Bachelor's · Costa Mesa, California
Is Sociology at Vanguard University of Southern California worth it?
Low confidence Low confidence: fewer than 40 graduates behind the earnings figures.
The verdict · all families, in-state, half paid with loans
Pays back slowly: graduates typically recover the cost in about 13.4 years.
- Earnings 1 year after graduating
- $46,528
- Treasury AY2020-21, AY2021-22 pooled earnings cohort measured in CY2022, CY2023, inflation adjusted to 2024 dollars
- Earnings 4 years after graduating
- Not enough graduates to report
- Treasury AY2017-2018, AY2018-2019 pooled earnings cohort measured in CY2022, CY2023, inflation adjusted to 2024 dollars
- Typical federal debt at graduation
- $25,000
- NSLDS pooled AY2022-23, AY2023-24 cohort
- Net cost to graduate, all families
- $99k (likely $99k – $99k)
- AcadYr 2024-25, reported in IPEDS DCY2025-26
- Earnings bump, year 4
- $9k a year vs high-school graduates aged 25–34 in CA
- 2023 ACS 5-year pooled, adjusted to 2024 dollars
- Payback
- 13.4 years (likely 7.0–20+)
- Bump vs net cost plus loan interest
- 10-year net return
- −$194k (likely −$294k – −$96k)
- Today's dollars
- 20-year net return
- −$95k (likely −$297k – $114k)
- Today's dollars
- Odds of finishing (school-wide)
- 55%
- Fall 2019 or AcadYr 2019-20 cohort (differs by institutional calendar), reported in IPEDS DCY2025-26
Change income, residency or loans Compare Sociology at other schools
🍎 Getting ready in high school
Students heading toward teaching & helping people majors like this one often take these classes. Every school offers a different mix, so check with your counselor.
AP classes
- AP Psychology
- AP English Language and Composition
- AP Statistics
IB Higher Level
- Psychology HL
- Language A HL
Build my roadmap 🗺️ Middle school to career, plus high schools near you that offer these classes.
Other majors at Vanguard University of Southern California
- Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Master's)$130,059
- Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Bachelor's)$102,239
- Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology (Master's)$75,686
- Curriculum and Instruction (Master's)$66,793
- Business Administration, Management and Operations (Bachelor's)$62,957
- Psychology, General (Bachelor's)$47,582
- Communication and Media Studies (Bachelor's)$38,936
- Biology, General (Bachelor's)$36,963
- Religion/Religious Studies (Bachelor's)$33,020
- Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness (Bachelor's)$30,101
- Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft (Bachelor's)$25,181
Sociology at other schools in California
- University of California-Berkeley$71,363
- University of Southern California$70,555
- California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo$69,883
- Northeastern University Oakland$69,585
- Notre Dame de Namur University$68,503
- Loyola Marymount University$68,053
- California Lutheran University$67,998
- National University$64,860
- University of California-Los Angeles$64,692
- University of Massachusetts Global$63,036