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2024 Best Sociology Schools

561 Colleges in the United States
38,394 Sociology Degrees Awarded
Sociology is of the hottest degree programs in the United States, coming in as the #20 most popular major in the country. This means there are lots of options to choose from when you decide to get your degree.

In 2024, College Factual analyzed 561 schools in order to identify the top ones for its Best Sociology Schools ranking. When you put them all together, these colleges and universities awarded 38,394 degrees in sociology during the 2020-2021 academic year.

Jump to one of the following sections: * Degree-Level Rankings

Choosing a Great Sociology School

Best Sociology Schools Your choice of sociology school matters, so we have put together these rankings to help you make your decision. In order to come up with a best overall ranking for sociology schools, we combine our degree-level rankings, weighting them by the number of degrees awarded at each level.

You may want to choose one of the degree levels below to find the schools of most interest to you.

Sociology Rankings by Degree Level

Associate Degrees in Sociology
Bachelor's Degrees in Sociology
Master's Degrees in Sociology
Doctor's Degrees in Sociology

Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we've developed the Best Sociology Schools ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision. If you'd like to restrict your choices to just one part of the country, you can filter this list by location.

In addition to our rankings, you can take two colleges and compare them based on the criteria that matters most to you in our unique tool, College Combat. Test it out when you get a chance! You may also want to bookmark the link and share it with others who are trying to make the college decision.

If you want to learn more about how we derive our rankings, see College Factual's Methodology.


 

Best Schools for Sociology in the United States

The schools below may not offer all types of sociology degrees so you may want to filter by degree level first. However, they are great for the degree levels they do offer. Only those schools that rank in the top 15% of all the schools we analyze get awarded with a place on this list.

25 Top Schools in Sociology

1
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
34th Most Popular In NY

Every student who is interested in sociology needs to check out Teachers College at Columbia University. Located in the city of New York, Teachers College is a private not-for-profit university with a small student population. A Best Colleges rank of #12 out of 2,217 schools nationwide means Teachers College is a great university overall.

There were approximately 23 sociology students who graduated with this degree at Teachers College in the most recent year we have data available.

More information about a degree in sociology from Teachers College at Columbia University

2
UPenn crest
University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
5th Most Popular In PA
37 Sociology Degrees Awarded

It's difficult to beat University of Pennsylvania if you wish to pursue a degree in sociology. Located in the large city of Philadelphia, UPenn is a private not-for-profit university with a fairly large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #4 out of 2,217 colleges nationwide means UPenn is a great university overall.

There were roughly 37 sociology students who graduated with this degree at UPenn in the most recent data year.

More information about a degree in sociology from University of Pennsylvania

3
Yale crest
Yale University
New Haven, CT
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
5th Most Popular In CT

Yale University is a great decision for students pursuing a degree in sociology. Located in the medium-sized city of New Haven, Yale is a private not-for-profit university with a large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #8 out of 2,217 schools nationwide means Yale is a great university overall.

There were roughly 30 sociology students who graduated with this degree at Yale in the most recent year we have data available.

More information about a degree in sociology from Yale University

4
Stanford crest
Stanford University
Stanford, CA
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
86th Most Popular In CA
48 Sociology Degrees Awarded

Stanford University is a wonderful option for students pursuing a degree in sociology. Stanford is a large private not-for-profit university located in the suburb of Stanford. A Best Colleges rank of #3 out of 2,217 colleges nationwide means Stanford is a great university overall.

There were approximately 48 sociology students who graduated with this degree at Stanford in the most recent year we have data available.

More information about a degree in sociology from Stanford University

5
Rice crest
Rice University
Houston, TX
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
13th Most Popular In TX
42 Sociology Degrees Awarded

Rice is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit university located in the large city of Houston. A Best Colleges rank of #16 out of 2,217 colleges nationwide means Rice is a great university overall.

There were about 42 sociology students who graduated with this degree at Rice in the most recent year we have data available.

