Best colleges for Sociology in New York
Ranked by graduate earnings
Columbia University, Colgate University and Barnard College are the top bachelor's Sociology programs in New York by graduate earnings. Columbia University leads with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $58,541, College Scorecard. CUNY Hunter College, University at Albany and CUNY Lehman College award the most Sociology degrees in New York: 141, 125 and 118 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25). 71 New York colleges offer Sociology and award 1,856 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 | Columbia University New York Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $58,541 | 85 | 96% | $15,315 | $31,000 |
| 2 | Colgate University Hamilton Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $51,788 | 34 | 91% | $22,903 | — |
| 3 | Barnard College New York Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $48,215 | 28 | 93% | $24,675 | $15,899 |
| 4 | CUNY Lehman College Bronx Public · Bachelor's degree | $42,710 | 118 | 51% | — | $11,247 |
| 5 | CUNY Brooklyn College Brooklyn Public · Bachelor's degree | $41,062 | 28 | 54% | — | — |
| 6 | CUNY York College Jamaica Public · Bachelor's degree | $40,515 | 21 | 32% | — | $14,650 |
| 7 | CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice New York Public · Bachelor's degree | $40,401 | 34 | 56% | — | $14,125 |
| 8 | Syracuse University Syracuse Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $38,632 | 52 | 84% | $28,851 | $24,750 |
| 9 | St. John's University - New York Queens Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $38,216 | 20 | 66% | $27,359 | $27,000 |
| 10 | SUNY Old Westbury Old Westbury Public · Bachelor's degree | $37,826 | 30 | 45% | — | $23,503 |
Top certificate or associate program
Shorter credentials, ranked separately so they are not compared with four-year degrees. Ranked by median earnings one year after completion (often called starting salary), College Scorecard.
| # | Institution | Starting salary (1 yr) | Graduates / yr | Grad rate | Net price | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | CUNY Borough of Manhattan Community College New York Public · Associate degree Small program | $16,893 | 19 | 25% | — | $5,500 |
Colleges awarding the most Sociology degrees in New York
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 | CUNY Hunter College New York Public | 141 | $30,246 |
| 2 | University at Albany Albany Public | 125 | $33,433 |
| 3 | CUNY Lehman College Bronx Public | 118 | $42,710 |
| 4 | University at Buffalo Buffalo Public | 118 | $28,593 |
| 5 | Columbia University New York Private not-for-profit | 85 | $58,541 |
| 6 | State University of New York at New Paltz New Paltz Public | 81 | $26,901 |
| 7 | New York University New York Private not-for-profit | 78 | $22,697 |
| 8 | Stony Brook University Stony Brook Public | 78 | $32,912 |
| 9 | CUNY Queens College Queens Public | 60 | $31,975 |
| 10 | CUNY City College New York Public | 54 | $28,825 |
ShowHide the other 61 New York colleges offering Sociology
| Institution | City | Control | Graduates / yr |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cornell University | Ithaca | Private not-for-profit | 52 |
| Syracuse University | Syracuse | Private not-for-profit | 52 |
| CUNY Graduate School and University Center (Online) | New York | Public | 51 |
| Binghamton University | Vestal | Public | 38 |
| Fordham University | Bronx | Private not-for-profit | 36 |
| Colgate University | Hamilton | Private not-for-profit | 34 |
| CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice | New York | Public | 34 |
| SUNY Old Westbury | Old Westbury | Public | 30 |
| Barnard College | New York | Private not-for-profit | 28 |
| CUNY Brooklyn College | Brooklyn | Public | 28 |
| Teachers College at Columbia University (Graduate only) | New York | Private not-for-profit | 27 |
| Skidmore College | Saratoga Springs | Private not-for-profit | 23 |
| CUNY York College | Jamaica | Public | 21 |
| United States Military Academy | West Point | Public | 21 |
| CUNY Bernard M Baruch College | New York | Public | 20 |
| St. John's University - New York | Queens | Private not-for-profit | 20 |
