by our College Data Analytics Team
[Sociology](/majors/social-sciences/sociology/sociology/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong sociology education at a price that pays off.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 15 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for sociology students.
What’s on this page:
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in sociology, balancing cost against outcomes.
Arizona State University tops our 2026 list of the best value sociology schools in Arizona. Set in the city of Tempe, Arizona State University is a very large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $12,223, with out-of-state students paying around $33,139. Sociology graduates carry a median of $25,500 in student loans. Early-career sociology graduates make about $46,675. That is a strong return on a $25,500 median debt. Roughly 90% of applicants are accepted.
A rank of #2 makes Northern Arizona University one of the best values for sociology. Set in the city of Flagstaff, Northern Arizona University is a very large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $12,619, with out-of-state students paying around $20,044. Students borrow a median of $25,000 to complete the sociology program here. Soon after graduation, sociology degree recipients from Northern Arizona University generally make around $31,410. That is a strong return on a $25,000 median debt. Roughly 90% of applicants are accepted.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at University Of Arizona earned it the #3 place for sociology. Located in the city of Tucson, University Of Arizona is a very large public university. Students from in state pay about $13,573 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $39,903. Sociology graduates carry a median of $20,125 in student loans. Sociology graduates of University Of Arizona earn a median of $34,671 early in their careers. Set against $20,125 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 86%.
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. Schools are scored on the balance of cost (tuition and student debt) against student outcomes (post-graduation earnings) — a measure of return on investment, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 15 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 4 ranked schools only.
More about our data sources and methodologies.