More information about a degree in sociology from Rice University

6
Duke crest
Duke University
Durham, NC
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
6th Most Popular In NC
65 Sociology Degrees Awarded

Located in the city of Durham, Duke is a private not-for-profit university with a fairly large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #7 out of 2,217 schools nationwide means Duke is a great university overall.

There were about 65 sociology students who graduated with this degree at Duke in the most recent year we have data available.

More information about a degree in sociology from Duke University

7
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
11th Most Popular In NY
79 Sociology Degrees Awarded

Located in the large city of New York, Columbia is a private not-for-profit university with a very large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #14 out of 2,217 schools nationwide means Columbia is a great university overall.

There were about 79 sociology students who graduated with this degree at Columbia in the most recent data year.

More information about a degree in sociology from Columbia University in the City of New York

8
Princeton crest
Princeton University
Princeton, NJ
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
4th Most Popular In NJ
49 Sociology Degrees Awarded

Princeton is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit university located in the small city of Princeton. A Best Colleges rank of #10 out of 2,217 schools nationwide means Princeton is a great university overall.

There were about 49 sociology students who graduated with this degree at Princeton in the most recent year we have data available.

More information about a degree in sociology from Princeton University

9
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
5th Most Popular In IL
68 Sociology Degrees Awarded

Located in the large city of Chicago, UChicago is a private not-for-profit university with a large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #2 out of 2,217 schools nationwide means UChicago is a great university overall.

There were approximately 68 sociology students who graduated with this degree at UChicago in the most recent year we have data available.

More information about a degree in sociology from University of Chicago

10
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
7th Most Popular In IL
44 Sociology Degrees Awarded

Northwestern is a very large private not-for-profit university located in the small city of Evanston. A Best Colleges rank of #5 out of 2,217 colleges nationwide means Northwestern is a great university overall.

There were roughly 44 sociology students who graduated with this degree at Northwestern in the most recent year we have data available.

More information about a degree in sociology from Northwestern University

11
Harvard crest
Harvard University
Cambridge, MA
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
5th Most Popular In MA
63 Sociology Degrees Awarded

Harvard is a fairly large private not-for-profit university located in the city of Cambridge. A Best Colleges rank of #6 out of 2,217 schools nationwide means Harvard is a great university overall.

There were roughly 63 sociology students who graduated with this degree at Harvard in the most recent data year.

More information about a degree in sociology from Harvard University

12
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
7th Most Popular In CA
374 Sociology Degrees Awarded

UC Berkeley is a fairly large public university located in the midsize city of Berkeley. This university ranks 4th out of 168 schools for overall quality in the state of California.

There were approximately 374 sociology students who graduated with this degree at UC Berkeley in the most recent year we have data available.

More information about a degree in sociology from University of California - Berkeley

13
Vanderbilt crest
Vanderbilt University
Nashville, TN
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
2nd Most Popular In TN
58 Sociology Degrees Awarded

Vanderbilt is a large private not-for-profit university located in the large city of Nashville. This university ranks 1st out of 45 colleges for overall quality in the state of Tennessee.

There were approximately 58 sociology students who graduated with this degree at Vanderbilt in the most recent year we have data available.

More information about a degree in sociology from Vanderbilt University

14
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
1st Most Popular In CA
766 Sociology Degrees Awarded

Located in the large city of Los Angeles, UCLA is a public university with a very large student population. This university ranks 5th out of 168 colleges for overall quality in the state of California.

There were approximately 766 sociology students who graduated with this degree at UCLA in the most recent data year.

More information about a degree in sociology from University of California - Los Angeles

15
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
3rd Most Popular In IN
54 Sociology Degrees Awarded

Located in the large suburb of Notre Dame, Notre Dame is a private not-for-profit university with a fairly large student population. This university ranks 1st out of 42 colleges for overall quality in the state of Indiana.

There were about 54 sociology students who graduated with this degree at Notre Dame in the most recent year we have data available.

More information about a degree in sociology from University of Notre Dame

16
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
69th Most Popular In CA
63 Sociology Degrees Awarded

USC is a fairly large private not-for-profit university located in the large city of Los Angeles. A Best Colleges rank of #11 out of 2,217 schools nationwide means USC is a great university overall.

