### SUMMARY

 Majoring in Sociology is a valuable choice and naturally a required first step for undergraduates hoping to enter a career as an intern recruiter, a counselor, or a survey researcher. Interestingly, nationally, sociology is a very popular major choice, ranking as the 20th most popular area of study. Last year, there were 29,920 sociology diplomas received. In-state tuition for sociology at private institutions is, on average, 4.1 times more costly than their public rivals.

 With a staggering 997 schools offering sociology chances are that any institutions you are interested in will have an option for you. If you're hoping to surround yourself with other sociology students, look at schools in California which have more undergrads admitted to sociology than any other state. More generally, the best region to major in sociology is in the Far West region with [California State University-Northridge](/colleges/california-state-university-northridge), [University of California-Los Angeles](/colleges/university-of-california-los-angeles), and [University of California-Santa Barbara](/colleges/university-of-california-santa-barbara) best representing the region. Interestingly, our selection for the best conference to study sociology is the Big West Conference with [California State University-Fullerton](/colleges/california-state-university-fullerton), [California State University-Northridge](/colleges/california-state-university-northridge), and [University of California-Santa Barbara](/colleges/university-of-california-santa-barbara) representing the conference. On that topic, our choice for the best college for sociology is [Stanford University](/colleges/stanford-university). You may also want to check out our list of the [best colleges](/rankings/best-colleges).

 The objectively best school is not necessarily the best school for every student. There can be a bunch of factors to weigh when choosing institution. Things such as campus amenities, transportation services, and food would impact your choice on where to go to university. At authority.org, we evaluated the pros and cons for you. If, as an example, you are interested in which sociology university is home to the best campus, the answer is [Harvard University](/colleges/harvard-university). If, for example, you are very interested in which school boasts the best campus, then we have an entire list [dedicated to that](/rankings/best-college-campuses). We have carefully pored through professor reviews, student reviews, government databases, and more to evaluate each major in an unbiased and informative way. You can explore our well researched list for the schools with the [best student life](/rankings/best-student-life)&nbsphere and from that list, our selection of the school with the best student life for sociology is [Cornell University](/colleges/cornell-university). Curious why? Continue scrolling to discover more about our top choices. Many of our picks will probably surprise you.

 If expense is a primary deciding factor in your decisions, you might consider avoiding [Columbia University in the City of New York](/colleges/columbia-university-in-the-city-of-new-york). [Columbia University in the City of New York](/colleges/columbia-university-in-the-city-of-new-york)&nbspis our most expensive university for sociology, at least for out of state students. We do have an entire page for the [most expensive](/rankings/most-expensive-colleges)&nbspcolleges that might put the price tag of [Columbia University in the City of New York](/colleges/columbia-university-in-the-city-of-new-york)&nbspinto perspective. Additionally, you could be interested to know that sociology is the 35th most expensive program in the US, with an average associated cost of $51,000. On a broader scale, the most costly state for sociology in the country is District of Columbia with costs at the primary three institutions American University, George Washington University, and Georgetown University of $49,070, $54,453, and $54,453 respectively. Even more broadly, the most expensive region for sociology is the New England region which is best demonstrated with [Amherst College](/colleges/amherst-college) with a cost of $57,640, [Tufts University](/colleges/tufts-university) with a cost of $57,324, and [Brown University](/colleges/brown-university) with a cost of $57,112.

 Our cheapest region for sociology is the Southwest region which is represented by [Eastern New Mexico University-Main Campus](/colleges/eastern-new-mexico-university-main-campus) with a cost of $5,994, [The University of Texas of the Permian Basin](/colleges/the-university-of-texas-of-the-permian-basin) with a cost of $5,767, and [West Texas A & M University](/colleges/west-texas-a-m-university) with a cost of $6,960. In better news, the most affordable university for sociology is [SUNY at Albany](/colleges/suny-at-albany). Authority.org's full list of the most affordable schools can be explored [here](/rankings/most-affordable-colleges).

 In-state attendees can anticipate paying in the neighborhood of $9,900 for a degree in sociology. The price swells intensely to a median of $22,500 for the out-of-state public-school undergraduate. Our choice for the college with the best value for sociology: [Stanford University](/colleges/stanford-university). Here you will see our comprehensive list on the colleges we believe to be the [best value](/rankings/best-value-colleges)&nbspoverall. Do know, this discussion is predicated on being an out-of-state student. The value proposition changes when in-state tuition is considered, as such, we are using out-of-state tuition as the baseline.

