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2023 Best Value Colleges for Sociology (Income $30-$48k) in California

58 Ranked Colleges
15,499 Degrees Awarded
$8,400 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Sociology Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k

When it comes to choosing a college, students have a lot of options - but not all of them are good. College Factual was founded, in part, to help students make the decision as to what would be the best school for them. Our “Best Value Sociology Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking is part of that endeavor.

In 2020-2021, 38,394 people earned their degree in sociology, making the major the 20th most popular in the United States.

Across California, there were 15,499 sociology graduates with average earnings and debt of $0 and $0 respectively.

For this year’s “Best Value Sociology Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking, we looked at 58 colleges that offer a degree in sociology. Not only do the schools that top this list have excellent sociology programs, but they also cost less that schools of similar quality.

To come up with these rankings, we looked at factors such as the cost to attend the school after aid is awarded and overall quality of the sociology program at the school. For more information, check out our ranking methodology.

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Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we’ve developed a number of rankings, including this “Best Value Sociology Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k” list, to help you choose the best school for you.

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. We encourage you to try it out and pit your favorite colleges and universities head to head! If you don’t have time right now, you can bookmark it for later.

Best Value Sociology Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k

The colleges and universities below are the best for california sociology students whose families make $30-$48k.

Top 25 Best Value Colleges for Sociology (Income $30-$48k) in California

1
Stanford crest
Stanford University
Stanford, California

Out of the 58 schools in the Best Value Sociology Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, Stanford University landed the #1 spot on the list. Stanford is a private not-for-profit institution located in Stanford, California. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 48 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our california sociology students whose families make $30-$48k list, Stanford has also earned the #1 rank in our “Best Sociology Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $1,581 for California Sociology students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Stanford University.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.5% 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 undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 4 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 86%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on Sociology at Stanford

2

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of California - Berkeley. The school came in at #2 for the Best Value Sociology Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k. Located in Berkeley, California, this large public school handed out 374 diplomas to qualified ’s sociology students in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UC Berkeley, the school also landed the #2 spot in our “Best Sociology Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for UC Berkeley is $9,999 for california sociology students whose families make $30-$48k.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 96%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about Sociology at University of California - Berkeley

3

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of California - Los Angeles. The school came in at #3 for the Best Value Sociology Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k. University of California - Los Angeles is a large public school situated in Los Angeles, California. It awarded 766 ’s sociology degrees in 2020-2021.

UCLA also took the #3 spot in our “Best Sociology Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $9,891 for california sociology students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend UCLA.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 96%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. 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%.

Full UCLA Sociology Report

4

Out of the 58 schools in the Best Value Sociology Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, California State University - Los Angeles landed the #4 spot on the list. California State University - Los Angeles is located in Los Angeles, California and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 402 ’s sociology degrees to qualified students.

The estimated yearly cost for Cal State LA is $2,701 for California Sociology students whose families make $30-$48k.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.6% 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 Cal State LA

5

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of California - Irvine. The school came in at #5 for the Best Value Sociology Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k. Located in Irvine, California, this large public school handed out 306 diplomas to qualified ’s sociology students in 2020-2021.

UC Irvine not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #6 on our “Best Sociology Schools in California” list. It costs about $8,449 for California Sociology students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend UC Irvine.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%. 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%.

Full UC Irvine Sociology Report

6

California State University - Fresno did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Sociology Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #6. This large school is located in Fresno, California, and it awarded 147 ’s sociology degrees in 2020-2021.

The estimated yearly cost for California State University - Fresno is $4,655 for California Sociology students whose families make $30-$48k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 87%. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Sociology at California State University - Fresno

7

With a ranking of #7, University of California - Davis did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Sociology Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k list. University of California - Davis is a large school located in Davis, California that handed out 275 ’s sociology degrees in 2020-2021.

UC Davis also made our “Best Sociology Schools in California” list, coming in at #5. The estimated yearly cost for UC Davis is $11,598 for california sociology students whose families make $30-$48k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 93%. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Sociology at University of California - Davis

8

University of California - San Diego landed the #8 spot on the 2023 Best Value Sociology Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. UCSD is a large public school situated in La Jolla, California. It awarded 161 ’s sociology degrees in 2020-2021.

UCSD also took the #8 spot in our “Best Sociology Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $11,176 for california sociology students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend University of California - San Diego.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.0%, 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 94%.

Read more about Sociology at University of California - San Diego

9

California State University - Fullerton did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Sociology Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #9. Cal State Fullerton is a large school located in Fullerton, California that handed out 395 ’s sociology degrees in 2020-2021.

Cal State Fullerton did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #19 on our “Best Sociology Schools in California” list. It costs about $5,821 for california sociology students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Cal State Fullerton.

With a freshman retention rate of 89%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.5% 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 Cal State Fullerton

10

California State University - Dominguez Hills ranked #10 on this year’s Best Value Sociology Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k list. CSUDH is a fairly large public school situated in Carson, California. It awarded 301 ’s sociology degrees in 2020-2021.

The estimated yearly cost for CSUDH is $3,329 for California Sociology students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full California State University - Dominguez Hills Sociology Report

11

With a ranking of #11, California State University - Stanislaus did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Sociology Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k list. This fairly large school is located in Turlock, California, and it awarded 167 ’s sociology degrees in 2020-2021.