There were roughly 63 sociology students who graduated with this degree at USC in the most recent data year.

More information about a degree in sociology from University of Southern California

17
Dartmouth crest
Dartmouth College
Hanover, NH
Bachelor's Degree Highest Degree Type
3rd Most Popular In NH
31 Sociology Degrees Awarded

Dartmouth is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit college located in the remote town of Hanover. This college ranks 1st out of 17 schools for overall quality in the state of New Hampshire.

There were roughly 31 sociology students who graduated with this degree at Dartmouth in the most recent year we have data available.

More information about a degree in sociology from Dartmouth College

18
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
1st Most Popular In WA
274 Sociology Degrees Awarded

Located in the large city of Seattle, UW Seattle is a public university with a fairly large student population. This university ranks 1st out of 51 colleges for overall quality in the state of Washington.

There were roughly 274 sociology students who graduated with this degree at UW Seattle in the most recent year we have data available.

More information about a degree in sociology from University of Washington - Seattle Campus

19
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
1st Most Popular In WI
129 Sociology Degrees Awarded

Located in the city of Madison, UW - Madison is a public university with a fairly large student population. This university ranks 1st out of 46 schools for overall quality in the state of Wisconsin.

There were approximately 129 sociology students who graduated with this degree at UW - Madison in the most recent data year.

More information about a degree in sociology from University of Wisconsin - Madison

20
Bachelor's Degree Highest Degree Type
3rd Most Popular In MO
26.9% Growth in Graduates

Located in the suburb of Saint Louis, WUSTL is a private not-for-profit university with a large student population. This university ranks 1st out of 48 colleges for overall quality in the state of Missouri.

There were roughly 26 sociology students who graduated with this degree at WUSTL in the most recent year we have data available.

More information about a degree in sociology from Washington University in St Louis

21
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
4th Most Popular In MD
33 Sociology Degrees Awarded

Johns Hopkins is a very large private not-for-profit university located in the city of Baltimore. This university ranks 1st out of 36 schools for overall quality in the state of Maryland.

There were approximately 33 sociology students who graduated with this degree at Johns Hopkins in the most recent year we have data available.

More information about a degree in sociology from Johns Hopkins University

22
NYU crest
New York University
New York, NY
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
9th Most Popular In NY
78 Sociology Degrees Awarded

Located in the large city of New York, NYU is a private not-for-profit university with a fairly large student population. This university ranks 4th out of 142 schools for overall quality in the state of New York.

There were approximately 78 sociology students who graduated with this degree at NYU in the most recent data year.

More information about a degree in sociology from New York University

23
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
8th Most Popular In NY
91 Sociology Degrees Awarded

Cornell is a very large private not-for-profit university located in the small city of Ithaca. This university ranks 3rd out of 142 schools for overall quality in the state of New York.

There were approximately 91 sociology students who graduated with this degree at Cornell in the most recent year we have data available.

More information about a degree in sociology from Cornell University

24
Emory crest
Emory University
Atlanta, GA
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
4th Most Popular In GA
70 Sociology Degrees Awarded

Located in the large city of Atlanta, Emory is a private not-for-profit university with a fairly large student population. This university ranks 2nd out of 68 schools for overall quality in the state of Georgia.

There were approximately 70 sociology students who graduated with this degree at Emory in the most recent year we have data available.

More information about a degree in sociology from Emory University

25
Virginia Tech crest
Virginia Tech
Blacksburg, VA
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
1st Most Popular In VA
228 Sociology Degrees Awarded

Located in the city of Blacksburg, Virginia Tech is a public school with a very large student population. This school ranks 2nd out of 63 schools for overall quality in the state of Virginia.

There were about 228 sociology students who graduated with this degree at Virginia Tech in the most recent data year.

