by our College Data Analytics Team
When it comes to choosing a college, students have a lot of options - but not all of them are good. College Factual was founded, in part, to help students make the decision as to what would be the best school for them. Our “Schools Highly Focused on Social Sciences Major” ranking is part of that endeavor.
In 2021-2022, 17,338 people earned their degree in general social sciences, making the major the 54th most popular in the United States. In , general social sciences graduates who were awarded their degree in , earned an average of $33,861 and had an average of $23,202 in loans still to pay off.
This year’s “Schools Highly Focused on Social Sciences Major” ranking analyzed 493 colleges that offered a degree in general social sciences. The colleges and universities that top this list are recognized because their general social sciences program is one of the largest majors offered at the school.
See our ranking methodology to learn more.
The social sciences school you choose to invest your time and money in matters. To help you make the decision that is right for you, we’ve developed a number of major-specific rankings, including this list of “Schools Highly Focused on Social Sciences Major”.
One of our other unique offerings is College Combat. This tool lets you build your own customized comparisons utilizing the factors that are most important to you. We encourage you to try it out and pit your favorite colleges and universities head to head! If you don’t have time right now, you can bookmark it for later.
The following schools top our list of the Best “Schools Highly Focused on Social Sciences Major”.
Out of the 493 schools in the Schools Highly Focused on Social Sciences Major that were part of this year’s ranking, Ohlone College landed the #1 spot on the list. Ohlone College is a public institution located in Fremont, California. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 551 ’s degrees in 2021-2022.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Minerva Schools at Keck Graduate Institute. The school came in at #2 for the Schools Highly Focused on Social Sciences Major. Minerva Schools at Keck Graduate Institute is a small private not-for-profit school situated in San Francisco, California. It awarded 38 ’s social sciences degrees in 2021-2022.
With a freshman retention rate of 90%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.
Full Minerva Schools at Keck Graduate Institute General Social Sciences Report
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Thomas Nelson Community College. The school came in at #3 for the Schools Highly Focused on Social Sciences Major. Located in Hampton, Virginia, this medium-sized public school handed out 185 degrees to qualified ’s social sciences students in 2021-2022.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Reynolds Community College. It ranked #4 on our 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Social Sciences Major list. Located in Richmond, Virginia, this medium-sized public school handed out 313 diplomas to qualified ’s social sciences students in 2021-2022.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on General Social Sciences at Reynolds Community College
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend The University of Virginia’s College at Wise. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Social Sciences Major list. The University of Virginia’s College at Wise is a small public school situated in Wise, Virginia. It awarded 55 ’s social sciences degrees in 2021-2022.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.8% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.
Read full report on General Social Sciences at The University of Virginia’s College at Wise
Brookdale Community College landed the #6 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Social Sciences Major ranking. Brookdale Community College is located in Lincroft, New Jersey and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 303 ’s social sciences degrees to qualified students.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read more about General Social Sciences at Brookdale Community College
Bard College ranked #7 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Social Sciences Major list. Located in Annandale-On-Hudson, New York, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 125 diplomas to qualified ’s social sciences students in 2021-2022.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.6% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 87%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.
Allen University did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Social Sciences Major ranking, coming in at #8. Located in Columbia, South Carolina, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 8 diplomas to qualified ’s social sciences students in 2021-2022.
With a ranking of #9, Woodland Community College did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Social Sciences Major list. Woodland Community College is located in Woodland, California and, has a small student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 195 ’s social sciences degrees to qualified students.
Read more about General Social Sciences at Woodland Community College
Barstow Community College ranked #10 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Social Sciences Major list. Barstow Community College is a small school located in Barstow, California that handed out 69 ’s social sciences degrees in 2021-2022.
Full Barstow Community College General Social Sciences Report
University of Hawaii - West Oahu ranked #11 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Social Sciences Major list. Kapolei, Hawaii is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s social sciences degrees to 136 students in 2021-2022.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Lake Tahoe Community College landed the #12 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Social Sciences Major ranking. Lake Tahoe Community College is a public institution located in South Lake Tahoe, California. The school has a small population, and it awarded 55 ’s degrees in 2021-2022.