The yearly cost to attend California State University - Stanislaus is $4,903 for california sociology students whose families make $30-$48k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 87%. 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 - Stanislaus

12

California State University - Long Beach came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Sociology Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. California State University - Long Beach is a large public school situated in Long Beach, California. It awarded 308 ’s sociology degrees in 2020-2021.

CSULB also took the #16 spot in our “Best Sociology Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for CSULB is $7,573 for California Sociology students whose families make $30-$48k.

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 2.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Sociology at CSULB

13

University of California - Riverside did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Sociology Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #13. University of California - Riverside is a public institution located in Riverside, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 403 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

UCR did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #10 on our “Best Sociology Schools in California” list. The estimated yearly cost for University of California - Riverside is $8,193 for california sociology students whose families make $30-$48k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 91%. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Sociology at UCR

14

University of California - Santa Barbara ranked #14 on this year’s Best Value Sociology Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k list. University of California - Santa Barbara is a large school located in Santa Barbara, California that handed out 726 ’s sociology degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our california sociology students whose families make $30-$48k list, UCSB has also earned the #7 rank in our “Best Sociology Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for University of California - Santa Barbara is $11,606 for California Sociology students whose families make $30-$48k.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read more about Sociology at University of California - Santa Barbara

15

California State University - Northridge did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Sociology Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #15. CSUN is a public institution located in Northridge, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 499 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

CSUN also took the #23 spot in our “Best Sociology Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend California State University - Northridge is $7,103 for California Sociology students whose families make $30-$48k.

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 full report on Sociology at California State University - Northridge

16
SRJC crest
Santa Rosa Junior College
Santa Rosa, California

Santa Rosa Junior College ranked #16 on this year’s Best Value Sociology Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k list. SRJC is a public institution located in Santa Rosa, California. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 115 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

It costs about $5,800 for california sociology students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Santa Rosa Junior College.

Read more about Sociology at SRJC

17

California State University - San Bernardino landed the #17 spot on the 2023 Best Value Sociology Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. CSUSB is a fairly large public school situated in San Bernardino, California. It awarded 259 ’s sociology degrees in 2020-2021.

The yearly cost to attend CSUSB is $6,613 for california sociology students whose families make $30-$48k.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 85%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Full California State University - San Bernardino Sociology Report

18

With a ranking of #18, California State University - Sacramento did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Sociology Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k list. Sac State is a large public school situated in Sacramento, California. It awarded 292 ’s sociology degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Sac State, the school also landed the #21 spot in our “Best Sociology Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for California State University - Sacramento is $9,055 for california sociology students whose families make $30-$48k.

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%.

Full California State University - Sacramento Sociology Report

19

California State University - East Bay came in at #19 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Sociology Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Hayward, California is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s sociology degrees to 247 students in 2020-2021.

Cal State East Bay not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #15 on our “Best Sociology Schools in California” list. It costs about $11,025 for California Sociology students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Cal State East Bay.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full California State University - East Bay Sociology Report

20

With a ranking of #20, California State University - Bakersfield did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Sociology Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k list. Bakersfield, California is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s sociology degrees to 147 students in 2020-2021.

The estimated yearly cost for California State University - Bakersfield is $6,046 for california sociology students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read full report on Sociology at CSUB

21
SDSU crest
San Diego State University
San Diego, California

San Diego State University landed the #21 spot on the 2023 Best Value Sociology Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. San Diego State University is located in San Diego, California and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 141 ’s sociology degrees to qualified students.

SDSU also made our “Best Sociology Schools in California” list, coming in at #13. It costs about $9,274 for california sociology students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend SDSU.

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 school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Sociology at SDSU

22

University of California - Santa Cruz ranked #22 on this year’s Best Value Sociology Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k list. Located in Santa Cruz, California, this fairly large public school handed out 273 diplomas to qualified ’s sociology students in 2020-2021.

UC Santa Cruz did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #9 on our “Best Sociology Schools in California” list. It costs about $12,049 for california sociology students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend University of California - Santa Cruz.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.9%, 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 85%.

Read more about Sociology at University of California - Santa Cruz

23
USC crest
University of Southern California
Los Angeles, California

University of Southern California landed the #23 spot on the 2023 Best Value Sociology Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. USC is a large private not-for-profit school situated in Los Angeles, California. It awarded 63 ’s sociology degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at USC, the school also landed the #4 spot in our “Best Sociology Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $17,345 for California Sociology students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend USC.

The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 91%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about Sociology at University of Southern California

24
San Jose State crest
San Jose State University
San Jose, California

San Jose State University landed the #24 spot on the 2023 Best Value Sociology Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. This large school is located in San Jose, California, and it awarded 214 ’s sociology degrees in 2020-2021.

San Jose State not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #12 on our “Best Sociology Schools in California” list. The yearly cost to attend San Jose State University is $13,378 for california sociology students whose families make $30-$48k.

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%.

Full San Jose State University Sociology Report

25

California State University - San Marcos ranked #25 on this year’s Best Value Sociology Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k list. This fairly large school is located in San Marcos, California, and it awarded 276 ’s sociology degrees in 2020-2021.

CSUSM did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #22 on our “Best Sociology Schools in California” list. The yearly cost to attend California State University - San Marcos is $10,348 for california sociology students whose families make $30-$48k.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Sociology at CSUSM

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