Sociology: CUNY Lehman College vs Sonoma State University

Side-by-side ROI comparison · Bachelor's Degree
Return on Investment
10-year earnings ÷ tuition · higher is better
Sonoma State University
Rohnert Park, CA
In-State
17.3x
$29,640 tuition
17.9x
$32,760 tuition
Out-of-State
8.4x
$61,440 tuition
7.3x
$80,280 tuition
$513,154 10-yr earnings · Public
$587,912 10-yr earnings · Public

Head-to-Head

CUNY Lehman College Sonoma State University
Earnings Multiple (In-State) 17.3x 17.9x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) 8.4x 7.3x
4-Year Tuition (In-State) $29,640 $32,760
Year 1 Earnings $42,710 $37,896
10-Year Earnings $513K $588K
Median Debt $11,045 $17,000
Debt-to-Earnings Ratio 3.1 months 5.4 months
DegreeWorth Score (In-State) 56/100 53/100
Acceptance Rate 55.4% 94.7%

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.

CUNY Lehman College Sonoma State University
4-Year Tuition (In-State) $29,640 $32,760
4-Year Tuition (Out-of-State) $61,440 $80,280
10-Year Projected Earnings $513K $588K
Earnings Multiple (In-State) 17.3x 17.9x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) 8.4x 7.3x
5-Year Salary Growth +22% +65%

"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.

CUNY Lehman College Sonoma State University
Optim. Base Pessim. Optim. Base Pessim.
10-Year Earnings $515K $513K $479K $597K $588K $537K
Earnings Multiple (IS) 17.4x 17.3x 16.2x 18.2x 17.9x 16.4x
DegreeWorth Score 57 56 52 54 53 50

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

Earnings Trajectory Comparison

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

Tuition Gap (In-State)
$3,120
CUNY Lehman College saves you this
Year 1 Earnings Gap
$4,814/yr
CUNY Lehman College grads earn more
ROI Range (In-State)
17.3x / 17.9x
Out-of-state: 8.4x / 7.3x

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 →

Explore Each Program

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Frequently Asked Questions

Which is better for Sociology: CUNY Lehman College or Sonoma State University?
CUNY Lehman College scores 56/100 while Sonoma State University scores 53/100. CUNY Lehman College has significantly lower tuition, which drives its competitive ROI. The best choice depends on whether you prioritize raw earnings or return on investment.
Which school has better ROI for Sociology?
CUNY Lehman College has an in-state earnings multiple of 17.3x vs Sonoma State University's 17.9x. That means Sonoma State University grads earn more per dollar spent on tuition.
How do CUNY Lehman College and Sonoma State University compare on Sociology earnings?
Year 1 median earnings are $42,710 at CUNY Lehman College vs $37,896 at Sonoma State University. Over 10 years, the projected totals are $513,154 vs $587,912 — a difference of $74,758.
How much does Sociology cost at each school?
Four-year in-state tuition is $29,640 at CUNY Lehman College and $32,760 at Sonoma State University. Median debt at graduation is $11,045 vs $17,000. 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.