 Earnings for sociology majors vary widely, but within two-years of graduation students will regularly earn around $35,900. There is much variation in earnings potential; highest paid earners can experience pay up to $75,400. Straight out of college, the lowest earning positions within the sociology field earn $17,100, which is an alright wage. The highest earning grads from sociology attended [Stanford University](/colleges/stanford-university)&nbspand if you want to find the schools with all of the [highest earning graduates](/rankings/highest-earning-graduates), Authority has that too.

 The overall diversity of sociology is very near the top, ranking in the 99th percentile of all majors. The university with the most composite diversity for sociology is [New York University](/colleges/new-york-university)&nbspand here you can find our general list of the schools which have the [most diversity](/rankings/most-diverse-colleges). The financial diversity of the Sociology major ranks only within the 42nd percentile compared to all other majors. Racial diversity is actually above financial diversity, in the 99th percentile. White students make up the largest share at 35% of scholars studying sociology. Additionally, 73% of scholars pursuing a sociology degree are women.

 The median rating of sociology professors is 4.2 stars, a rating that is 5% above the average for all majors; this is a good score. If you are searching for the most popular sociology instructor in the nation, consider looking up Nicole Youngman at [Southeastern Louisiana University](/colleges/southeastern-louisiana-university). It may come as a surprise, but the highest rated professors of sociology according to students are found at [University of Arkansas](/colleges/university-of-arkansas). If we consider information other than basic rankings it becomes clear that the university with comprehensively the best instructors for sociology is [Stanford University](/colleges/stanford-university). You can find more detail on our ever evolving ranking methodology of the [best overall professors here](/rankings/best-professors), along with some of the finest instructors nationwide.

 Finally, the most difficult college to get into for sociology is [Stanford University](/colleges/stanford-university). While we think of this list more as a novelty, we have an extensive list for the [hardest colleges to get into](/rankings/hardest-colleges-to-get-into). That being said, we hope you believe that looking at the education process from examples primarily built on superlatives might cause issues. We encourage you to read our more focused pages on different universities and read a few of Authority's background articles on important things to look for as you continue your school search.



 ### POPULARITY

 Sociology is the 20th most popular degree in America, with 29,920 students receiving their bachelors degree last year. It just beat out #21 [Elementary Education and Teaching](/rankings/best-colleges-for-elementary-education-and-teaching), and narrowly lost to #19 [Computer Science](/rankings/best-colleges-for-computer-science).

 The degree is offered at a total of 997 colleges across the nation, and is the 17th most widely offered degree. Given that sociology is offered at 81% of the Top 100 [Best Colleges](/rankings/best-colleges) in America, you can be sure this is a critical degree and the skillsets acquired are likely to last for a long time.

 It is also worth noting that 53% of colleges offering sociology are public making it a pretty accessible field.

 The far west produces the most sociology graduates, largely led by [California State University-Northridge](/colleges/california-state-university-northridge), while it’s the Big West Conference that leads conference totals. As far as states, California ranks highest, with particular help from [California State University-Northridge](/colleges/california-state-university-northridge) and [University of California-Los Angeles](/colleges/university-of-california-los-angeles).

 All that being said, no individual school produces more sociology graduates than [Eastern Arizona College](/colleges/eastern-arizona-college), which graduated 658 students last year alone. Although size is critical, another important factor to consider is the program’s density (the percent of all students that study sociology). More students studied sociology as a percentage of total students at [Paine College](/colleges/paine-college) than any other college.



 ### COST

 Sociology is the 35th most expensive degree in the United States, with a median cost of $51,014 among the top 50 programs.

 New England has the most expensive colleges with top 50 sociology programs predominantly led by [Amherst College](/colleges/amherst-college) with an annual cost of $57,640. District of Columbia is the most expensive state for sociology led by [American University](/colleges/american-university) and [George Washington University](/colleges/george-washington-university).

 Public schools with good programs by and large charge 75.59% less than private schools for in-state students. However, when looking at out-of-state tuition, the median top 50 Public school charges 44.3% less than your average private school. So, if you're trying to find a state school, make sure you qualify for in-state tuition sooner rather than later.

 The most costly option in the top 25 is [Columbia University in the City of New York](/colleges/columbia-university-in-the-city-of-new-york), which is the 3rd most expensive college in the United States. The most affordable option in the top 100 is [CUNY Hunter College](/colleges/cuny-hunter-college). It costs just $14,880 per year, but it's ranked 89th for its sociology program. If you’re looking for the least expensive option in the top 25, [SUNY at Albany](/colleges/suny-at-albany)  could be right for you, ranked #24 with an in-state cost of just $7,070. Another more affordable choice would be #21, [Texas A & M University-College Station](/colleges/texas-a-m-university-college-station) in Brazos County, TX with a cost of $8,532 for in-state students and $34,981 for out-of-state students.



