Sociology: Columbia University in the City of New York vs University of Nebraska at Omaha

Side-by-side ROI comparison · Bachelor's Degree
Return on Investment
10-year earnings ÷ tuition · higher is better
In-State
2.6x
$276,180 tuition
15.6x
$33,480 tuition
Out-of-State
2.6x
$276,180 tuition
5.9x
$89,432 tuition
$731,283 10-yr earnings · Private nonprofit
$523,752 10-yr earnings · Public

Head-to-Head

Columbia University in the City of New York University of Nebraska at Omaha
Earnings Multiple (In-State) 2.6x 15.6x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) 2.6x 5.9x
4-Year Tuition (In-State) $276,180 $33,480
Year 1 Earnings $58,541 $40,871
10-Year Earnings $731K $524K
Median Debt $27,000 $22,691
Debt-to-Earnings Ratio 5.5 months 6.7 months
DegreeWorth Score (In-State) 42/100 53/100
Acceptance Rate 4.2% 86.9%

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.

Columbia University in the City of New York University of Nebraska at Omaha
4-Year Tuition (In-State) $276,180 $33,480
4-Year Tuition (Out-of-State) $276,180 $89,432
10-Year Projected Earnings $731K $524K
Earnings Multiple (In-State) 2.6x 15.6x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) 2.6x 5.9x
5-Year Salary Growth +59% +31%

"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.

Columbia University in the City of New York University of Nebraska at Omaha
Optim. Base Pessim. Optim. Base Pessim.
10-Year Earnings $755K $731K $649K $527K $524K $487K
Earnings Multiple (IS) 2.7x 2.6x 2.3x 15.7x 15.6x 14.5x
DegreeWorth Score 43 42 37 54 53 50

For the full AI analysis of Sociology career paths, see the Columbia University in the City of New York or University of Nebraska at Omaha program pages.

Earnings Trajectory Comparison

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

Tuition Gap (In-State)
$242,700
University of Nebraska at Omaha saves you this
Year 1 Earnings Gap
$17,670/yr
Columbia University in the City of New York grads earn more
ROI Range (In-State)
2.6x / 15.6x
Out-of-state: 2.6x / 5.9x

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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Sociology Overview

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is better for Sociology: Columbia University in the City of New York or University of Nebraska at Omaha?
Columbia University in the City of New York scores 42/100 while University of Nebraska at Omaha scores 53/100. University of Nebraska at Omaha 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?
Columbia University in the City of New York has an in-state earnings multiple of 2.6x vs University of Nebraska at Omaha's 15.6x. That means University of Nebraska at Omaha grads earn more per dollar spent on tuition. The $242,700 tuition gap is the biggest driver of this difference.
How do Columbia University in the City of New York and University of Nebraska at Omaha compare on Sociology earnings?
Year 1 median earnings are $58,541 at Columbia University in the City of New York vs $40,871 at University of Nebraska at Omaha. Over 10 years, the projected totals are $731,283 vs $523,752 — a difference of $207,531.
How much does Sociology cost at each school?
Four-year in-state tuition is $276,180 at Columbia University in the City of New York and $33,480 at University of Nebraska at Omaha. Median debt at graduation is $27,000 vs $22,691. 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.