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2023 Best Value Colleges for Sociology (Income $0-$30k) in the Southeast Region

115 Ranked Colleges
6,134 Degrees Awarded
$6,700 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Sociology Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k

With all of the options students have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take. 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 Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking is part of that endeavor.

In 2020-2021, 38,475 people earned their degree in sociology, making the major the 25th most popular in the United States. In 2019-2020, sociology graduates who were awarded their degree in 2017-2019, earned an average of $31,426 and had an average of $24,587 in loans still to pay off.

Across the Southeast region, there were 6,134 sociology graduates with average earnings and debt of $28,664 and $27,013 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Sociology Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking looked at 115 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in sociology. The schools that top this list are recognized because they have great sociology programs and cost less that schools of similar quality.

To come up with these rankings, we looked at factors such as the cost to attend the school after aid is awarded and overall quality of the sociology program at the school. See our ranking methodology to learn more.

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The sociology 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 “Best Value Sociology Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k”.

In addition to our rankings, you can take two colleges and compare them based on the criteria that matters most to you in our unique tool, College Combat. Test it out by comparing your favorite schools against others you are considering, or bookmark the tool so you can experiment with it later.

Best Value Sociology Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k

The colleges and universities below are the best for southeast region sociology students whose families make $0-$30k.

Top 25 Best Value Colleges for Sociology (Income $0-$30k) in the Southeast Region

1
Duke crest
Duke University
Durham, North Carolina

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Duke University. It ranked #1 on our 2023 Best Value Sociology Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Duke is a private not-for-profit institution located in Durham, North Carolina. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 65 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Duke, the school also landed the #1 spot in our “Best Sociology Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Duke University is $371 for southeast region sociology students whose families make $0-$30k.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.3% 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 impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. With a freshman retention rate of 97%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read more about Sociology at Duke

2
Vanderbilt crest
Vanderbilt University
Nashville, Tennessee

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Vanderbilt University. The school came in at #2 for the Best Value Sociology Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k. Located in Nashville, Tennessee, this fairly large private not-for-profit school awarded 58 degrees to qualified ’s sociology students in 2020-2021.

Vanderbilt also took the #2 spot in our “Best Sociology Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Vanderbilt is $3,176 for southeast region sociology students whose families make $0-$30k.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.9% 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 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 96%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on Sociology at Vanderbilt University

3
UF crest
University of Florida
Gainesville, Florida

Out of the 115 schools in the Best Value Sociology Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Florida landed the #3 spot on the list. This large school is located in Gainesville, Florida, and it awarded 140 ’s sociology degrees in 2020-2021.

UF also took the #8 spot in our “Best Sociology Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for UF is $65 for Southeast Region Sociology students whose families make $0-$30k.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 97%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full University of Florida Sociology Report

4

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. It ranked #4 on our 2023 Best Value Sociology Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Chapel Hill, North Carolina is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s sociology degrees to 116 students in 2020-2021.

UNC Chapel Hill also took the #6 spot in our “Best Sociology Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. It costs about $3,753 for southeast region sociology students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend UNC Chapel Hill.

With a freshman retention rate of 95%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.4% 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 more about Sociology at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

5
Wake Forest University crest
Wake Forest University
Winston-Salem, North Carolina

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Wake Forest University. The school came in at #5 for the Best Value Sociology Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k. Wake Forest University is located in Winston-Salem, North Carolina and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 36 ’s sociology degrees to qualified students.

Wake Forest University also took the #7 spot in our “Best Sociology Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Wake Forest University is $10,401 for Southeast Region Sociology students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 95%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. 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%.

Read more about Sociology at Wake Forest University

6
William & Mary crest
William & Mary
Williamsburg, Virginia

With a ranking of #6, William & Mary did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Sociology Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Williamsburg, Virginia is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s sociology degrees to 43 students in 2020-2021.