### SALARY

 Paying for college is an important investment for most undergraduates. It's critical to make sure you enlarge your earning power. We aim for the following income and job placement stats to support you in deciding your major at college.

 The average Sociology major brings home a starting income of $32,845 a year (bottom 30%). With experience in their vocations, they usually draw anywhere between $17,053 and $75,355, but average about $35,935. Just so you know, that is 8% less than the United States average.

 The most popular job title for a Sociology graduate is Analyst, which generally make near $54,000; next are Business Development Representative and Account Executive, which usually make more or less $42,000 and $36,000 respectively.

 The highest earning region for Sociology graduates is New England. WV has the most well paid Sociology alumni of any state. Ivy League has the highest grossing Sociology graduates of any conference..



### PROFESSORS

 Fast Facts for Sociology: Median Professor Rating: 4.2 / 5, which is above average.

 Professors consistently have a heavy influence your college experience, regardless of your focus. A good instructor could provide inspiration and even make a difficult subject seem fun. Conversely, a bad professor can interrupt your education or even worse... flunk you!

 Sociology professors have a median student rating of 4.2 out of 5, which puts them in the upper 33rd percentile in the nation grounded in overall professor effectivness. For context that's 5% greater than the national median professor rating for all subjects. Professors of Sociology barely edged-out those from ["Stringed Instruments"](/rankings/best-colleges-for-stringed-instruments), whereas ["Jewish Studies"](/rankings/best-colleges-for-jewish-studies)&nbspprofessors ranked one slot above Sociology.

 Now for some statistics about Sociology professors. Colleges located in midsize citys tend to have the best Sociology professors. The Conference USA has the highest rated Sociology professors. The Southwest region has the highest rated Sociology professors. Public universities tend to have higher rated Sociology professors than private colleges. Finally, Texas has the highest rated Sociology professors in the nation.

 Nicole Youngman, professor at [Southeastern Louisiana University](/colleges/southeastern-louisiana-university)&nbspin Hammond, LA is the most popular Sociology professor in the United States. Heath Harllee, instructor at [University of North Texas](/colleges/university-of-north-texas)&nbspin Denton, TX is the highest rated Sociology professor in America, with a rating of 5 / 5.

 See which colleges have the [Best Professors](/rankings/best-professors)!



### STUDENTS

 College often is an exceedingly impactful time of one's life; it's a chance for individual growth and maturation. Scholars attempt to discover what they want to do with their lives and build many of the imperative skills to be a halcyon adult. But learning goes beyond a classroom - the discussions one has with her classmates, the personal lesson learned from an eccentric professor, the exposure to a different worldview. Therefore, a diverse campus greatly enriches what you gain from your time at university.

 Sociology is the 3rd most diverse subject \*. It has the 10th largest share of white students. 35% of America's Sociology majors are white students, followed by latino students (33%), students of other races\*\*(12%), and asian students (11%). The most racially diverse college\* in the top 100 is [Rice University](/colleges/rice-university) located in Houston, TX.

 Secondly, Sociology significatly skews female, with 73% of students majoring in Sociology identifying as women. The most gender balanced school in the top 100 is [University of Chicago](/colleges/university-of-chicago) in Chicago, IL.

 Another substantial type of diversity is economic diversity. Sociology is close to the median for socioeconomic diversity (58th percentile). 29% of its students come from high income homes, 16% are from homes with $48,000 to $75,000 annual incomes, and 26% grew up in households with a sub $30,000 annual income. [University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill](/colleges/university-of-north-carolina-at-chapel-hill) is the most economically diverse institution in the top 100.

 Considering each type of diversity, overall NY is the most diverse state for Sociology. The Mid East is the most diverse region, and the Conference USA is the most diverse conference.

   \* diversity calculations and comparisons are based on [Simpson's Diversity Index](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diversity_index)   
  \*\* other races is used to refer to non asian, black, latino, or white

  #### Diversity Statistics

  ##### Racial Diversity

 * Asian: 11%
* Black: 9%
* Latino: 33%
* White: 35%
* Other: 12%
  ##### Gender Diversity

 * Male: 27%
* Female: 73%
  ##### Socioeconomic Diversity (By Household Income)

 * Under 30k: 26%
* 30k - 48k: 15%
* 48k - 75k: 16%
* 75k - 110k: 14%
* Over 110k: 29%
  ##### Geographic Diversity

 * In State: 63%
* Out of State: 29%
* International: 9%


2023 Sociology Popularity

There are about 128,836 students enrolled in Sociology in the USA.

POPULARITY