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2023 Best Value Sociology Schools For Those Making $48-$75k

566 Ranked Colleges
38,394 Degrees Awarded
Best Value Sociology Schools For Those Making $48-$75k

It’s not easy to decide which college to attend when there so many options available for students. College Factual has developed its “Best Value Sociology Schools For Those Making $48-$75k” ranking as one item you can use to help make this decision.

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

For this year’s “Best Value Sociology Schools For Those Making $48-$75k” ranking, we looked at 566 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.

Some of the factors we look at when determining these rankings are overall quality of the sociology program at the school and the cost of the school after aid is awarded among other things. See our ranking methodology to learn more.

More Ways to Rank Sociology Schools

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When choosing the right school for you, it’s important to arm yourself with all the facts you can. To that end, we’ve created a number of major-specific rankings, including this “Best Value Sociology Schools For Those Making $48-$75k” list to help you make the college decision.

We’ve created a tool called College Combat that lets you create your own customized comparisons based on the factors that matter the most 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.

Best Value Sociology Schools For Those Making $48-$75k

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Sociology Schools For Those Making $48-$75k.

Top 25 Best Value Colleges for Sociology (Income $48-$75k)

1
Stanford crest
Stanford University
Stanford, California

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Stanford University. The school came in at #1 for the Best Value Sociology Schools For Those Making $48-$75k. Stanford University is a fairly large school located in Stanford, California that handed out 48 ’s sociology degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our sociology students whose families make $48-$75k list, Stanford has also earned the #2 rank in our “Best Sociology Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Stanford University is $7,081 for sociology students whose families make $48-$75k.

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 undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 4 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. 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%.

Read full report on Sociology at Stanford University

2
Yale crest
Yale University
New Haven, Connecticut

Out of the 566 schools in the Best Value Sociology Schools For Those Making $48-$75k that were part of this year’s ranking, Yale University landed the #2 spot on the list. This fairly large school is located in New Haven, Connecticut, and it awarded 30 ’s sociology degrees in 2020-2021.

Yale also took the #3 spot in our “Best Sociology Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Yale is $2,815 for Sociology students whose families make $48-$75k.

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. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.7% 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%.

Full Yale University Sociology Report

3
Duke crest
Duke University
Durham, North Carolina

Out of the 566 schools in the Best Value Sociology Schools For Those Making $48-$75k that were part of this year’s ranking, Duke University landed the #3 spot on the list. Duke is a fairly large school located in Durham, North Carolina that handed out 65 ’s sociology degrees in 2020-2021.

Duke also made our “Best Sociology Schools” list, coming in at #1. The estimated yearly cost for Duke is $7,160 for sociology students whose families make $48-$75k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 97%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Full Duke University Sociology Report

4
Harvard crest
Harvard University
Cambridge, Massachusetts

Out of the 566 schools in the Best Value Sociology Schools For Those Making $48-$75k that were part of this year’s ranking, Harvard University landed the #4 spot on the list. Harvard is located in Cambridge, Massachusetts and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 63 ’s sociology degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on our sociology students whose families make $48-$75k list, Harvard has also earned the #6 rank in our “Best Sociology Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Harvard University is $2,669 for sociology students whose families make $48-$75k.

With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 5 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.9% 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 more about Sociology at Harvard University

5

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Columbia University in the City of New York. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Best Value Sociology Schools For Those Making $48-$75k list. New York, New York is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s sociology degrees to 79 students in 2020-2021.

Columbia also made our “Best Sociology Schools” list, coming in at #13. The estimated yearly cost for Columbia University in the City of New York is $8,106 for sociology students whose families make $48-$75k.

With a freshman retention rate of 95%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.

Read more about Sociology at Columbia University in the City of New York

6
Northwestern crest
Northwestern University
Evanston, Illinois

Northwestern University came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Sociology Schools For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Located in Evanston, Illinois, this large private not-for-profit school awarded 44 degrees to qualified ’s sociology students in 2020-2021.

