2022 Best Value Sociology Schools for a Bachelor’s in California
Students have lots of options to chooose from today when trying to decide which college to attend. 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 for a Bachelor’s in California” ranking is part of that endeavor.
Sociology is the 20th most popular major in the country with 37,747 degrees awarded in 2019-2020.
Across California, there were 14,493 sociology graduates with average earnings and debt of $0 and $0 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 8,454 sociology graduates with average earnings and debt of $37,907 and $21,546 respectively.
This year’s “Best Value Sociology Schools for a Bachelor’s in California” ranking looked at 59 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in sociology. This ranking identifies schools with high-quality sociology programs that also have a lower cost than 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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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 a Bachelor’s in California” list to help you make the college decision.
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Best Value Sociology Schools for a Bachelor’s in California
The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Sociology Schools for a Bachelor’s in California.
Top 25 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Sociology in California
Out of the 59 schools in the Best Value Sociology Schools for a Bachelor’s in California that were part of this year’s ranking, California State University - Long Beach landed the #1 spot on the list. California State University - Long Beach is located in Long Beach, California and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 322 bachelors’s sociology degrees to qualified students.
CSULB also made our “Best Sociology Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list, coming in at #21. The estimated yearly cost for California State University - Long Beach is $9,622 for california bachelor’s degree sociology students.
With a freshman retention rate of 89%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The student loan default rate at the school is 1.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of California - Los Angeles. The school came in at #2 for the Best Value Sociology Schools for a Bachelor’s in California. UCLA is a large public school situated in Los Angeles, California. It awarded 779 bachelors’s sociology degrees in 2019-2020.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at UCLA, the school also landed the #4 spot in our “Best Sociology Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend UCLA is $14,279 for california bachelor’s degree sociology students.
The low 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%. With a freshman retention rate of 96%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.
Full University of California - Los Angeles Sociology Report
Out of the 59 schools in the Best Value Sociology Schools for a Bachelor’s in California that were part of this year’s ranking, California State University - Northridge landed the #3 spot on the list. CSUN is a public institution located in Northridge, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 531 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.
It costs about $8,414 for California Bachelor’s Degree Sociology students per year to attend CSUN.
The student loan default rate at the school is 2.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Sociology at California State University - Northridge
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo. It ranked #4 on our 2022 Best Value Sociology Schools for a Bachelor’s in California list. This large school is located in San Luis Obispo, California, and it awarded 69 bachelors’s sociology degrees in 2019-2020.
Cal Poly San Luis Obispo also took the #11 spot in our “Best Sociology Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Cal Poly San Luis Obispo is $21,595 for california bachelor’s degree sociology students.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%. The student loan default rate at the school is 1.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend San Jose State University. The school came in at #5 for the Best Value Sociology Schools for a Bachelor’s in California. Located in San Jose, California, this large public school awarded 190 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s sociology students in 2019-2020.
San Jose State not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #17 on our “Best Sociology Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. The estimated yearly cost for San Jose State is $14,928 for california bachelor’s degree sociology students.
The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.
California State University - East Bay landed the #6 spot on the 2022 Best Value Sociology Schools for a Bachelor’s in California ranking. California State University - East Bay is a fairly large school located in Hayward, California that handed out 235 bachelors’s sociology degrees in 2019-2020.
In addition to being on our california bachelor’s degree sociology students list, Cal State East Bay has also earned the #23 rank in our “Best Sociology Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Cal State East Bay is $11,116 for California Bachelor’s Degree Sociology students.
Full California State University - East Bay Sociology Report
California State University - Fresno did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Sociology Schools for a Bachelor’s in California ranking, coming in at #7. Fresno State is a public institution located in Fresno, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 142 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.
The estimated yearly cost for Fresno State is $5,464 for california bachelor’s degree sociology students.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 87%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
University of California - Berkeley did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Sociology Schools for a Bachelor’s in California ranking, coming in at #8. UC Berkeley is a large public school situated in Berkeley, California. It awarded 310 bachelors’s sociology degrees in 2019-2020.
UC Berkeley did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #3 on our “Best Sociology Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. The yearly cost to attend University of California - Berkeley is $15,329 for California Bachelor’s Degree Sociology students.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 96%. The student loan default rate at the school is 1.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Sonoma State University came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Sociology Schools for a Bachelor’s in California ranking. Located in Rohnert Park, California, this medium-sized public school awarded 132 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s sociology students in 2019-2020.
It costs about $17,478 for California Bachelor’s Degree Sociology students per year to attend SSU.
The low student loan default rate of 4.7% 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%.
California State University - Chico did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Sociology Schools for a Bachelor’s in California ranking, coming in at #10. Chico State is a fairly large school located in Chico, California that handed out 144 bachelors’s sociology degrees in 2019-2020.
The yearly cost to attend Chico State is $15,017 for california bachelor’s degree sociology students.
The low student loan default rate of 3.3% 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%.
California State University - San Bernardino ranked #11 on this year’s Best Value Sociology Schools for a Bachelor’s in California list. CSUSB is a fairly large public school situated in San Bernardino, California. It awarded 301 bachelors’s sociology degrees in 2019-2020.
The yearly cost to attend California State University - San Bernardino is $7,342 for California Bachelor’s Degree Sociology students.
With a freshman retention rate of 85%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.
Read more about Sociology at California State University - San Bernardino
With a ranking of #12, California State University - San Marcos did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Sociology Schools for a Bachelor’s in California list. Located in San Marcos, California, this fairly large public school awarded 254 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s sociology students in 2019-2020.