Dine College did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Social Sciences Major ranking, coming in at #13. Dine College is a small school located in Tsaile, Arizona that handed out 16 ’s social sciences degrees in 2021-2022.
College of the Siskiyous came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Social Sciences Major ranking. Weed, California is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s social sciences degrees to 45 students in 2021-2022.
Read more about General Social Sciences at College of the Siskiyous
East Los Angeles College ranked #15 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Social Sciences Major list. East Los Angeles College is a public institution located in Monterey Park, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 1,009 ’s degrees in 2021-2022.
Full East Los Angeles College General Social Sciences Report
Butte College ranked #16 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Social Sciences Major list. Located in Oroville, California, this medium-sized public school awarded 292 diplomas to qualified ’s social sciences students in 2021-2022.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 5.0% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.
Sierra College landed the #17 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Social Sciences Major ranking. Rocklin, California is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s social sciences degrees to 756 students in 2021-2022.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.5% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.
Porterville College came in at #18 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Social Sciences Major ranking. Porterville, California is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s social sciences degrees to 118 students in 2021-2022.
College of San Mateo did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Social Sciences Major ranking, coming in at #19. College of San Mateo is a medium-sized school located in San Mateo, California that handed out 133 ’s social sciences degrees in 2021-2022.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read more about General Social Sciences at College of San Mateo
Folsom Lake College came in at #20 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Social Sciences Major ranking. This medium-sized school is located in Folsom, California, and it awarded 256 ’s social sciences degrees in 2021-2022.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Laney College ranked #21 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Social Sciences Major list. This medium-sized school is located in Oakland, California, and it awarded 128 ’s social sciences degrees in 2021-2022.
Read full report on General Social Sciences at Laney College
Rogers State University came in at #22 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Social Sciences Major ranking. RSU is a small public school situated in Claremore, Oklahoma. It awarded 76 ’s social sciences degrees in 2021-2022.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
American River College ranked #23 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Social Sciences Major list. This large school is located in Sacramento, California, and it awarded 411 ’s social sciences degrees in 2021-2022.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read more about General Social Sciences at American River College
Yuba College came in at #24 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Social Sciences Major ranking. Yuba College is a public institution located in Marysville, California. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 269 ’s degrees in 2021-2022.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.7% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.
College of the Canyons landed the #25 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Social Sciences Major ranking. College of the Canyons is a fairly large school located in Santa Clarita, California that handed out 526 ’s social sciences degrees in 2021-2022.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read more about General Social Sciences at College of the Canyons
Not only did these schools make the top 50 list, but they also landed in the top 15% of this year’s ranking:
While not in the ’top 50’, these schools make the top 15% of this year’s ranking:
| Rank | College | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 51 | San Diego Miramar College | San Diego, CA |
| 52 | Bay Mills Community College | Brimley, MI |
| 53 | Roxbury Community College | Roxbury Crossing, MA |
| 54 | Eastern Wyoming College | Torrington, WY |
| 55 | Northern Virginia Community College | Annandale, VA |
| 56 | Virginia Western Community College | Roanoke, VA |
| 57 | Vanderbilt University | Nashville, TN |
| 58 | University of Oregon | Eugene, OR |
| 59 | Mercy College | Dobbs Ferry, NY |
| 60 | Ramapo College of New Jersey | Mahwah, NJ |
| 61 | Grambling State University | Grambling, LA |
| 62 | Sacramento City College | Sacramento, CA |
| 63 | Virginia Wesleyan University | Virginia Beach, VA |
| 64 | Shasta College | Redding, CA |
| 65 | California State University - Monterey Bay | Seaside, CA |
| Rank | College | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 66 | University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff | Pine Bluff, AR |
| 67 | Washington State University | Pullman, WA |
| 68 | Wilmington University | New Castle, DE |
| 69 | Massachusetts Bay Community College | Wellesley Hills, MA |
| 70 | University of Alaska Southeast | Juneau, AK |
| 71 | Arizona Western College | Yuma, AZ |
| 72 | University at Buffalo | Buffalo, NY |
| 73 | St. Thomas Aquinas College | Sparkill, NY |
| 74 | Bennington College | Bennington, VT |
Read more about our data sources and methodologies