| SUNY College at Potsdam | Potsdam | Public | 20 |
| CUNY Borough of Manhattan Community College | New York | Public | 19 |
| Hobart William Smith Colleges | Geneva | Private not-for-profit | 19 |
| Hamilton College | Clinton | Private not-for-profit | 18 |
| The New School | New York | Private not-for-profit | 18 |
| St Lawrence University | Canton | Private not-for-profit | 18 |
| SUNY College at Geneseo | Geneseo | Public | 18 |
| University of Mount Saint Vincent | Bronx | Private not-for-profit | 17 |
| SUNY Buffalo State University | Buffalo | Public | 16 |
| Le Moyne College | Syracuse | Private not-for-profit | 15 |
| SUNY Oneonta | Oneonta | Public | 15 |
| SUNY at Purchase College | Purchase | Public | 15 |
| Vassar College | Poughkeepsie | Private not-for-profit | 14 |
| Yeshiva University | New York | Private not-for-profit | 13 |
| Ithaca College | Ithaca | Private not-for-profit | 12 |
| State University of New York at Cortland | Cortland | Public | 12 |
| Adelphi University | Garden City | Private not-for-profit | 10 |
| SUNY Brockport | Brockport | Public | 10 |
| Hofstra University | Hempstead | Private not-for-profit | 9 |
| Iona University | New Rochelle | Private not-for-profit | 9 |
| Siena University | Loudonville | Private not-for-profit | 9 |
| State University of New York at Oswego | Oswego | Public | 9 |
| Union College | Schenectady | Private not-for-profit | 9 |
| Hartwick College | Oneonta | Private not-for-profit | 7 |
| Mercy University | Dobbs Ferry | Private not-for-profit | 7 |
| Suffolk County Community College | Selden | Public | 7 |
| State University of New York at Plattsburgh | Plattsburgh | Public | 6 |
| Wagner College | Staten Island | Private not-for-profit | 6 |
| Manhattan University | Riverdale | Private not-for-profit | 5 |
| Manhattanville University | Purchase | Private not-for-profit | 5 |
| Russell Sage College | Troy | Private not-for-profit | 5 |
| Niagara University | Niagara University | Private not-for-profit | 4 |
| St. Joseph's University - New York | Brooklyn | Private not-for-profit | 4 |
| D'Youville University | Buffalo | Private not-for-profit | 3 |
| St. Francis College | Brooklyn | Private not-for-profit | 3 |
| Touro University | New York | Private not-for-profit | 3 |
| Canisius University | Buffalo | Private not-for-profit | 2 |
| Nazareth University | Rochester | Private not-for-profit | 2 |
| SUNY Polytechnic Institute | Utica | Public | 2 |
| SUNY at Fredonia | Fredonia | Public | 2 |
| Utica University | Utica | Private not-for-profit | 2 |
| Alfred University | Alfred | Private not-for-profit | 1 |
| Long Island University | Brookville | Private not-for-profit | 1 |
| St Bonaventure University | Saint Bonaventure | Private not-for-profit | 1 |
| St. John Fisher University | Rochester | Private not-for-profit | 1 |
Career outlook
What this program leads to: Sociologists (SOC 19-3041).
Top skills
What Sociologists earn in New York
Related careers
Common questions
Answers for students comparing Sociology programs in New York.
Which New York colleges award the most Sociology degrees?+
CUNY Hunter College (141 graduates a year), University at Albany (125 graduates a year) and CUNY Lehman College (118 graduates a year) award the most Sociology degrees in New York, per IPEDS 2024–25 completions. In all, 71 New York colleges offer Sociology.
What is the best college for Sociology in New York?+
By graduate earnings, Columbia University leads among bachelor's Sociology programs in New York, with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $58,541, College Scorecard. Colgate University and Barnard College follow. By degrees awarded, CUNY Hunter College is the largest, with 141 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25).
Which Sociology program in New York has the highest-earning graduates?+
By median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard, Columbia University tops the list at $58,541. Compare it against graduates a year, graduation rate, cost, and debt in the ranked table above.
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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