Best colleges for Sociology in California
Ranked by graduate earnings
National University, Occidental College and University of California-Berkeley are the top bachelor's Sociology programs in California by graduate earnings. National University leads with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $46,505, College Scorecard. University of California-Los Angeles, University of California-Santa Barbara and California State University - Northridge award the most Sociology degrees in California: 672, 667 and 341 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25). 178 California colleges offer Sociology and award 11,293 degrees and certificates a year in all.
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 bachelor's programs, ranked by graduate earnings
Ranked by median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard. Programs with fewer than 20 graduates a year, a graduation rate under 30%, or online, degree-completion or graduate-only status rank after the rest.
| # | Institution | Starting salary (1 yr) | Graduates / yr | Grad rate | Net price | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | National University San Diego Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $46,505 | 39 | 43% | $31,817 | $28,125 |
| 2 | Occidental College Los Angeles Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $42,653 | 21 | 81% | $28,024 | $21,250 |
| 3 | University of California-Berkeley Berkeley Public · Bachelor's degree | $40,774 | 251 | 93% | — | $13,131 |
| 4 | San Francisco State University San Francisco Public · Bachelor's degree | $40,763 | 114 | 50% | — | $15,000 |
| 5 | California State University - East Bay Hayward Public · Bachelor's degree | $39,378 | 96 | 48% | — | $18,654 |
| 6 | Chapman University Orange Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $39,278 | 22 | 82% | $42,965 | $20,500 |
| 7 | Sonoma State University Rohnert Park Public · Bachelor's degree | $37,896 | 58 | 58% | — | $18,000 |
| 8 | University of California-Merced Merced Public · Bachelor's degree | $37,092 | 88 | 69% | — | $17,515 |
| 9 | California State University - Sacramento Sacramento Public · Bachelor's degree | $37,040 | 235 | 56% | — | $16,100 |
| 10 | California State University - Chico Chico Public · Bachelor's degree | $36,992 | 198 | 63% | — | $16,049 |
Colleges awarding the most Sociology degrees in California
Top 10 by graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25 completions). Certificate and associate programs, online, degree-completion and graduate-only schools, and schools with a graduation rate under 30% are listed in full below.
| # | Institution | Graduates / yr | Starting salary (1 yr) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of California-Los Angeles Los Angeles Public | 672 | $34,121 |
| 2 | University of California-Santa Barbara Santa Barbara Public | 667 | $34,372 |
| 3 | California State University - Northridge Northridge Public | 341 | $34,093 |
| 4 | California State University - Fullerton Fullerton Public | 319 | $34,714 |
| 5 | California State University - Long Beach Long Beach Public | 303 | $31,270 |
| 6 | California State University - Los Angeles Los Angeles Public | 259 | $34,092 |
| 7 | University of California-Irvine Irvine Public | 257 | $34,050 |
| 8 | University of California-Davis Davis Public | 255 | $32,137 |
| 9 | University of California-Berkeley Berkeley Public | 251 | $40,774 |
| 10 | California State University - Sacramento Sacramento Public | 235 | $37,040 |
ShowHide the other 168 California colleges offering Sociology
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 California colleges award the most Sociology degrees?+
University of California-Los Angeles (672 graduates a year), University of California-Santa Barbara (667 graduates a year) and California State University - Northridge (341 graduates a year) award the most Sociology degrees in California, per IPEDS 2024–25 completions. In all, 178 California colleges offer Sociology.
What is the best college for Sociology in California?+
By graduate earnings, National University leads among bachelor's Sociology programs in California, with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $46,505, College Scorecard. Occidental College and University of California-Berkeley follow. By degrees awarded, University of California-Los Angeles is the largest, with 672 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25).
Which Sociology program in California has the highest-earning graduates?+
By median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard, National University tops the list at $46,505. Compare it against graduates a year, 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.
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