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2023 Most Focused Doctor’s Degree Colleges for Sociology

121 Ranked Colleges
607 Degrees Awarded
$32,100 Avg Cost*
Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Sociology Major

When pursuing a degree in today’s world, students have many different options to choose from. Our mission at College Factual is to arm you with as much information as we can to help you make that decision. Our “Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Sociology Major” ranking is one tool we have developed to help in this regard.

Sociology is the 20th most popular major in the country with 35,696 degrees awarded in 2021-2022.

At the doctor’s degree level specifically, there were 607 sociology graduates with average earnings and debt of $75,735 and $124,256 respectively.

This year’s “Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Sociology Major” ranking looked at 121 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in sociology. The colleges and universities that top this list are recognized because their sociology program is one of the largest majors offered at the school.

See our ranking methodology to learn more.

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The sociology school you choose to invest your time and money in matters. To help you make the decision that is right for you, we’ve developed a number of major-specific rankings, including this list of “Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Sociology Major”.

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. Go ahead and give it a try, or bookmark the link so you can check it out later.

Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Sociology Major

The colleges and universities below are the best for doctor’s degree sociology students.

Top 25 Most Focused Doctor’s Degree Colleges for Sociology

1
The Graduate Center crest
The Graduate Center, CUNY
New York, New York

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend The Graduate Center, CUNY. It ranked #1 on our 2023 Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Sociology Major list. The Graduate Center, CUNY is located in New York, New York and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 16 doctorate’s sociology degrees to qualified students.

With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Sociology at The Graduate Center, CUNY

2
Princeton crest
Princeton University
Princeton, New Jersey

Out of the 121 schools in the Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Sociology Major that were part of this year’s ranking, Princeton University landed the #2 spot on the list. Princeton University is a medium-sized private not-for-profit school situated in Princeton, New Jersey. It awarded 10 doctorate’s sociology degrees in 2021-2022.

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 impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 5 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.

Read full report on Sociology at Princeton

3
Howard crest
Howard University
Washington, District of Columbia

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Howard University. The school came in at #3 for the Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Sociology Major. Located in Washington, District of Columbia, this fairly large private not-for-profit school awarded 1 degrees to qualified doctorate’s sociology students in 2021-2022.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.7%, which is much lower than the national 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 Howard

4

Out of the 121 schools in the Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Sociology Major that were part of this year’s ranking, University of California - San Francisco landed the #4 spot on the list. University of California - San Francisco is a small public school situated in San Francisco, California. It awarded 3 doctorate’s sociology degrees in 2021-2022.

With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Read more about Sociology at University of California - San Francisco

5
UChicago crest
University of Chicago
Chicago, Illinois

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Chicago. The school came in at #5 for the Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Sociology Major. University of Chicago is a private not-for-profit institution located in Chicago, Illinois. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 10 doctorate’s degrees in 2021-2022.

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%. 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. With a freshman retention rate of 99%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Full UChicago Sociology Report

6
Stanford crest
Stanford University
Stanford, California

Stanford University landed the #6 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Sociology Major ranking. Stanford is a fairly large school located in Stanford, California that handed out 4 doctorate’s sociology degrees in 2021-2022.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 98%, 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 5 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Read more about Sociology at Stanford University

7
Yale crest
Yale University
New Haven, Connecticut

Yale University ranked #7 on this year’s Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Sociology Major list. Yale University is a fairly large school located in New Haven, Connecticut that handed out 6 doctorate’s sociology degrees in 2021-2022.

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 98%, 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 Yale University

8

University of California - Merced came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Sociology Major ranking. University of California - Merced is a medium-sized public school situated in Merced, California. It awarded 3 doctorate’s sociology degrees in 2021-2022.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.8% 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%.

Full UC Merced Sociology Report

9
New School University crest
The New School
New York, New York

The New School ranked #9 on this year’s Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Sociology Major list. This fairly large school is located in New York, New York, and it awarded 3 doctorate’s sociology degrees in 2021-2022.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.1%, 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 The New School

10
Cornell crest
Cornell University
Ithaca, New York

With a ranking of #10, Cornell University did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Sociology Major list. This large school is located in Ithaca, New York, and it awarded 8 doctorate’s sociology degrees in 2021-2022.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 97%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. 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.

