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Social Sciences, General at Central Washington University

Ellensburg, WA · Public · Bachelor's Degree

DegreeOutlook Score (Base Case) — assumes in-state tuition

Optimistic

Base Case

Pessimistic

Earnings $42,332/yr (10% vs median)

AI Risk High (45% exposed)

Job Market Very Large (318,400 openings/yr)

ROI 15.8x earnings multiple (5.4x out-of-state)

Ranked #5 of 76 Social Sciences, General programs Top 10%

How AI Changes the Outlook

Three scenarios based on how aggressively AI disrupts the career paths available to Social Sciences, General graduates.

	Optimistic No Disruption	Base Case Gradual AI	Pessimistic Aggressive AI
10-Year Earnings	$590K	$580K	$536K
Earnings Multiple (In-State)	16.1x	15.8x	14.6x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State)	5.5x	5.4x	5.0x
Probability of Field Employment	61%	54%	43%
DegreeOutlook Score	65	64	65

10-Year Earnings Projection

*Year 1 uses actual reported earnings. Scenarios diverge as AI impact compounds over time.

4-Year Tuition, In-State (Sticker)

$36,768

Out-of-state: $107,084 (5.4x ROI)

4-Year Net Price (After Aid)

$58,860

-60% less than sticker · See by income

Median Debt at Graduation

$18,584

5.3 months of Year 1 earnings

Reported Earnings (5 Year)

$60,508

43% growth from Year 1

Program Analysis

Central Washington University's Social Sciences, General graduates start at $42,332/yr — above the $38,652 national average, though not by a wide margin.

Every dollar of in-state tuition returns an estimated 15.8x in decade earnings — an exceptional ratio that places this among the highest-ROI Social Sciences, General programs nationally.

Some AI exposure exists in Social Sciences, General's typical career paths, with 45% of job tasks potentially affected. The pessimistic scenario still projects solid returns, with a 9% gap from the optimistic case.

Loan repayment is a non-issue here — $18,584 in median debt clears quickly against $42,332 in annual earnings.

Ranked #5 of 76 programs, Central Washington University's Social Sciences, General program falls in the top 10%, outperforming most peers on financial outcomes.

Earnings grow from $42,332 to $60,508 over five years — a 43% increase that's moderate and in line with typical career progression.

About Central Washington University

A 90% acceptance rate means Central Washington University is accessible to most applicants, enrolling 8,081 students in Ellensburg, WA.

See all programs and financial aid at Central Washington University →

Top Career Paths

Managers, all other $136,550/yr

Statisticians $103,300/yr

Sociologists $101,690/yr

View all 11 career paths with salary ranges and AI risk →

Compare & Explore

Social Sciences, General at Other Schools

Other Majors at Central Washington University

Consider the Trade Route?

Trade programs often mean less time in school, lower student debt, and hands-on career paths that tend to be more resilient to AI disruption.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the DegreeOutlook Score for Social Sciences, General at Central Washington University?

A score of 64/100 puts this program in competitive territory — solid outcomes, though not at the top of the Social Sciences, General field.

Will AI replace Social Sciences, General careers?

With 45% of typical job tasks exposed to AI, this is one of the higher-risk fields. Our pessimistic scenario projects $535,613 in decade earnings vs $590,338 in the optimistic case — a meaningful gap.

Scores use College Scorecard earnings, BLS employment projections, and AI task-exposure research. See full methodology →