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Social Sciences Education

Colleges offering this major Rankings Trends

What you'll do in college

Social Sciences Education majors prepare to teach subjects like history, geography, economics, and government. Your curriculum will blend broad surveys of global and national history with specialized education courses focused on civic engagement, critical thinking, and social studies instructional design.

You will learn how to bring historical events, societal structures, and environmental issues to life for students, completing your degree with a student-teaching practicum.

What you'll do after college

The most common career path is becoming a middle or high school social studies or history teacher. Because social studies is a core subject, these roles are staples in every educational district.

Graduates also utilize their strong research and communication skills to work as museum educators, historical site interpreters, curriculum developers, or in civic and educational nonprofits.

Famous graduates

  • Carter G. Woodson — Historian, author, and educator known as the "Father of Black History"; B.A. from the University of Chicago and Ph.D. from Harvard University

Selectivity vs. earnings

By acceptance rate

$52,745
607
100–86%
$53,964
1,229
86–68%
$54,708
602
68–0%
Acceptance rate · bar = degree-weighted earnings

By SAT median

$51,602
389
400–1080
$53,330
778
1080–1230
$55,592
386
1240–1600
Combined SAT composite median (submitters + non-submitters) · bar = degree-weighted earnings

Earnings vs. selectivity rank

$46,946p10 $61,538p90 Work College Liberal Arts Public University Religious University Private University Public University 1–15 Private University 1–30 College of the Ozarks · $33,259 Alice Lloyd College · $34,710 Dickinson College · $64,741 Florida Southern College · $66,924 Providence College · $61,538 Grove City College · $54,140 Ohio Wesleyan University · $51,443 Adrian College · $48,971 Albion College · $53,479 Carroll College · $50,868 Texas Lutheran University · $55,683 Crown College · $52,934 Elizabethtown College · $74,897 Buena Vista University · $57,839 King University · $50,348 Missouri Valley College · $54,500 Monmouth College · $47,345 Ottawa University - Ottawa · $56,015 Piedmont University · $49,429 Hope College · $51,089 Maryville College · $50,520 Augustana College (IL) · $51,127 Huntingdon College · $57,989 Juniata College · $52,821 Franklin Pierce University · $55,684 Gustavus Adolphus College · $53,924 Taylor University · $47,426 Calvin University · $51,605 Dakota Wesleyan University · $54,669 Rocky Mountain College · $52,978 York College of Pennsylvania · $47,388 Huntington University · $47,692 Roanoke College · $53,841 Nebraska Wesleyan University · $64,674 Wartburg College · $57,569 McPherson College · $51,888 Aquinas College · $64,369 Hiram College · $50,736 Viterbo University · $66,568 University of Mary Hardin-Baylor · $56,255 CUNY Hunter College · $68,829 University of Montana Western · $53,207 University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire · $50,506 University of South Florida · $50,688 State University of New York at New Paltz · $55,116 Auburn University · $56,733 Ohio State University · $52,032 CUNY Brooklyn College · $66,157 CUNY Queens College · $63,561 Florida Atlantic University · $50,663 University of Connecticut · $57,757 CUNY Lehman College · $78,912 Northwestern Oklahoma State University · $54,867 State University of New York at Cortland · $59,657 Jackson State University · $44,835 Minnesota State University, Mankato · $52,687 Arkansas State University · $52,934 Winthrop University · $43,113 Appalachian State University · $50,545 Ball State University · $57,733 Central Michigan University · $51,427 Eastern Michigan University · $47,641 University of Michigan - Dearborn · $50,468 SUNY Oneonta · $66,579 East Carolina University · $51,618 Indiana University - Northwest · $52,504 Indiana University - South Bend · $51,879 Indiana University Southeast · $55,544 Minnesota State University Moorhead · $53,011 Northeastern State University · $56,293 Northwest Missouri State University · $46,293 Oakland University · $52,510 Southern Illinois University - Carbondale · $65,264 Temple University · $53,248 University of Central Arkansas · $51,913 University of Delaware · $61,555 University of North Carolina at Greensboro · $50,607 University of Oklahoma - Norman · $54,969 Wright State University · $47,975 University of Vermont · $54,394 Miami University - Ohio · $49,369 SUNY College at Geneseo · $59,866 University of Michigan - Flint · $46,929 University of Wisconsin - La Crosse · $54,373 Bemidji State University · $49,237 Henderson State University · $63,510 University of Mississippi · $45,895 University of Illinois Chicago · $59,046 SUNY Brockport · $51,756 Rowan University · $53,944 SUNY Old Westbury · $74,823 Winona State University · $52,783 Eastern Kentucky University · $44,045 Youngstown State University · $47,944 Saginaw Valley State University · $49,627 Southeast Missouri State University · $43,020 Western Carolina University · $49,670 Kennesaw State University · $52,336 State University of New York at Oswego · $56,725 University of Minnesota - Duluth · $52,145 University of Nebraska, Lincoln · $56,984 SUNY College at Potsdam · $55,305 University of Central Oklahoma · $56,524 Valley City State University · $58,215 Eastern Washington University · $57,521 Kent State University at Kent · $50,147 Nevada State University · $62,297 University of North Dakota · $57,360 Western Michigan University · $51,215 University of Nevada, Reno · $69,630 Michigan State University · $50,380 Boise State University · $50,807 Indiana University - Indianapolis · $56,021 Arkansas Tech University · $50,618 Central Washington University · $57,724 Delta State University · $48,775 Emporia State University · $51,489 Ferris State University · $50,285 Indiana State University · $50,297 Northern Kentucky University · $47,485 Northern State University · $51,586 Rhode Island College · $53,121 SUNY Buffalo State University · $47,000 Saint Cloud State University · $48,115 Southern Utah University · $54,468 University of Akron · $49,294 Wichita State University · $51,184 Metropolitan State University · $67,471 Northern Michigan University · $50,238 University of California, Riverside · $51,667 Minot State University · $60,143 Northern Arizona University · $51,006 University of Kentucky · $57,256 University of Wisconsin - Oshkosh · $51,873 University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point · $46,775 SUNY at Fredonia · $49,183 Southeastern Louisiana University · $52,364 North Dakota State University · $55,866 Pennsylvania State University - Harrisburg · $54,176 Utah State University · $62,175 University of Northern Iowa · $52,746 Western Washington University · $61,930 College of Staten Island CUNY · $67,206 Lewis-Clark State College · $48,373 University of Wyoming · $59,256 Dickinson State University · $56,107 Montana State University · $50,867 Cameron University · $52,749 Chadron State College · $57,592 Mayville State University · $63,278 Montana State University - Billings · $52,326 Peru State College · $48,241 Southwestern Oklahoma State University · $55,755 Utah Valley University · $51,963 Wayne State College · $55,807 Weber State University · $52,425 Mississippi Christian University · $48,207 Saint Olaf College · $56,772 Southeastern University · $51,350 Texas Christian University · $55,928 Liberty University · $58,616 Madonna University · $54,582 Baylor University · $56,166 Brescia University · $47,039 Ohio Dominican University · $51,093 Oklahoma Baptist University · $54,424 Charleston Southern University · $47,854 Newberry College · $48,256 Capital University · $51,803 Texas Wesleyan University · $56,815 William Penn University · $51,213 Howard Payne University · $45,737 Spring Arbor University · $49,404 Olivet Nazarene University · $49,871 Anderson University · $45,077 Cedarville University · $47,076 Defiance College · $44,905 Harding University · $52,808 Messiah University · $51,287 Toccoa Falls College · $46,280 York University · $50,411 Concordia University Ann Arbor · $47,373 Evangel University · $41,919 University of Mobile · $49,514 Williams Baptist University · $51,851 Cairn University - Langhorne · $46,793 Campbellsville University · $46,422 East Texas Baptist University · $56,024 MidAmerica Nazarene University · $54,437 University of Evansville · $55,341 Our Lady of the Lake University · $57,499 Mount Marty University · $54,924 Ashland University · $49,660 Averett University · $53,056 Concordia University - Saint Paul · $54,560 Bethany Lutheran College · $48,511 Brigham Young University · $54,381 Concordia University Wisconsin · $49,078 Abilene Christian University · $55,077 North Greenville University · $44,383 Reinhardt University · $62,380 Elmhurst University · $57,492 Lee University · $50,630 Baker University · $55,880 Centenary University · $55,438 Concordia College at Moorhead · $55,011 Niagara University · $55,184 St. Ambrose University · $52,222 Lindsey Wilson College · $54,849 College of St. Scholastica · $52,030 Morningside University · $56,661 Southern Adventist University · $53,975 Colorado Christian University · $46,946 Millikin University · $52,252 Waynesburg University · $66,062 Dominican University New York · $51,429 Trinity Christian College · $51,261 Louisiana Christian University · $55,610 Holy Family University · $64,725 University of Sioux Falls · $62,491 McMurry University · $46,004 Emmanuel University · $51,222 Malone University · $46,078 Geneva College · $42,391 University of Mary · $54,015 Benedictine University · $50,966 Immaculata University · $53,397 St. Joseph's University - New York · $57,797 Walsh University · $47,701 Shorter University · $53,682 Marywood University · $54,239 Mount St. Mary's University · $58,255 University of Northwestern - St Paul · $45,843 Grace College and Theological Seminary · $48,533 Siena College · $57,100 University of Mount Olive · $48,328 Neumann University · $56,246 University of Findlay · $51,811 Houston Christian University · $50,434 Saint Xavier University · $56,208 St. John's University - New York · $57,034 University of the Cumberlands · $54,538 Wingate University · $52,940 Martin Luther College · $49,659 Catholic University of America · $55,317 Heidelberg University · $51,152 Duquesne University · $56,462 Campbell University · $49,670 Emory & Henry University · $47,201 Mount Vernon Nazarene University · $50,384 Roberts Wesleyan University · $48,658 Concordia University - Chicago · $50,060 DePaul University · $55,062 Northwest Nazarene University · $48,986 Misericordia University · $50,930 University of Pikeville · $41,996 Cornerstone University · $48,844 Indiana Wesleyan University, Marion · $51,749 Dallas Baptist University · $56,225 Virginia Union University · $42,106 Bryan College - Dayton · $47,251 Hardin-Simmons University · $54,191 Southwestern Christian University · $48,791 Southwest Baptist University · $44,558 Brigham Young University - Idaho · $45,178 University of Lynchburg · $50,288 Central Methodist University · $43,092 Blue Mountain Christian University · $62,933 Marist University · $55,499 Bradley University · $52,649 Long Island University · $61,101 Roger Williams University · $58,841 Tiffin University · $53,302 Pace University · $54,018 Trine University · $55,293 Point Park University · $50,145 Keystone College · $45,742 New England College · $46,845 Widener University · $59,400 Western New England University · $55,427 University of Rio Grande · $49,454 University of Georgia · $53,968 Purdue University · $59,309 Florida State University · $51,958 New York University · $74,992 Boston University · $53,556 Work College: mean $33,985 Liberal Arts: mean $55,050 Public University: mean $54,258 Religious University: mean $51,802 Private University: mean $53,670 Public University 1–15: mean $55,078 Private University 1–30: mean $64,274 All colleges: p10 $46,946 All colleges: p90 $61,538
Each dot = a college · y = degree-weighted earnings