William & Mary did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #9 on our “Best Sociology Schools in the Southeast Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for William & Mary is $5,972 for Southeast Region Sociology students whose families make $0-$30k.

With a freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.7% 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%.

Full William & Mary Sociology Report

7
Florida State crest
Florida State University
Tallahassee, Florida

Florida State University ranked #7 on this year’s Best Value Sociology Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Florida State University is located in Tallahassee, Florida and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 169 ’s sociology degrees to qualified students.

Florida State also took the #11 spot in our “Best Sociology Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. It costs about $4,950 for southeast region sociology students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Florida State University.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 95%.

Read more about Sociology at Florida State University

8
University of Virginia crest
University of Virginia - Main Campus
Charlottesville, Virginia

University of Virginia - Main Campus did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Sociology Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #8. Charlottesville, Virginia is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s sociology degrees to 83 students in 2020-2021.

University of Virginia not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #5 on our “Best Sociology Schools in the Southeast Region” list. It costs about $12,476 for southeast region sociology students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend University of Virginia - Main Campus.

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 97%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on Sociology at University of Virginia

9

University of South Florida - Main Campus ranked #9 on this year’s Best Value Sociology Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. This large school is located in Tampa, Florida, and it awarded 70 ’s sociology degrees in 2020-2021.

USF Tampa not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #22 on our “Best Sociology Schools in the Southeast Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for University of South Florida - Main Campus is $4,176 for southeast region sociology students whose families make $0-$30k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 92%. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.3% 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%.

Full USF Tampa Sociology Report

10
Virginia Tech crest
Virginia Tech
Blacksburg, Virginia

Virginia Tech did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Sociology Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #10. This large school is located in Blacksburg, Virginia, and it awarded 228 ’s sociology degrees in 2020-2021.

Virginia Tech also took the #3 spot in our “Best Sociology Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. It costs about $11,934 for southeast region sociology students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Virginia Tech.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.2% 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 93%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about Sociology at Virginia Tech

11
UGA crest
University of Georgia
Athens, Georgia

University of Georgia ranked #11 on this year’s Best Value Sociology Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Located in Athens, Georgia, this large public school handed out 89 degrees to qualified ’s sociology students in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our southeast region sociology students whose families make $0-$30k list, UGA has also earned the #10 rank in our “Best Sociology Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for UGA is $8,303 for southeast region sociology students whose families make $0-$30k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Sociology at University of Georgia

12
Emory crest
Emory University
Atlanta, Georgia

Emory University came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Sociology Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. This fairly large school is located in Atlanta, Georgia, and it awarded 70 ’s sociology degrees in 2020-2021.

Emory also took the #4 spot in our “Best Sociology Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. It costs about $8,538 for southeast region sociology students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Emory.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.4% 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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 93%. 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.

Read more about Sociology at Emory University

13

With a ranking of #13, Florida International University did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Sociology Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Florida International University is a large school located in Miami, Florida that handed out 105 ’s sociology degrees in 2020-2021.

It costs about $3,196 for Southeast Region Sociology students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend FIU.

With a freshman retention rate of 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Florida International University Sociology Report

14
NC State crest
North Carolina State University
Raleigh, North Carolina

North Carolina State University ranked #14 on this year’s Best Value Sociology Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Located in Raleigh, North Carolina, this large public school handed out 69 degrees to qualified ’s sociology students in 2020-2021.

NC State did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #15 on our “Best Sociology Schools in the Southeast Region” list. It costs about $7,283 for Southeast Region Sociology students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend NC State.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.0% 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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 94%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about Sociology at North Carolina State University

15

With a ranking of #15, University of Central Florida did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Sociology Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Orlando, Florida is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s sociology degrees to 118 students in 2020-2021.

It costs about $4,468 for southeast region sociology students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend University of Central Florida.

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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 92%.

Read more about Sociology at University of Central Florida

16

Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College landed the #16 spot on the 2023 Best Value Sociology Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Baton Rouge, Louisiana is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s sociology degrees to 146 students in 2020-2021.