Northwestern also made our “Best Sociology Schools” list, coming in at #11. The yearly cost to attend Northwestern is $5,849 for Sociology students whose families make $48-$75k.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.6% 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%. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. With a freshman retention rate of 97%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read full report on Sociology at Northwestern

7
Rice crest
Rice University
Houston, Texas

Rice University came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Sociology Schools For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Rice is located in Houston, Texas and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 42 ’s sociology degrees to qualified students.

Rice also made our “Best Sociology Schools” list, coming in at #9. The estimated yearly cost for Rice University is $6,152 for sociology students whose families make $48-$75k.

Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. With a freshman retention rate of 97%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Sociology at Rice

8
Princeton crest
Princeton University
Princeton, New Jersey

With a ranking of #8, Princeton University did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Sociology Schools For Those Making $48-$75k list. Located in Princeton, New Jersey, this medium-sized private not-for-profit school handed out 49 degrees to qualified ’s sociology students in 2020-2021.

Princeton also took the #8 spot in our “Best Sociology Schools” ranking. It costs about $5,542 for Sociology students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Princeton.

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. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Sociology at Princeton University

9
UChicago crest
University of Chicago
Chicago, Illinois

University of Chicago ranked #9 on this year’s Best Value Sociology Schools For Those Making $48-$75k list. This fairly large school is located in Chicago, Illinois, and it awarded 68 ’s sociology degrees in 2020-2021.

UChicago also took the #7 spot in our “Best Sociology Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for UChicago is $8,375 for Sociology students whose families make $48-$75k.

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%. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 5 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 100%.

Read full report on Sociology at UChicago

10
Vanderbilt crest
Vanderbilt University
Nashville, Tennessee

Vanderbilt University did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Sociology Schools For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #10. This fairly large school is located in Nashville, Tennessee, and it awarded 58 ’s sociology degrees in 2020-2021.

Vanderbilt also took the #10 spot in our “Best Sociology Schools” ranking. It costs about $7,694 for Sociology students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Vanderbilt.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. With a freshman retention rate of 96%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read more about Sociology at Vanderbilt University

11
Johns Hopkins crest
Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, Maryland

With a ranking of #11, Johns Hopkins University did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Sociology Schools For Those Making $48-$75k list. Johns Hopkins is a large school located in Baltimore, Maryland that handed out 33 ’s sociology degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Johns Hopkins, the school also landed the #12 spot in our “Best Sociology Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Johns Hopkins is $8,457 for sociology students whose families make $48-$75k.

With a freshman retention rate of 97%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. 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%.

Full Johns Hopkins Sociology Report

12
Williams crest
Williams College
Williamstown, Massachusetts

With a ranking of #12, Williams College did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Sociology Schools For Those Making $48-$75k list. Williams is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Williamstown, Massachusetts. It awarded 8 ’s sociology degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our sociology students whose families make $48-$75k list, Williams has also earned the #20 rank in our “Best Sociology Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Williams College is $5,576 for sociology students whose families make $48-$75k.

The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. With a freshman retention rate of 90%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Full Williams College Sociology Report

13

University of Washington - Seattle Campus came in at #13 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Sociology Schools For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. University of Washington - Seattle Campus is located in Seattle, Washington and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 274 ’s sociology degrees to qualified students.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UW Seattle, the school also landed the #18 spot in our “Best Sociology Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for UW Seattle is $8,393 for sociology students whose families make $48-$75k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 93%, 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 2.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Sociology at UW Seattle

14
UPenn crest
University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

University of Pennsylvania did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Sociology Schools For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #14. UPenn is a large school located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania that handed out 37 ’s sociology degrees in 2020-2021.

UPenn not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #4 on our “Best Sociology Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend UPenn is $12,020 for sociology students whose families make $48-$75k.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.9% 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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 95%. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Read more about Sociology at University of Pennsylvania

15
Colby crest
Colby College
Waterville, Maine

Colby College landed the #15 spot on the 2023 Best Value Sociology Schools For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Colby is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Waterville, Maine. It awarded 19 ’s sociology degrees in 2020-2021.