More information about a degree in sociology from Virginia Tech

Rest of the Top 50 Best Sociology Schools

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27
28
Georgetown crest
Georgetown University
Washington, DC
29
30
31
32

33

34
35
36
Brown crest
Brown University
Providence, RI
37
38
39
40
41

42

43
UF crest
University of Florida
Gainesville, FL
44
45
46
47
Boston College crest
Boston College
Chestnut Hill, MA
47
Williams crest
Williams College
Williamstown, MA
48
Colgate crest
Colgate University
Hamilton, NY
49
Michigan State crest
Michigan State University
East Lansing, MI

Remaining Award Winners

This list represents the remainder of the colleges awarded a Best Sociology Schools badge. Showing in this list means the school was ranked in the top 15% of the 561 different United States sociology schools we analyzed.

Rank College Location
50 Amherst College Amherst, MA
51 The Graduate Center, CUNY New York, NY
51 Pomona College Claremont, CA
52 University of Connecticut Storrs, CT
53 Tufts University Medford, MA
54 Case Western Reserve University Cleveland, OH
55 University of Georgia Athens, GA
56 San Jose State University San Jose, CA
57 University of California - Santa Cruz Santa Cruz, CA
58 Boston University Boston, MA
59 Wake Forest University Winston-Salem, NC
60 DePauw University Greencastle, IN
61 Santa Clara University Santa Clara, CA
62 University of Utah Salt Lake City, UT
63 University of Pittsburgh - Pittsburgh Campus Pittsburgh, PA
64 The University of Tennessee - Knoxville Knoxville, TN
65 University of California - Riverside Riverside, CA
66 University of Oklahoma Norman Campus Norman, OK
67 Florida State University Tallahassee, FL
68 Wellesley College Wellesley, MA
69 University of Miami Coral Gables, FL
70 Bowdoin College Brunswick, ME
71 San Diego State University San Diego, CA
72 George Washington University Washington, DC
73 Colorado State University - Fort Collins Fort Collins, CO
74 University of Iowa Iowa City, IA
75 University of Delaware Newark, DE
76 Tulane University of Louisiana New Orleans, LA
77 William & Mary Williamsburg, VA
78 California State University - East Bay Hayward, CA
79 Barnard College New York, NY
80 Fordham University Bronx, NY
81 Indiana University - Bloomington Bloomington, IN
82 Bucknell University Lewisburg, PA
83 Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College Baton Rouge, LA
84 Arizona State University - Tempe Tempe, AZ

Additional Noteworthy Schools

Here are some additional great schools for Sociology students that almost earned our Best Sociology Schools award.

Rank College Location
85 Iowa State University Ames, IA
86 University of Missouri - Columbia Columbia, MO
87 California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo San Luis Obispo, CA
88 Grinnell College Grinnell, IA
89 Providence College Providence, RI
89 University of Oregon Eugene, OR
91 Hunter College New York, NY
92 University of Illinois at Chicago Chicago, IL
93 Middlebury College Middlebury, VT
94 California State University - Long Beach Long Beach, CA
95 Syracuse University Syracuse, NY
96 Villanova University Villanova, PA
97 Hamilton College Clinton, NY
98 University of Arizona Tucson, AZ
99 Trinity College Hartford, CT
100 Vassar College Poughkeepsie, NY
101 Texas Christian University Fort Worth, TX
102 University of Nebraska - Lincoln Lincoln, NE
103 Western Washington University Bellingham, WA
104 North Carolina State University Raleigh, NC
105 University of Nevada - Las Vegas Las Vegas, NV
106 California State University - Sacramento Sacramento, CA
107 California State University - Fullerton Fullerton, CA
108 American University Washington, DC
109 University of North Dakota Grand Forks, ND
110 University of Kansas Lawrence, KS
111 North Dakota State University - Main Campus Fargo, ND
112 Stony Brook University Stony Brook, NY

Sociology by Region

View the Best Sociology Schools for a specific region near you.

Region
Southeast
New England
Rocky Mountains
Plains States
Middle Atlantic
Far Western US
Southwest
Other U.S. Territories
Great Lakes

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Sociology is one of 3 different types of Sociology programs to choose from.

Related Major Annual Graduates
Applied/Public Sociology 49

View All Sociology Related Majors >

Notes and References

More about our data sources and methodologies.

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