Sociology: California State University-Channel Islands vs CUNY Lehman College

Side-by-side ROI comparison · Bachelor's Degree
Return on Investment
10-year earnings ÷ tuition · higher is better
In-State
20.8x
$27,268 tuition
17.3x
$29,640 tuition
Out-of-State
7.6x
$74,788 tuition
8.4x
$61,440 tuition
$566,325 10-yr earnings · Public
$513,154 10-yr earnings · Public

Head-to-Head

California State University-Channel Islands CUNY Lehman College
Earnings Multiple (In-State) 20.8x 17.3x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) 7.6x 8.4x
4-Year Tuition (In-State) $27,268 $29,640
Year 1 Earnings $36,557 $42,710
10-Year Earnings $566K $513K
Median Debt $14,717 $11,045
Debt-to-Earnings Ratio 4.8 months 3.1 months
DegreeWorth Score (In-State) 54/100 56/100
Acceptance Rate 93.1% 55.4%

Both programs have high AI automation risk (42% task exposure) — the same career paths apply to Sociology graduates regardless of school. See full AI analysis →

ROI Breakdown

How tuition costs translate into long-term earnings for Sociology graduates.

California State University-Channel Islands CUNY Lehman College
4-Year Tuition (In-State) $27,268 $29,640
4-Year Tuition (Out-of-State) $74,788 $61,440
10-Year Projected Earnings $566K $513K
Earnings Multiple (In-State) 20.8x 17.3x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) 7.6x 8.4x
5-Year Salary Growth +61% +22%

"Earnings Multiple" = projected 10-year earnings ÷ 4-year tuition. Higher is better. Not a discounted financial ROI.

AI Disruption Scenarios

Both schools share identical AI exposure for Sociology (same career paths). The score differences below reflect how each school's earnings and ROI hold up under stress.

California State University-Channel Islands CUNY Lehman College
Optim. Base Pessim. Optim. Base Pessim.
10-Year Earnings $574K $566K $520K $515K $513K $479K
Earnings Multiple (IS) 21.0x 20.8x 19.1x 17.4x 17.3x 16.2x
DegreeWorth Score 55 54 51 57 56 52

For the full AI analysis of Sociology career paths, see the California State University-Channel Islands or CUNY Lehman College program pages.

Earnings Trajectory Comparison

Projected annual earnings for Sociology graduates. Year 1 uses actual reported data.

Tuition Gap (In-State)
$2,372
California State University-Channel Islands saves you this
Year 1 Earnings Gap
$6,153/yr
CUNY Lehman College grads earn more
ROI Range (In-State)
20.8x / 17.3x
Out-of-state: 7.6x / 8.4x

Career Paths

Sociology graduates from both schools map to the same career paths. Differences in earnings reflect school prestige, location, and employer networks.

Career Path Wage Openings/yr Growth AI Risk
Managers, all other $136,550 106,700 +4.5% 47%
Sociologists $101,690 300 +3.6% 54%
Sociology teachers, postsecondary $82,540 1,100 +2.1% 43%
Social sciences teachers, postsecondary, all other $75,040 1,500 +1.7% 0%
Social science research assistants $58,040 5,200 +4.4% 67%
Want to compare different schools or majors? Try the freeform comparison tool →

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Frequently Asked Questions

Which is better for Sociology: California State University-Channel Islands or CUNY Lehman College?
California State University-Channel Islands scores 54/100 while CUNY Lehman College scores 56/100. California State University-Channel Islands has significantly lower tuition, which drives its higher ROI. The best choice depends on whether you prioritize raw earnings or return on investment.
Which school has better ROI for Sociology?
California State University-Channel Islands has an in-state earnings multiple of 20.8x vs CUNY Lehman College's 17.3x. That means California State University-Channel Islands grads earn more per dollar spent on tuition.
How do California State University-Channel Islands and CUNY Lehman College compare on Sociology earnings?
Year 1 median earnings are $36,557 at California State University-Channel Islands vs $42,710 at CUNY Lehman College. Over 10 years, the projected totals are $566,325 vs $513,154 — a difference of $53,171.
How much does Sociology cost at each school?
Four-year in-state tuition is $27,268 at California State University-Channel Islands and $29,640 at CUNY Lehman College. Median debt at graduation is $14,717 vs $11,045. Both programs lead to the same Sociology career paths — the cost difference is the main factor in ROI.
Data: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (earnings, debt), Bureau of Labor Statistics 2024-2034 (employment projections), OpenAI GPTs-are-GPTs research (AI task exposure), Felten et al. AIOE. Scenarios use a continuous weighting function combining AI exposure and BLS job growth projections. "Earnings Multiple" is total 10-year projected earnings divided by tuition — not a discounted financial ROI. Last updated 2025.