Colby also claimed a top spot on our “Best Sociology Schools” list. It’s in the top 20% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. The estimated yearly cost for Colby is $5,536 for sociology students whose families make $48-$75k.

With a freshman retention rate of 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Read full report on Sociology at Colby

16

University of California - Berkeley ranked #16 on this year’s Best Value Sociology Schools For Those Making $48-$75k list. UC Berkeley is located in Berkeley, California and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 374 ’s sociology degrees to qualified students.

UC Berkeley not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #5 on our “Best Sociology Schools” list. The estimated yearly cost for UC Berkeley is $13,423 for Sociology students whose families make $48-$75k.

With a freshman retention rate of 96%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. 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%.

Read more about Sociology at University of California - Berkeley

17
Amherst crest
Amherst College
Amherst, Massachusetts

Amherst College ranked #17 on this year’s Best Value Sociology Schools For Those Making $48-$75k list. This small school is located in Amherst, Massachusetts, and it awarded 8 ’s sociology degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on this list, Amherst is in the top on our “Best Sociology Schools” list. It’s in the top 10% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. The estimated yearly cost for Amherst is $7,793 for sociology students whose families make $48-$75k.

The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 7 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 91%.

Read more about Sociology at Amherst

18

University of Michigan - Ann Arbor landed the #18 spot on the 2023 Best Value Sociology Schools For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Located in Ann Arbor, Michigan, this large public school awarded 155 degrees to qualified ’s sociology students in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at U-M, the school also landed the #24 spot in our “Best Sociology Schools” ranking. It costs about $10,481 for Sociology students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend U-M.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 96%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Full U-M Sociology Report

19
Cornell crest
Cornell University
Ithaca, New York

Cornell University did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Sociology Schools For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #19. Ithaca, New York is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s sociology degrees to 91 students in 2020-2021.

Cornell not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #17 on our “Best Sociology Schools” list. The estimated yearly cost for Cornell University is $9,785 for Sociology students whose families make $48-$75k.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 96%. 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.

Full Cornell Sociology Report

20
Dartmouth crest
Dartmouth College
Hanover, New Hampshire

With a ranking of #20, Dartmouth College did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Sociology Schools For Those Making $48-$75k list. Dartmouth is a medium-sized school located in Hanover, New Hampshire that handed out 31 ’s sociology degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education it offers, Dartmouth is also in the top of our “Best Sociology Schools” ranking. It’s in the top 10% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. The yearly cost to attend Dartmouth College is $12,172 for Sociology students whose families make $48-$75k.

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%. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 7 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. With a freshman retention rate of 96%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read more about Sociology at Dartmouth College

21

University of California - Los Angeles did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Sociology Schools For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #21. UCLA is a large public school situated in Los Angeles, California. It awarded 766 ’s sociology degrees in 2020-2021.

UCLA did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #15 on our “Best Sociology Schools” list. The estimated yearly cost for UCLA is $12,644 for sociology students whose families make $48-$75k.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.6% 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%. With a freshman retention rate of 96%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Full University of California - Los Angeles Sociology Report

22
UF crest
University of Florida
Gainesville, Florida

University of Florida did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Sociology Schools For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #22. This large school is located in Gainesville, Florida, and it awarded 140 ’s sociology degrees in 2020-2021.

On top of its placing in this ranking, UF also did well on our “Best Sociology Schools” list. It’s ranked in the top 10% of all schools on our “Best Sociology Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend University of Florida is $8,394 for sociology students whose families make $48-$75k.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 97%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on Sociology at University of Florida

23

Washington University in St Louis came in at #23 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Sociology Schools For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Saint Louis, Missouri is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s sociology degrees to 26 students in 2020-2021.

WUSTL did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #25 on our “Best Sociology Schools” list. It costs about $8,149 for Sociology students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend WUSTL.

