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. A top-earning program sends graduates into careers with strong starting pay.
For its 2026 highest-paid-graduates ranking, College Factual looked at 5 schools to find where sociology graduates earn the most.
What’s on this page:
If you want to know which schools send sociology graduates into the highest-paying careers, see the list below.
Leading the list is College Of Western Idaho, our #1 for sociology graduate salaries in Idaho. Located in the rural area of Nampa, College Of Western Idaho is a public institution. Students who complete the sociology program here go on to a median salary of roughly $39,280.
Students chasing top earnings in sociology will find them at Brigham Young University Idaho, which ranked #2. Set in the town of Rexburg, Brigham Young University Idaho is a private not-for-profit institution. Sociology graduates of Brigham Young University Idaho earn a median of about $51,399 a year early in their careers.
Students chasing top earnings in sociology will find them at University Of Idaho, which ranked #3. University Of Idaho is a public school located in the town of Moscow. After graduating, sociology degree recipients from University Of Idaho typically earn about $46,543 annually.
Boise State University came in at #4 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying sociology schools. Set in the city of Boise, Boise State University is a public institution. Sociology graduates of Boise State University earn a median of about $43,175 a year early in their careers.
Strong graduate earnings at Idaho State University earned it the #5 place for sociology. Idaho State University is a public school located in the city of Pocatello. Students who complete the sociology program here go on to a median salary of roughly $38,928.
This ranking is produced 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 · 5 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.