by our College Data Analytics Team
[Sociology](/majors/social-sciences/sociology/) is a field where your choice of school can shape what you earn after graduation. A top-earning program sends graduates into careers with strong starting pay.
College Factual analyzed 8 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the highest-paying sociology schools.
What’s on this page:
Below are the schools whose sociology graduates go on to earn the most.
For graduate earnings in sociology, no school beat University Of Washington Seattle Campus this year. University Of Washington Seattle Campus is a public school located in the city of Seattle. Sociology graduates of University Of Washington Seattle Campus earn a median of about $67,391 a year early in their careers.
Central Washington University produces some of the highest-paid graduates in sociology, landing the #2 spot this year. Located in the town of Ellensburg, Central Washington University is a public institution. Sociology graduates of Central Washington University earn a median of about $57,042 a year early in their careers.
Strong graduate earnings at Pacific Lutheran University earned it the #3 place for sociology. Set in the suburb of Tacoma, Pacific Lutheran University is a private not-for-profit institution. After graduating, sociology degree recipients from Pacific Lutheran University typically earn about $58,698 annually.
A rank of #4 makes Washington State University one of the highest-paying schools for sociology. Located in the town of Pullman, Washington State University is a public institution. Sociology graduates of Washington State University earn a median of about $50,035 a year early in their careers.
A rank of #5 makes Gonzaga University one of the highest-paying schools for sociology. Located in the city of Spokane, Gonzaga University is a private not-for-profit institution. Students who complete the sociology program here go on to a median salary of roughly $58,415.
Western Washington University came in at #6 for sociology graduate earnings this year. Set in the city of Bellingham, Western Washington University is a public institution. Early-career sociology graduates from Western Washington University make a median of around $48,943 per year.
Whitworth University landed the #7 spot for sociology salaries this year. Located in the suburb of Spokane, Whitworth University is a private not-for-profit institution. Sociology graduates of Whitworth University earn a median of about $47,400 a year early in their careers.
Seattle Pacific University placed #8 among the highest-paying schools for sociology. Seattle Pacific University is a private not-for-profit school located in the city of Seattle. After graduating, sociology degree recipients from Seattle Pacific University typically earn about $25,958 annually.
The ranking above is published by College Factual, 2026 edition. The methodology measures the salaries sociology graduates go on to earn early in their careers, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard field-of-study earnings and IPEDS).
Ranking method: College Major Earnings · 8 schools evaluated.
*Salary figures reflect median early-career earnings (about 5 years after graduation) and may vary by how long a person takes to complete their degree.
More about our data sources and methodologies.