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 “Best Value Sociology & Anthropology Schools” ranking is part of that endeavor.
In 2020-2021, 541 people earned their degree in sociology and anthropology, making the major the 556th most popular in the United States.
This year’s “Best Value Sociology & Anthropology Schools” ranking looked at 25 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in sociology and anthropology. This ranking identifies schools with high-quality sociology and anthropology programs that also have a lower cost than schools of similar quality.
Some of the factors we look at when determining these rankings are overall quality of the sociology and anthropology program at the school and the cost of the school after aid is awarded among other things. Check out our ranking methodology for more information.
When choosing the right school for you, it’s important to arm yourself with all the facts you can. To that end, we’ve created a number of major-specific rankings, including this “Best Value Sociology & Anthropology Schools” list to help you make the college decision.
In addition to College Factual’s rankings, you may want to take a look at College Combat, our unique tool that lets you pit your favorite schools head-to-head and compare how they rate on factors that most interest you. When you have some time, check it out - you may want to bookmark the link so you don’t forget it.
The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Sociology & Anthropology Schools.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Valdosta State University. The school came in at #1 for the Best Value Sociology & Anthropology Schools. VSU is a fairly large public school situated in Valdosta, Georgia. It awarded 35 ’s sociology and anthropology degrees in 2020-2021.
VSU also made our “Best Sociology & Anthropology Schools” list, coming in at #18. The estimated yearly cost for Valdosta State University is $13,240 for Sociology & Anthropology students.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend College of Staten Island CUNY. The school came in at #2 for the Best Value Sociology & Anthropology Schools. CSI is located in Staten Island, New York and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 80 ’s sociology and anthropology degrees to qualified students.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at CSI, the school also landed the #15 spot in our “Best Sociology & Anthropology Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend CSI is $5,872 for Sociology & Anthropology students.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Illinois at Springfield. It ranked #3 on our 2023 Best Value Sociology & Anthropology Schools list. UIS is located in Springfield, Illinois and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 7 ’s sociology and anthropology degrees to qualified students.
UIS also took the #24 spot in our “Best Sociology & Anthropology Schools” ranking. It costs about $12,034 for Sociology & Anthropology students per year to attend University of Illinois at Springfield.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Sociology & Anthropology at University of Illinois at Springfield
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Spelman College. It ranked #4 on our 2023 Best Value Sociology & Anthropology Schools list. This small school is located in Atlanta, Georgia, and it awarded 11 ’s sociology and anthropology degrees in 2020-2021.
Spelman also took the #17 spot in our “Best Sociology & Anthropology Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Spelman College is $44,833 for sociology & anthropology students.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 89%.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Southern Oregon University. The school came in at #5 for the Best Value Sociology & Anthropology Schools. Ashland, Oregon is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s sociology and anthropology degrees to 12 students in 2020-2021.
Southern Oregon University also made our “Best Sociology & Anthropology Schools” list, coming in at #22. The estimated yearly cost for Southern Oregon University is $10,187 for Sociology & Anthropology students.
Full Southern Oregon University Sociology & Anthropology Report
Oakland University ranked #6 on this year’s Best Value Sociology & Anthropology Schools list. Oakland University is located in Rochester Hills, Michigan and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 3 ’s sociology and anthropology degrees to qualified students.
In addition to being on our sociology & anthropology students list, Oakland has also earned the #25 rank in our “Best Sociology & Anthropology Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Oakland is $13,449 for sociology & anthropology students.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
University of Massachusetts - Dartmouth came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Sociology & Anthropology Schools ranking. UMass Dartmouth is a medium-sized public school situated in North Dartmouth, Massachusetts. It awarded 15 ’s sociology and anthropology degrees in 2020-2021.
UMass Dartmouth did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #21 on our “Best Sociology & Anthropology Schools” list. It costs about $20,050 for sociology & anthropology students per year to attend UMass Dartmouth.
Read more about Sociology & Anthropology at University of Massachusetts - Dartmouth
Centre College came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Sociology & Anthropology Schools ranking. Centre College of Kentucky is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Danville, Kentucky. It awarded 19 ’s sociology and anthropology degrees in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our sociology & anthropology students list, Centre College of Kentucky has also earned the #10 rank in our “Best Sociology & Anthropology Schools” ranking. It costs about $21,426 for Sociology & Anthropology students per year to attend Centre College of Kentucky.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 89%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.
Lake Forest College landed the #9 spot on the 2023 Best Value Sociology & Anthropology Schools ranking. This small school is located in Lake Forest, Illinois, and it awarded 14 ’s sociology and anthropology degrees in 2020-2021.
Lake Forest also took the #9 spot in our “Best Sociology & Anthropology Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Lake Forest is $23,991 for Sociology & Anthropology students.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Knox College landed the #10 spot on the 2023 Best Value Sociology & Anthropology Schools ranking. Knox College is located in Galesburg, Illinois and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 15 ’s sociology and anthropology degrees to qualified students.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at Knox, the school also landed the #12 spot in our “Best Sociology & Anthropology Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Knox College is $20,548 for Sociology & Anthropology students.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.
Wofford College did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Sociology & Anthropology Schools ranking, coming in at #11. This small school is located in Spartanburg, South Carolina, and it awarded 23 ’s sociology and anthropology degrees in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our sociology & anthropology students list, Wofford has also earned the #8 rank in our “Best Sociology & Anthropology Schools” ranking. It costs about $27,988 for sociology & anthropology students per year to attend Wofford.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 89%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
St Olaf College did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Sociology & Anthropology Schools ranking, coming in at #12. Located in Northfield, Minnesota, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 23 degrees to qualified ’s sociology and anthropology students in 2020-2021.
