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2023 Most Focused Master’s Degree Colleges for Sociology in California

25 Ranked Colleges
200 Degrees Awarded
$37,428 Avg Salary
Schools for a Master's Highly Focused on Sociology Major in California

With all of the options students have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take. College Factual has developed its “Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Sociology Major in California” ranking as one item you can use to help make this decision.

In 2020-2021, 38,475 people earned their degree in sociology, making the major the 25th most popular in the United States. In 2019-2020, sociology graduates who were awarded their degree in 2017-2019, earned an average of $31,426 and had an average of $24,587 in loans still to pay off.

Across California, there were 15,499 sociology graduates with average earnings and debt of $32,847 and $18,490 respectively. At the master’s degree level specifically, there were 200 sociology graduates with average earnings and debt of $62,974 and $0 respectively.

This year’s “Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Sociology Major in California” ranking looked at 25 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in sociology. That schools that top this list have a program in sociology in which the largest percentage of students at the school are enrolled.

See our ranking methodology to learn more.

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Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we’ve developed the “Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Sociology Major in California” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.

One of our other unique offerings is College Combat. This tool lets you build your own customized comparisons utilizing the factors that are most important to you. If you’re torn between two schools, you can use it to help you see how they stack up against one another. Bookmark it so you can compare any new schools that might interest you.

Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Sociology Major in California

The following schools top our list of the Best “Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Sociology Major in California”.

Top 25 Most Focused Master’s Degree Colleges for Sociology in California

1
Stanford crest
Stanford University
Stanford, California

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Stanford University. It ranked #1 on our 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Sociology Major in California list. Stanford is a fairly large school located in Stanford, California that handed out 22 masters’s sociology degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 86%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 4 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Read more about Sociology at Stanford University

2
3

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend California State University - Dominguez Hills. It ranked #3 on our 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Sociology Major in California list. CSUDH is located in Carson, California and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 11 masters’s sociology degrees to qualified students.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Sociology at CSUDH

4

Out of the 25 schools in the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Sociology Major in California that were part of this year’s ranking, California State University - Los Angeles landed the #4 spot on the list. Located in Los Angeles, California, this large public school handed out 17 degrees to qualified masters’s sociology students in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Sociology at California State University - Los Angeles

5

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend California State University - San Marcos. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Sociology Major in California list. California State University - San Marcos is a fairly large public school situated in San Marcos, California. It awarded 8 masters’s sociology degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Sociology at California State University - San Marcos

6
Humboldt State University crest
Humboldt State University
Arcata, California

Humboldt State University ranked #6 on this year’s Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Sociology Major in California list. Arcata, California is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s sociology degrees to 3 students in 2020-2021.

Read full report on Sociology at Humboldt State University

7

University of California - Los Angeles came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Sociology Major in California ranking. UCLA is located in Los Angeles, California and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 19 masters’s sociology degrees to qualified students.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 96%.

Read full report on Sociology at UCLA

8

California State University - Fullerton came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Sociology Major in California ranking. Cal State Fullerton is a large public school situated in Fullerton, California. It awarded 13 masters’s sociology degrees in 2020-2021.

With a freshman retention rate of 89%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Sociology at California State University - Fullerton

9

University of California - Santa Cruz came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Sociology Major in California ranking. University of California - Santa Cruz is located in Santa Cruz, California and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 6 masters’s sociology degrees to qualified students.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.9% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 85%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full University of California - Santa Cruz Sociology Report

10

University of California - Santa Barbara landed the #10 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Sociology Major in California ranking. Located in Santa Barbara, California, this large public school awarded 6 degrees to qualified masters’s sociology students in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 91%.

Read full report on Sociology at University of California - Santa Barbara

11
SDSU crest
San Diego State University
San Diego, California

San Diego State University did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Sociology Major in California ranking, coming in at #11. SDSU is a large public school situated in San Diego, California. It awarded 8 masters’s sociology degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 89%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full SDSU Sociology Report

12

University of California - Davis ranked #12 on this year’s Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Sociology Major in California list. Davis, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s sociology degrees to 9 students in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read more about Sociology at UC Davis

13

University of California - Irvine came in at #13 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Sociology Major in California ranking. Located in Irvine, California, this large public school awarded 9 diplomas to qualified masters’s sociology students in 2020-2021.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 94%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.4% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read full report on Sociology at UC Irvine

14

California State University - Sacramento came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Sociology Major in California ranking. California State University - Sacramento is a large public school situated in Sacramento, California. It awarded 6 masters’s sociology degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.9% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read full report on Sociology at Sac State

15

California State University - Northridge came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Sociology Major in California ranking. California State University - Northridge is a large public school situated in Northridge, California. It awarded 7 masters’s sociology degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.7% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read more about Sociology at California State University - Northridge

16

University of California - Riverside did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Sociology Major in California ranking, coming in at #16. This large school is located in Riverside, California, and it awarded 4 masters’s sociology degrees in 2020-2021.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 91%. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.3% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read more about Sociology at UCR

17

With a ranking of #17, University of California - Berkeley did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Sociology Major in California list. Berkeley, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s sociology degrees to 7 students in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.8% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 96%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read more about Sociology at UC Berkeley

18

University of California - San Diego landed the #18 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Sociology Major in California ranking. University of California - San Diego is located in La Jolla, California and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 3 masters’s sociology degrees to qualified students.

With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.0% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read more about Sociology at UCSD

19
San Jose State crest
San Jose State University
San Jose, California

San Jose State University came in at #19 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Sociology Major in California ranking. This large school is located in San Jose, California, and it awarded 2 masters’s sociology degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 86%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Sociology at San Jose State

20

California State University - Bakersfield came in at #20 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Sociology Major in California ranking. California State University - Bakersfield is a fairly large school located in Bakersfield, California that handed out 147 masters’s sociology degrees in 2020-2021.

Full California State University - Bakersfield Sociology Report

20

California State University - East Bay landed the #20 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Sociology Major in California ranking. Located in Hayward, California, this fairly large public school handed out 247 diplomas to qualified masters’s sociology students in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.4% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Full Cal State East Bay Sociology Report

20
USC crest
University of Southern California
Los Angeles, California

University of Southern California landed the #20 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Sociology Major in California ranking. University of Southern California is a large private not-for-profit school situated in Los Angeles, California. It awarded 63 masters’s sociology degrees in 2020-2021.

With a freshman retention rate of 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.3% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Full USC Sociology Report

20

University of California - San Francisco ranked #20 on this year’s Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Sociology Major in California list. San Francisco, California is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s sociology degrees to 3 students in 2020-2021.

The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.0% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Full University of California - San Francisco Sociology Report

20

University of California - Merced came in at #20 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Sociology Major in California ranking. This medium-sized school is located in Merced, California, and it awarded 92 masters’s sociology degrees in 2020-2021.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 86%. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Sociology at UC Merced

20

With a ranking of #20, California State University - Long Beach did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Sociology Major in California list. Located in Long Beach, California, this large public school awarded 308 diplomas to qualified masters’s sociology students in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 89%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read more about Sociology at CSULB

Notes and References

References

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