by our College Data Analytics Team
[Sociology](/majors/social-sciences/sociology/) graduates earn very different salaries depending on where they study. The highest-paying schools turn a sociology degree into the strongest early-career earnings.
For its 2026 highest-paid-graduates ranking, College Factual looked at 12 schools to find where sociology graduates earn the most.
What’s on this page:
Below are the schools whose sociology graduates go on to earn the most.
Depauw University tops our 2026 list of the highest-paying sociology schools in Indiana. Located in the town of Greencastle, Depauw University is a private not-for-profit institution. Early-career sociology graduates from Depauw University make a median of around $71,581 per year.
University Of Notre Dame produces some of the highest-paid graduates in sociology, landing the #2 spot this year. Located in the suburb of Notre Dame, University Of Notre Dame is a private not-for-profit institution. Sociology graduates of University Of Notre Dame earn a median of about $88,792 a year early in their careers.
Hanover College produces some of the highest-paid graduates in sociology, landing the #3 spot this year. Set in the town of Hanover, Hanover College is a private not-for-profit institution. Early-career sociology graduates from Hanover College make a median of around $49,627 per year.
A rank of #4 makes University Of Southern Indiana one of the highest-paying schools for sociology. University Of Southern Indiana is a public school located in the suburb of Evansville. Students who complete the sociology program here go on to a median salary of roughly $49,040.
Purdue University Main Campus produces some of the highest-paid graduates in sociology, landing the #5 spot this year. Located in the city of West Lafayette, Purdue University Main Campus is a public institution. Sociology graduates of Purdue University Main Campus earn a median of about $53,174 a year early in their careers.
Ball State University earned the #6 position for sociology graduate earnings this year. Located in the city of Muncie, Ball State University is a public institution. Students who complete the sociology program here go on to a median salary of roughly $50,157.
Indiana University Bloomington ranked #7 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying sociology schools. Indiana University Bloomington is a public school located in the city of Bloomington. After graduating, sociology degree recipients from Indiana University Bloomington typically earn about $51,247 annually.
Franklin College ranked #8 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying sociology schools. Franklin College is a private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of Franklin. After graduating, sociology degree recipients from Franklin College typically earn about $37,759 annually.
Purdue University Northwest ranked #9 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying sociology schools. Located in the suburb of Hammond, Purdue University Northwest is a public institution. Early-career sociology graduates from Purdue University Northwest make a median of around $40,654 per year.
Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis landed the #10 spot for sociology salaries this year. Set in the city of Indianapolis, Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis is a public institution. Sociology graduates of Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis earn a median of about $45,038 a year early in their careers.
Indiana University Kokomo ranked #11 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying sociology schools. Located in the city of Kokomo, Indiana University Kokomo is a public institution. After graduating, sociology degree recipients from Indiana University Kokomo typically earn about $32,740 annually.
Indiana University Purdue University Fort Wayne earned the #12 position for sociology graduate earnings this year. Indiana University Purdue University Fort Wayne is a public school located in the city of Fort Wayne. Sociology graduates of Indiana University Purdue University Fort Wayne earn a median of about $27,749 a year early in their careers.
This list is compiled by College Factual, 2026 edition. Schools are ranked on the median early-career earnings of their sociology graduates, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard field-of-study earnings and IPEDS).
Ranking method: College Major Earnings · 12 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.