St. Olaf also made our “Best Sociology & Anthropology Schools” list, coming in at #7. The yearly cost to attend St Olaf College is $24,052 for Sociology & Anthropology students.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 91%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Read full report on Sociology & Anthropology at St Olaf College
Cornell College landed the #13 spot on the 2023 Best Value Sociology & Anthropology Schools ranking. Mount Vernon, Iowa is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s sociology and anthropology degrees to 3 students in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our sociology & anthropology students list, Cornell College has also earned the #20 rank in our “Best Sociology & Anthropology Schools” ranking. It costs about $23,694 for sociology & anthropology students per year to attend Cornell College.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Sociology & Anthropology at Cornell College
Saint Michael’s College came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Sociology & Anthropology Schools ranking. Colchester, Vermont is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s sociology and anthropology degrees to 16 students in 2020-2021.
Saint Michael’s also took the #16 spot in our “Best Sociology & Anthropology Schools” ranking. It costs about $29,361 for sociology & anthropology students per year to attend Saint Michael’s.
With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Denison University did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Sociology & Anthropology Schools ranking, coming in at #15. Denison is located in Granville, Ohio and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 25 ’s sociology and anthropology degrees to qualified students.
Denison also made our “Best Sociology & Anthropology Schools” list, coming in at #1. The yearly cost to attend Denison University is $29,597 for sociology & anthropology students.
With a freshman retention rate of 85%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Fairfield University ranked #16 on this year’s Best Value Sociology & Anthropology Schools list. Fairfield U is a medium-sized private not-for-profit school situated in Fairfield, Connecticut. It awarded 3 ’s sociology and anthropology degrees in 2020-2021.
Fairfield U not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #11 on our “Best Sociology & Anthropology Schools” list. The estimated yearly cost for Fairfield University is $36,633 for Sociology & Anthropology students.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 92%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.
Albion College did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Sociology & Anthropology Schools ranking, coming in at #17. Albion is located in Albion, Michigan and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 3 ’s sociology and anthropology degrees to qualified students.
Albion also took the #23 spot in our “Best Sociology & Anthropology Schools” ranking. It costs about $16,862 for Sociology & Anthropology students per year to attend Albion.
University of Puget Sound came in at #18 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Sociology & Anthropology Schools ranking. University of Puget Sound is located in Tacoma, Washington and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 19 ’s sociology and anthropology degrees to qualified students.
Puget Sound also made our “Best Sociology & Anthropology Schools” list, coming in at #14. The yearly cost to attend University of Puget Sound is $33,562 for Sociology & Anthropology students.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.
Lewis & Clark College landed the #19 spot on the 2023 Best Value Sociology & Anthropology Schools ranking. Lewis and Clark College is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Portland, Oregon. It awarded 33 ’s sociology and anthropology degrees in 2020-2021.
Lewis and Clark College also made our “Best Sociology & Anthropology Schools” list, coming in at #6. The estimated yearly cost for Lewis and Clark College is $36,638 for sociology & anthropology students.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Ursinus College ranked #20 on this year’s Best Value Sociology & Anthropology Schools list. Collegeville, Pennsylvania is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s sociology and anthropology degrees to 8 students in 2020-2021.
Ursinus not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #13 on our “Best Sociology & Anthropology Schools” list. The estimated yearly cost for Ursinus is $30,206 for Sociology & Anthropology students.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 85%.
With a ranking of #21, Lafayette College did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Sociology & Anthropology Schools list. Lafayette is a private not-for-profit institution located in Easton, Pennsylvania. The school has a small population, and it awarded 27 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our sociology & anthropology students list, Lafayette has also earned the #2 rank in our “Best Sociology & Anthropology Schools” ranking. It costs about $32,926 for Sociology & Anthropology students per year to attend Lafayette College.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 87%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Swarthmore College ranked #22 on this year’s Best Value Sociology & Anthropology Schools list. Swarthmore College is a private not-for-profit institution located in Swarthmore, Pennsylvania. The school has a small population, and it awarded 13 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Swarthmore also took the #5 spot in our “Best Sociology & Anthropology Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Swarthmore College is $20,813 for sociology & anthropology students.
With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 7 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.
Pace University - New York ranked #23 on this year’s Best Value Sociology & Anthropology Schools list. Pace University is a fairly large school located in New York, New York that handed out 17 ’s sociology and anthropology degrees in 2020-2021.
Pace University not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #19 on our “Best Sociology & Anthropology Schools” list. The estimated yearly cost for Pace University - New York is $30,268 for Sociology & Anthropology students.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Sociology & Anthropology at Pace University
Carleton College did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Sociology & Anthropology Schools ranking, coming in at #24. Located in Northfield, Minnesota, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 18 degrees to qualified ’s sociology and anthropology students in 2020-2021.
Carleton did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #4 on our “Best Sociology & Anthropology Schools” list. The estimated yearly cost for Carleton is $28,928 for Sociology & Anthropology students.
With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.8% 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%.
With a ranking of #25, Washington and Lee University did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Sociology & Anthropology Schools list. Located in Lexington, Virginia, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 16 degrees to qualified ’s sociology and anthropology students in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our sociology & anthropology students list, Washington and Lee has also earned the #3 rank in our “Best Sociology & Anthropology Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Washington and Lee University is $26,175 for sociology & anthropology students.
The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 97%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.4% 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 Sociology & Anthropology at Washington and Lee University
Read more about our data sources and methodologies
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