Sociology: CUNY Lehman College vs University of Virginia-Main Campus

Side-by-side ROI comparison · Bachelor's Degree
Return on Investment
10-year earnings ÷ tuition · higher is better
In-State
17.3x
$29,640 tuition
7.2x
$83,944 tuition
Out-of-State
8.4x
$61,440 tuition
2.6x
$232,056 tuition
$513,154 10-yr earnings · Public
$603,898 10-yr earnings · Public

Head-to-Head

CUNY Lehman College University of Virginia-Main Campus
Earnings Multiple (In-State) 17.3x 7.2x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) 8.4x 2.6x
4-Year Tuition (In-State) $29,640 $83,944
Year 1 Earnings $42,710 $45,786
10-Year Earnings $513K $604K
Median Debt $11,045 $19,239
Debt-to-Earnings Ratio 3.1 months 5.0 months
DegreeWorth Score (In-State) 56/100 45/100
Acceptance Rate 55.4% 16.9%

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.

CUNY Lehman College University of Virginia-Main Campus
4-Year Tuition (In-State) $29,640 $83,944
4-Year Tuition (Out-of-State) $61,440 $232,056
10-Year Projected Earnings $513K $604K
Earnings Multiple (In-State) 17.3x 7.2x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) 8.4x 2.6x
5-Year Salary Growth +22% +49%

"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 University of Virginia-Main Campus
Optim. Base Pessim. Optim. Base Pessim.
10-Year Earnings $515K $513K $479K $615K $604K $550K
Earnings Multiple (IS) 17.4x 17.3x 16.2x 7.3x 7.2x 6.5x
DegreeWorth Score 57 56 52 46 45 40

For the full AI analysis of Sociology career paths, see the CUNY Lehman College or University of Virginia-Main Campus program pages.

Earnings Trajectory Comparison

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

Tuition Gap (In-State)
$54,304
CUNY Lehman College saves you this
Year 1 Earnings Gap
$3,076/yr
University of Virginia-Main Campus grads earn more
ROI Range (In-State)
17.3x / 7.2x
Out-of-state: 8.4x / 2.6x

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

More Sociology Comparisons

Sociology Overview

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is better for Sociology: CUNY Lehman College or University of Virginia-Main Campus?
CUNY Lehman College scores 56/100 while University of Virginia-Main Campus scores 45/100. CUNY Lehman College 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?
CUNY Lehman College has an in-state earnings multiple of 17.3x vs University of Virginia-Main Campus's 7.2x. That means CUNY Lehman College grads earn more per dollar spent on tuition. The $54,304 tuition gap is the biggest driver of this difference.
How do CUNY Lehman College and University of Virginia-Main Campus compare on Sociology earnings?
Year 1 median earnings are $42,710 at CUNY Lehman College vs $45,786 at University of Virginia-Main Campus. Over 10 years, the projected totals are $513,154 vs $603,898 — a difference of $90,744.
How much does Sociology cost at each school?
Four-year in-state tuition is $29,640 at CUNY Lehman College and $83,944 at University of Virginia-Main Campus. Median debt at graduation is $11,045 vs $19,239. 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.