Louisiana State University also took the #16 spot in our “Best Sociology Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College is $11,318 for southeast region sociology students whose families make $0-$30k.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.0% 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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 86%.

Full Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College Sociology Report

17

The University of Tennessee - Knoxville came in at #17 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Sociology Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Located in Knoxville, Tennessee, this large public school handed out 105 degrees to qualified ’s sociology students in 2020-2021.

UT Knoxville did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #12 on our “Best Sociology Schools in the Southeast Region” list. The yearly cost to attend The University of Tennessee - Knoxville is $10,433 for southeast region sociology students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.1%, 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%.

Read full report on Sociology at The University of Tennessee - Knoxville

18
URichmond crest
University of Richmond
University of Richmond, Virginia

University of Richmond landed the #18 spot on the 2023 Best Value Sociology Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. URichmond is a small private not-for-profit school situated in University of Richmond, Virginia. It awarded 13 ’s sociology degrees in 2020-2021.

URichmond not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #14 on our “Best Sociology Schools in the Southeast Region” list. The yearly cost to attend URichmond is $8,010 for Southeast Region Sociology students whose families make $0-$30k.

With a freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.9% 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 undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.

Read more about Sociology at URichmond

19
FAU crest
Florida Atlantic University
Boca Raton, Florida

Florida Atlantic University did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Sociology Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #19. Florida Atlantic University is located in Boca Raton, Florida and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 141 ’s sociology degrees to qualified students.

The yearly cost to attend Florida Atlantic University is $6,726 for southeast region sociology students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Sociology at FAU

20
UNF crest
University of North Florida
Jacksonville, Florida

University of North Florida did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Sociology Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #20. University of North Florida is a fairly large public school situated in Jacksonville, Florida. It awarded 54 ’s sociology degrees in 2020-2021.

It costs about $4,367 for southeast region sociology students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend UNF.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full University of North Florida Sociology Report

21

University of North Carolina at Greensboro came in at #21 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Sociology Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. UNC Greensboro is a fairly large school located in Greensboro, North Carolina that handed out 156 ’s sociology degrees in 2020-2021.

The yearly cost to attend University of North Carolina at Greensboro is $7,645 for Southeast Region Sociology students whose families make $0-$30k.

Full University of North Carolina at Greensboro Sociology Report

22
NKU crest
Northern Kentucky University
Highland Heights, Kentucky

Northern Kentucky University ranked #22 on this year’s Best Value Sociology Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. NKU is located in Highland Heights, Kentucky and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 8 ’s sociology degrees to qualified students.

It costs about $4,632 for Southeast Region Sociology students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Northern Kentucky University.

Read full report on Sociology at NKU

23
Fayetteville State University crest
Fayetteville State University
Fayetteville, North Carolina

Fayetteville State University ranked #23 on this year’s Best Value Sociology Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Located in Fayetteville, North Carolina, this medium-sized public school awarded 58 diplomas to qualified ’s sociology students in 2020-2021.

The estimated yearly cost for Fayetteville State University is $5,366 for Southeast Region Sociology students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read more about Sociology at Fayetteville State University

24
Appalachian State crest
Appalachian State University
Boone, North Carolina

Appalachian State University ranked #24 on this year’s Best Value Sociology Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Boone, North Carolina is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s sociology degrees to 38 students in 2020-2021.

It costs about $7,354 for southeast region sociology students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Appalachian State University.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Full Appalachian State Sociology Report

25

University of South Carolina - Columbia did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Sociology Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #25. Located in Columbia, South Carolina, this large public school handed out 46 degrees to qualified ’s sociology students in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UofSC, the school also landed the #17 spot in our “Best Sociology Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend UofSC is $12,130 for southeast region sociology students whose families make $0-$30k.

With a freshman retention rate of 90%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Sociology at UofSC

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