by our College Data Analytics TeamA major in General Social Sciences involves the study of Social Sciences, General. A Program That Focuses On The General Study Of Human Social Behavior And Social Institutions Using Any Of The Methodologies Common To The Social Sciences And/or History, Or An Undifferentiated Program Of Study In The Social Sciences. Read on to learn the important information every general social sciences major should know — including career paths, salary data, the skills you will develop, and the best colleges offering general social sciences programs.
In the U.S., general social sciences draws strong interest, with 15,565 degrees awarded annually.
Our 2026 Best General Social Sciences Schools ranking analyzes these 333 schools to determine the best overall colleges for general social sciences students. Continue reading to check out one of our many unbiased rankings of general social sciences programs later in this article.
Programs in General Social Sciences build a specific mix of skills, knowledge, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in the occupations general social sciences graduates commonly enter.
Skills developed in a general social sciences program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:
Based on O*NET data, a general social sciences major emphasizes the following knowledge areas:
There are several general social sciences degree levels. The table below shows the typical length of the most common levels, and how many graduates earn each one.
| Degree | Typical Program Length | Graduates Annually |
|---|---|---|
| Certificate | Varies | 8 |
| Associate Degree | 2 years | 9,566 |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 4 years | 5,487 |
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 490 |
| Doctorate | At least 4 years | 14 |
People currently working in careers related to general social sciences tend to have obtained the following education levels.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Bachelor’s degree | 65.5% |
| Master’s degree | 9.9% |
| Associate’s degree (or other 2-year) | 7.1% |
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | 4.3% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 4.3% |
| Some college courses | 2.9% |
| Postsecondary certificate | 2.8% |
| Post-master’s certificate | 2.7% |
| Doctoral degree | 0.5% |
See the chart below to get an idea of what level of education most of those in general social sciences careers hold.
Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*
Studying general social sciences can lead to numerous career paths. These are some of the most common occupations related to general social sciences.
The following options are some of the most in-demand careers related to general social sciences.
| Occupation | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Social Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary, All Other | 1,421,275 | 11.1% |
| Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education | 571,954 | 1.8% |
| Managers, All Other | 468,025 | 6.2% |
| Compliance Managers | 310,203 | 13.0% |
| Loss Prevention Managers | 265,210 | 2.2% |
| Regulatory Affairs Managers | 206,415 | 9.9% |
| Social Science Research Assistants | 153,535 | 4.7% |
| Wind Energy Operations Managers | 128,884 | 5.2% |
Federal data tracks median earnings of general social sciences graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. Earnings tend to climb as graduates gain experience.
| Years Out | Median Earnings |
|---|---|
| 1 year | $37,528 |
| 4 years | $43,428 |
| 5 years | $50,073 |
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.
Salaries for general social sciences graduates vary widely by occupation. The following table shows the top highest-paying careers general social sciences grads often go into.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Wind Energy Development Managers | $169,952 |
| Loss Prevention Managers | $165,723 |
| Wind Energy Operations Managers | $122,567 |
| Compliance Managers | $117,178 |
| Brownfield Redevelopment Specialists and Site Managers | $99,321 |
| Managers, All Other | $95,684 |
| Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education | $77,927 |
| Regulatory Affairs Managers | $77,828 |
With 333 different general social sciences programs to choose from, finding the best fit can be a challenge. We have analyzed these schools to produce unbiased general social sciences school rankings to help you.
Students interested in general social sciences, you may also want to explore other closely related fields of study within the same broad area.
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Research Methodology and Quantitative Methods | 1,929 |
| Survey Research/Methodology | 13 |
| Social Sciences, Other | 3 |
More about our data sources and methodologies.
