by our College Data Analytics Team
[Sociology](/majors/social-sciences/sociology/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong sociology education at a price that pays off.
For its 2027 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 4 schools to find the best return on investment for sociology students.
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If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the sociology degrees they offer, see the list below.
Our analysis ranked American Public University System the best value for a degree in sociology in West Virginia. Located in the town of Charles Town, American Public University System is a very large private for-profit university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $8,400. Sociology graduates carry a median of $29,278 in student loans. Early-career sociology graduates make about $47,633. That is a strong return on a $29,278 median debt.
A rank of #2 makes Concord University one of the best values for sociology. Set in the rural area of Athens, Concord University is a mid-sized public institution. Students from in state pay about $10,664 in tuition and fees, compared with $22,000 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $20,214 to complete the sociology program here. Early-career sociology graduates make about $35,661. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 93% of applicants are accepted.
Students looking for strong value in sociology will find it at Shepherd University, which ranked #3. Shepherd University is a mid-sized public school located in the rural area of Shepherdstown. Students from in state pay about $9,056 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $19,082. Typical student debt for sociology graduates is $20,030. Sociology graduates of Shepherd University earn a median of $33,190 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 97%.
West Virginia University came in at #4 on our 2027 list of the best value sociology schools. West Virginia University is a very large public school located in the city of Morgantown. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $10,104, while out-of-state students pay about $28,608. Students borrow a median of $24,223 to complete the sociology program here. Early-career sociology graduates make about $34,063. That is a strong return on a $24,223 median debt. The acceptance rate is 89%.
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 edition. Schools are scored on the balance of cost (tuition and student debt) against student outcomes (post-graduation earnings) — a measure of return on investment, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 4 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 4 ranked schools only.
More about our data sources and methodologies.