The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 7 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 1.1% 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 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read full report on Sociology at WUSTL

24
Purdue crest
Purdue University - Main Campus
West Lafayette, Indiana

Purdue University - Main Campus came in at #24 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Sociology Schools For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Located in West Lafayette, Indiana, this large public school handed out 119 degrees to qualified ’s sociology students in 2020-2021.

Purdue excels when it comes to sociology quality. It’s in the top [COLLEGE_QUALITY_PECTENTILE_ALL_LEVES]% of all schools in this category. The yearly cost to attend Purdue University - Main Campus is $8,450 for Sociology students whose families make $48-$75k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 93%. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Sociology at Purdue University - Main Campus

25

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill ranked #25 on this year’s Best Value Sociology Schools For Those Making $48-$75k list. UNC Chapel Hill is a large public school situated in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. It awarded 116 ’s sociology degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on this list, UNC Chapel Hill is in the top on our “Best Sociology Schools” list. It’s in the top 10% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. The estimated yearly cost for University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is $11,619 for sociology students whose families make $48-$75k.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 95%.

Read more about Sociology at UNC Chapel Hill

Rest of the Best 50 in Best Value Sociology Schools For Those Making $48-$75k

Not only did these schools make the top 50 list, but they also landed in the top 15% of this year’s ranking:

26
27
Hunter crest
Hunter College
New York, New York
28
29
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Queens College
Queens, New York
30
Brown crest
Brown University
Providence, Rhode Island
31
Wake Forest University crest
Wake Forest University
Winston-Salem, North Carolina
32
33
34
Florida State crest
Florida State University
Tallahassee, Florida
35
36
Haverford crest
Haverford College
Haverford, Pennsylvania
37
Georgetown crest
Georgetown University
Washington, District of Columbia
38
William & Mary crest
William & Mary
Williamsburg, Virginia
39
40
41
42
42
Notre Dame crest
University of Notre Dame
Notre Dame, Indiana
44
45
University of Virginia crest
University of Virginia - Main Campus
Charlottesville, Virginia
46
47
Pomona crest
Pomona College
Claremont, California
48
49
50

Rest of the Top 15% Colleges in Best Value Sociology Schools For Those Making $48-$75k

While not in the ’top 50’, these schools make the top 15% of this year’s ranking:

RankCollegeLocation
51Central New Mexico Community CollegeAlbuquerque, NM
52Bowdoin CollegeBrunswick, ME
53California State University - Dominguez HillsCarson, CA
54University of California - RiversideRiverside, CA
55California State University - Long BeachLong Beach, CA
56University of California - Santa BarbaraSanta Barbara, CA
57Ohio State University - Main CampusColumbus, OH
58California State University - StanislausTurlock, CA
59Tufts UniversityMedford, MA
60Grinnell CollegeGrinnell, IA
61Santa Rosa Junior CollegeSanta Rosa, CA
62Bates CollegeLewiston, ME
63California State University - San BernardinoSan Bernardino, CA
64The University of Texas Rio Grande ValleyEdinburg, TX
65Wellesley CollegeWellesley, MA
RankCollegeLocation
66Florida International UniversityMiami, FL
67California State University - NorthridgeNorthridge, CA
68Colgate UniversityHamilton, NY
69Lehman CollegeBronx, NY
69University of DelawareNewark, DE
71American Public University SystemCharles Town, WV
72California State University - SacramentoSacramento, CA
73York CollegeJamaica, NY
74Texas Woman’s UniversityDenton, TX
75The University of Texas at AustinAustin, TX
76Kenyon CollegeGambier, OH
77University of RichmondUniversity of Richmond, VA
78Arizona State University - TempeTempe, AZ
79Boston CollegeChestnut Hill, MA
80University of GeorgiaAthens, GA
81Barnard CollegeNew York, NY
82University of Central FloridaOrlando, FL
83California State University - East BayHayward, CA
84Iowa State UniversityAmes, IA
85Brigham Young University - IdahoRexburg, ID

Notes and References

References

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