Best institutions to study Sociology in California
Sociology is the scientific study of human society, focusing on social behavior, relationships, and cultural aspects of everyday life. This program is ideal for students interested in understanding the complexities of social interactions…
Top 10 institutions, ranked by graduate earnings
Earnings = median 1 year after graduation (College Scorecard).
| # | Institution | Grad earnings (1 yr) | Completions | Grad rate | Net price | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Santa Clara University Santa Clara Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $53,612 | 12 | 88% | $44,094 | — |
| 2 | National University San Diego Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $46,505 | 39 | 43% | $31,817 | $28,125 |
| 3 | Occidental College Los Angeles Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $42,653 | 21 | 81% | $28,024 | $21,250 |
| 4 | University of California - Berkeley Berkeley Public · Bachelor's degree | $40,774 | 251 | 93% | — | $13,131 |
| 5 | San Francisco State University San Francisco Public · Bachelor's degree | $40,763 | 114 | 50% | — | $15,000 |
| 6 | Mount Saint Mary's University Los Angeles Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $40,451 | 13 | 53% | $25,892 | $29,250 |
| 7 | California State University - East Bay Hayward Public · Bachelor's degree | $39,378 | 96 | 48% | — | $18,654 |
| 8 | Chapman University Orange Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $39,278 | 22 | 82% | $42,965 | $20,500 |
| 9 | Sonoma State University Rohnert Park Public · Bachelor's degree | $37,896 | 58 | 58% | — | $18,000 |
| 10 | University of California - Merced Merced Public · Bachelor's degree | $37,092 | 88 | 69% | — | $17,515 |
Career outlook
What this program leads to: Sociologists (SOC 19-3041).
Top skills
What Sociologists earn in California
Related careers
Common questions
Answers for students comparing Sociology programs in California.
Which Sociology program in California has the highest-earning graduates?+
By median earnings one year after graduation (College Scorecard), Santa Clara University tops the list at $53,612. Compare it against completions, graduation rate, cost, and debt in the ranked table above.
How much do Sociologists earn in California?+
The average annual wage for Sociologists in California is $123,090 (median $125,770), across about 590 jobs. Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025.
What is the focus of the Sociology program?+
Sociology is the scientific study of human society, focusing on social behavior, relationships, and cultural aspects of everyday life. This program is ideal for students interested in understanding the complexities of social interactions…
What skills will I develop in this program?+
You will develop speaking, active listening, writing, active learning, and related professional skills.
What is the job outlook for Sociologists?+
The national job outlook is about +3.6% growth with around 300 annual openings (BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034).
What is the typical education requirement?+
A Master's degree is the typical entry-level education for this field (BLS).
About the data on this page
Every figure comes from an official federal or public source. Here is each one and the release it is currently on.
Explore every U.S. college in one conversation
Clema turns plain-language questions into sourced answers across every U.S. institution — earnings, aid, acceptance, graduation, safety, and athletics from IPEDS, College Scorecard, and 10+ federal datasets, built in.
Free for teams up to 3 · No credit card