Census PSEO, 1 / 5 / 10 years after graduation), median debt at graduation (College Scorecard), and labor-market projections (BLS 2024–2034) into a single verdict and an associate-vs-bachelor trade-off you can act on.

We aggregate across CIP codes and institutions to produce field-level numbers, then translate them into a plain-language verdict you can act on — worth it, worth it with caveats, or not for the cost.

Page 5 of 5
49–54
of 54 fields analyzed
Social Sciences
Only if you love the work

Clinical & Counseling Psychology

A clear path to practice — but it runs through graduate school

Median earnings · 10 yr
$78,272
Median debt at graduation
$21,756
Employment growth · 2024–34 (blended)
+6.6%
Read the analysis →
Social Sciences
Worth it, with caveats

Economics

Strong ceiling, dispersed destinations — the degree works when it's paired with a plan

Median earnings · 10 yr
$102,242
Median debt at graduation
$21,025
Employment growth · 2024–34 (blended)
+5.2%
Read the analysis →
Social Sciences
Worth it, with caveats

International Relations

Strong long-run earnings, but the path there is indirect and grad-heavy

Median earnings · 10 yr
$82,089
Median debt at graduation
$21,726
Employment growth · 2024–34 · Managers, all other
+4.5%
Read the analysis →
Social Sciences
Only if you love the work

Political Science

A pipeline major — the headline numbers look better than what graduates actually experience

Median earnings · 10 yr
$78,250
Median debt at graduation
$20,998
Employment growth · 2024–34 · Managers, all other
+4.5%
Read the analysis →
Social Sciences
Only if you love the work

Psychology

A pipeline degree — the bachelor's alone rarely unlocks the field's own jobs

Median earnings · 10 yr
$62,881
Median debt at graduation
$20,771
Employment growth · 2024–34 · Managers, all other
+4.5%
Read the analysis →
Social Sciences
Think twice

Sociology

Versatile degree, but the career map is frustratingly vague

Median earnings · 10 yr
$62,698
Median debt at graduation
$20,547
Employment growth · 2024–34 · Managers, all other
+4.5%
Read the analysis →