by our College Data Analytics Team
[Sociology](/majors/social-sciences/sociology/) programs reward a close look at where graduates go on to earn the most. The highest-paying schools turn a sociology degree into the strongest early-career earnings.
College Factual analyzed 7 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the highest-paying sociology schools.
What’s on this page:
If you want to know which schools send sociology graduates into the highest-paying careers, see the list below.
Our analysis ranked Teachers College At Columbia University the top school for sociology graduate earnings in the United States. Set in the city of New York, Teachers College At Columbia University is a private not-for-profit institution. Students who complete the sociology program here go on to a median salary of roughly $68,137.
Strong graduate earnings at California State University Dominguez Hills earned it the #2 place for sociology. Located in the city of Carson, California State University Dominguez Hills is a public institution. After graduating, sociology degree recipients from California State University Dominguez Hills typically earn about $56,710 annually.
Arizona State University Skysong came in at #3 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying sociology schools. Set in the city of Scottsdale, Arizona State University Skysong is a public institution. Early-career sociology graduates from Arizona State University Skysong make a median of around $53,321 per year.
Strong graduate earnings at The University Of Texas At San Antonio earned it the #4 place for sociology. The University Of Texas At San Antonio is a public school located in the city of San Antonio. Students who complete the sociology program here go on to a median salary of roughly $53,131.
Strong graduate earnings at Texas State University San Marcos earned it the #5 place for sociology. Texas State University San Marcos is a public school located in the city of San Marcos. Early-career sociology graduates from Texas State University San Marcos make a median of around $49,353 per year.
California State University Los Angeles landed the #6 spot for sociology salaries this year. California State University Los Angeles is a public school located in the city of Los Angeles. Sociology graduates of California State University Los Angeles earn a median of about $50,577 a year early in their careers.
University Of Alabama At Birmingham placed #7 among the highest-paying schools for sociology. Located in the city of Birmingham, University Of Alabama At Birmingham is a public institution. Early-career sociology graduates from University Of Alabama At Birmingham make a median of around $44,892 per year.
Looking for a different degree level? Compare highest-paid Sociology rankings across degree levels:
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 · 7 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.