The estimated yearly cost for CSUSM is $13,399 for california bachelor’s degree sociology students.
The student loan default rate at the school is 4.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Sociology at California State University - San Marcos
With a ranking of #13, California State University - Stanislaus did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Sociology Schools for a Bachelor’s in California list. Turlock, California is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s sociology degrees to 169 students in 2019-2020.
It costs about $6,019 for California Bachelor’s Degree Sociology students per year to attend Stan State.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 87%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The student loan default rate at the school is 4.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
University of California - Santa Barbara did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Sociology Schools for a Bachelor’s in California ranking, coming in at #14. Located in Santa Barbara, California, this large public school handed out 713 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s sociology students in 2019-2020.
UCSB not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #10 on our “Best Sociology Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. It costs about $15,884 for california bachelor’s degree sociology students per year to attend UCSB.
With a freshman retention rate of 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The student loan default rate at the school is 1.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
California State University - Fullerton landed the #15 spot on the 2022 Best Value Sociology Schools for a Bachelor’s in California ranking. This large school is located in Fullerton, California, and it awarded 382 bachelors’s sociology degrees in 2019-2020.
The estimated yearly cost for California State University - Fullerton is $7,991 for California Bachelor’s Degree Sociology students.
With a freshman retention rate of 89%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The student loan default rate at the school is 2.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
California State University - Los Angeles did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Sociology Schools for a Bachelor’s in California ranking, coming in at #16. Located in Los Angeles, California, this large public school awarded 452 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s sociology students in 2019-2020.
The yearly cost to attend California State University - Los Angeles is $2,768 for California Bachelor’s Degree Sociology students.
The student loan default rate at the school is 1.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Sociology at California State University - Los Angeles
With a ranking of #17, California State University - Sacramento did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Sociology Schools for a Bachelor’s in California list. Located in Sacramento, California, this large public school awarded 224 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s sociology students in 2019-2020.
The estimated yearly cost for Sac State is $9,979 for California Bachelor’s Degree Sociology students.
The student loan default rate at the school is 4.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Sociology at California State University - Sacramento
California State University - Dominguez Hills landed the #18 spot on the 2022 Best Value Sociology Schools for a Bachelor’s in California ranking. CSUDH is a fairly large public school situated in Carson, California. It awarded 246 bachelors’s sociology degrees in 2019-2020.
The yearly cost to attend CSUDH is $4,215 for California Bachelor’s Degree Sociology students.
The low student loan default rate of 2.6% 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 full report on Sociology at California State University - Dominguez Hills
San Francisco State University came in at #18 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Sociology Schools for a Bachelor’s in California ranking. SFSU is a large public school situated in San Francisco, California. It awarded 114 bachelors’s sociology degrees in 2019-2020.
The yearly cost to attend San Francisco State University is $15,113 for california bachelor’s degree sociology students.
California State Polytechnic University - Pomona ranked #20 on this year’s Best Value Sociology Schools for a Bachelor’s in California list. Pomona, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s sociology degrees to 206 students in 2019-2020.
The estimated yearly cost for California State Polytechnic University - Pomona is $12,734 for California Bachelor’s Degree Sociology students.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 87%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
University of California - Davis landed the #21 spot on the 2022 Best Value Sociology Schools for a Bachelor’s in California ranking. Located in Davis, California, this large public school handed out 275 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s sociology students in 2019-2020.
UC Davis also took the #9 spot in our “Best Sociology Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for University of California - Davis is $14,669 for California Bachelor’s Degree Sociology students.
The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 93%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
University of California - Irvine did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Sociology Schools for a Bachelor’s in California ranking, coming in at #22. UC Irvine is a large public school situated in Irvine, California. It awarded 238 bachelors’s sociology degrees in 2019-2020.
In addition to being on our california bachelor’s degree sociology students list, UC Irvine has also earned the #12 rank in our “Best Sociology Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $14,783 for california bachelor’s degree sociology students 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 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%.
University of California - San Diego landed the #23 spot on the 2022 Best Value Sociology Schools for a Bachelor’s in California ranking. University of California - San Diego is located in La Jolla, California and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 121 bachelors’s sociology degrees to qualified students.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at UCSD, the school also landed the #16 spot in our “Best Sociology Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for UCSD is $14,232 for california bachelor’s degree sociology students.
The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 94%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
With a ranking of #24, California State University - Channel Islands did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Sociology Schools for a Bachelor’s in California list. Camarillo, California is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s sociology degrees to 124 students in 2019-2020.
The estimated yearly cost for CSUCI is $13,558 for California Bachelor’s Degree Sociology students.
The student loan default rate at the school is 2.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Brandman University landed the #25 spot on the 2022 Best Value Sociology Schools for a Bachelor’s in California ranking. Brandman University is a fairly large school located in Irvine, California that handed out 26 bachelors’s sociology degrees in 2019-2020.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at Brandman, the school also landed the #22 spot in our “Best Sociology Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Brandman University is $21,604 for California Bachelor’s Degree Sociology students.
- Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Sociology in the Far Western US Region
- Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Sociology
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Notes and References
References
- The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) serves as the core of our data about colleges.
- Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
- Information about the national average student loan default rate is from the U.S. Department of Education and refers to data about the 2016 borrower cohort tracking period for which the cohort default rate (CDR) was 10.1%.
Read more about our data sources and methodologies
Footnotes
- *Average salary, average net price, and average tuition and fees are for the top schools only.
- Some schools otherwise deserving of recognition may have been removed from this ranking in the event that new data identified post-publication warranted it, or at the request of the school.
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- Credit for the banner image above goes to Kontos.
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