Read full report on Sociology at Cornell University

11

With a ranking of #11, Bowling Green State University - Main Campus did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Sociology Major list. Bowling Green, Ohio is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out doctorate’s sociology degrees to 3 students in 2021-2022.

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%.

Read more about Sociology at Bowling Green State University - Main Campus

12
Vanderbilt crest
Vanderbilt University
Nashville, Tennessee

Vanderbilt University came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Sociology Major ranking. Vanderbilt is located in Nashville, Tennessee and, has a fairly large student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 7 doctorate’s sociology degrees to qualified students.

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 97%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. 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 more about Sociology at Vanderbilt University

13

With a ranking of #13, University of Akron Main Campus did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Sociology Major list. University of Akron Main Campus is a fairly large public school situated in Akron, Ohio. It awarded 9 doctorate’s sociology degrees in 2021-2022.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full University of Akron Main Campus Sociology Report

14
Emory crest
Emory University
Atlanta, Georgia

Emory University came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Sociology Major ranking. Located in Atlanta, Georgia, this fairly large private not-for-profit school awarded 2 degrees to qualified doctorate’s sociology students in 2021-2022.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.4% 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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 95%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.

Full Emory University Sociology Report

15

University of Wisconsin - Madison came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Sociology Major ranking. UW - Madison is located in Madison, Wisconsin and, has a large student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 9 doctorate’s sociology degrees to qualified students.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.2% 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 95%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read more about Sociology at UW - Madison

16
South Dakota State crest
South Dakota State University
Brookings, South Dakota

South Dakota State University ranked #16 on this year’s Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Sociology Major list. This fairly large school is located in Brookings, South Dakota, and it awarded 2 doctorate’s sociology degrees in 2021-2022.

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%.

Full South Dakota State Sociology Report

17
Notre Dame crest
University of Notre Dame
Notre Dame, Indiana

With a ranking of #17, University of Notre Dame did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Sociology Major list. This fairly large school is located in Notre Dame, Indiana, and it awarded 6 doctorate’s sociology degrees in 2021-2022.

With a freshman retention rate of 98%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. 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. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Sociology at University of Notre Dame

18

Indiana University - Bloomington landed the #18 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Sociology Major ranking. Located in Bloomington, Indiana, this large public school handed out 5 degrees to qualified doctorate’s sociology students in 2021-2022.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 90%, 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%.

Full Indiana University - Bloomington Sociology Report

19
Binghamton University crest
Binghamton University
Vestal, New York

Binghamton University landed the #19 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Sociology Major ranking. This fairly large school is located in Vestal, New York, and it awarded 7 doctorate’s sociology degrees in 2021-2022.

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 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%.

Read full report on Sociology at Binghamton University

20

With a ranking of #20, University of California - Santa Cruz did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Sociology Major list. University of California - Santa Cruz is a fairly large school located in Santa Cruz, California that handed out 2 doctorate’s sociology degrees in 2021-2022.

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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 89%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on Sociology at UC Santa Cruz

21
Brown crest
Brown University
Providence, Rhode Island

Brown University did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Sociology Major ranking, coming in at #21. Brown University is a fairly large private not-for-profit school situated in Providence, Rhode Island. It awarded 14 doctorate’s sociology degrees in 2021-2022.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.6%, which is much lower than the national 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. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 98%.

Read full report on Sociology at Brown University

22
Northwestern crest
Northwestern University
Evanston, Illinois

Northwestern University came in at #22 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Sociology Major ranking. Located in Evanston, Illinois, this large private not-for-profit school awarded 12 degrees to qualified doctorate’s sociology students in 2021-2022.

With a freshman retention rate of 99%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. 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. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Northwestern University Sociology Report

23

University of Alabama at Birmingham ranked #23 on this year’s Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Sociology Major list. UAB is located in Birmingham, Alabama and, has a large student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 5 doctorate’s sociology degrees to qualified students.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.2% 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 University of Alabama at Birmingham

24

Texas Woman’s University did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Sociology Major ranking, coming in at #24. This fairly large school is located in Denton, Texas, and it awarded 8 doctorate’s sociology degrees in 2021-2022.

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%.

Read full report on Sociology at Texas Woman’s University

25

University of California - Irvine came in at #25 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Sociology Major ranking. This large school is located in Irvine, California, and it awarded 13 doctorate’s sociology degrees in 2021-2022.

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%. With a freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read full report on Sociology at University of California - Irvine

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