Majors in this category

Major Colleges Degrees ▼ Male/Female Intl Earnings Employment
Social Sciences Education 349 2,513 54% / 46% 0% $53,290 96%
Social Studies Education 145 848 60% / 40% 0% $52,602 96%
Social Studies Teacher Education 78 549 56% / 44% 1% $52,837 96%
History Teacher Education 84 380 58% / 42% 0% $54,207 96%
Social and Philosophical Foundations of Education 3 229 17% / 83% 2% $54,631 100%
Social Science Teacher Education 34 171 50% / 50% 1% $53,746 96%
History Education 36 138 55% / 45% 0% $54,014 95%
Social Science Education 7 32 69% / 31% 0% $57,398 94%
Adolescence Education Social Studies 1 29 62% / 38% 0% $59,866 100%
History Teaching 1 29 45% / 55% 0% $51,963 87%
Social Science Teaching 1 28 54% / 46% 0% $52,746 100%
Integrated Social Studies Education (Grades 7-12) 1 25 60% / 40% 0% $49,369 96%
Integrated Social Studies Education 2 17 53% / 47% 0% $50,663 98%
Social Studies Teaching 1 13 62% / 38% 0% $44,045 100%
Teacher Education: Social Studies Education 1 11 36% / 64% 0% $54,394 91%
History and Social Studies Education 1 10 90% / 10% 0% $51,184 93%
Geography Teacher Education 3 2 50% / 50% 0% $56,990
Environmental Education 2 2 0% / 100% 0% $50,146 100%