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.
College Factual analyzed 9 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 The University Of Tennessee the top school for sociology graduate earnings in Tennessee. The University Of Tennessee is a public school located in the city of Knoxville. Students who complete the sociology program here go on to a median salary of roughly $49,839.
Tennessee Technological University produces some of the highest-paid graduates in sociology, landing the #2 spot this year. Located in the town of Cookeville, Tennessee Technological University is a public institution. Sociology graduates of Tennessee Technological University earn a median of about $43,101 a year early in their careers.
Students chasing top earnings in sociology will find them at Austin Peay State University, which ranked #3. Set in the city of Clarksville, Austin Peay State University is a public institution. Early-career sociology graduates from Austin Peay State University make a median of around $47,222 per year.
Middle Tennessee State University produces some of the highest-paid graduates in sociology, landing the #4 spot this year. Located in the city of Murfreesboro, Middle Tennessee State University is a public institution. After graduating, sociology degree recipients from Middle Tennessee State University typically earn about $36,615 annually.
Strong graduate earnings at University Of Memphis earned it the #5 place for sociology. Located in the city of Memphis, University Of Memphis is a public institution. After graduating, sociology degree recipients from University Of Memphis typically earn about $38,489 annually.
Tennessee State University ranked #6 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying sociology schools. Tennessee State University is a public school located in the city of Nashville. Students who complete the sociology program here go on to a median salary of roughly $34,884.
East Tennessee State University placed #7 among the highest-paying schools for sociology. Set in the city of Johnson City, East Tennessee State University is a public institution. Students who complete the sociology program here go on to a median salary of roughly $33,474.
Lane College earned the #8 position for sociology graduate earnings this year. Lane College is a private not-for-profit school located in the city of Jackson. Sociology graduates of Lane College earn a median of about $34,589 a year early in their careers.
Lee University came in at #9 for sociology graduate earnings this year. Set in the city of Cleveland, Lee University is a private not-for-profit institution. After graduating, sociology degree recipients from Lee University typically earn about $25,127 annually.
This ranking is produced 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 · 9 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.