Best colleges for Sociology in North Carolina
Ranked by graduate earnings
Wake Forest University, Duke University and North Carolina State University at Raleigh are the top bachelor's Sociology programs in North Carolina by graduate earnings. Wake Forest University leads with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $46,257, College Scorecard. University of North Carolina at Charlotte, University of North Carolina at Pembroke and University of North Carolina at Greensboro award the most Sociology degrees in North Carolina: 146, 127 and 90 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25). 30 North Carolina colleges offer Sociology and award 910 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 | Wake Forest University Winston-Salem Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $46,257 | 27 | 89% | $20,914 | $23,000 |
| 2 | Duke University Durham Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $45,551 | 48 | 97% | $16,260 | — |
| 3 | North Carolina State University at Raleigh Raleigh Public · Bachelor's degree | $35,510 | 66 | 85% | — | $22,787 |
| 4 | University of North Carolina at Pembroke Pembroke Public · Bachelor's degree | $34,051 | 127 | 44% | — | $28,526 |
| 5 | Fayetteville State University Fayetteville Public · Bachelor's degree | $33,544 | 89 | 38% | — | $31,888 |
| 6 | East Carolina University Greenville Public · Bachelor's degree | $31,928 | 50 | 63% | — | $25,750 |
| 7 | University of North Carolina at Charlotte Charlotte Public · Bachelor's degree | $31,897 | 146 | 69% | — | $26,798 |
| 8 | Appalachian State University Boone Public · Bachelor's degree | $31,559 | 44 | 75% | — | $20,606 |
| 9 | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Chapel Hill Public · Bachelor's degree | $30,623 | 70 | 91% | — | $14,925 |
| 10 | University of North Carolina Wilmington Wilmington Public · Bachelor's degree | $29,220 | 32 | 71% | — | $24,125 |
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 | Davidson College Davidson Private not-for-profit · Certificate Small program | $26,303 | 6 | 91% | $16,628 | — |
Colleges awarding the most Sociology degrees in North Carolina
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 North Carolina at Charlotte Charlotte Public | 146 | $31,897 |
| 2 | University of North Carolina at Pembroke Pembroke Public | 127 | $34,051 |
| 3 | University of North Carolina at Greensboro Greensboro Public | 90 | $27,400 |
| 4 | Fayetteville State University Fayetteville Public | 89 | $33,544 |
| 5 | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Chapel Hill Public | 70 | $30,623 |
| 6 | North Carolina State University at Raleigh Raleigh Public | 66 | $35,510 |
| 7 | East Carolina University Greenville Public | 50 | $31,928 |
| 8 | Duke University Durham Private not-for-profit | 48 | $45,551 |
| 9 | Appalachian State University Boone Public | 44 | $31,559 |
| 10 | University of North Carolina Wilmington Wilmington Public | 32 | $29,220 |
ShowHide the other 20 North Carolina colleges offering Sociology
| Institution | City | Control | Graduates / yr |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wake Forest University | Winston-Salem | Private not-for-profit | 27 |
| North Carolina A & T State University | Greensboro | Public | 23 |
| University of North Carolina Asheville | Asheville | Public | 21 |
| Winston-Salem State University | Winston-Salem | Public | 12 |
| Elon University | Elon | Private not-for-profit | 10 |
| Western Carolina University | Cullowhee | Public | 9 |
| Davidson College | Davidson | Private not-for-profit | 6 |
| Meredith College | Raleigh | Private not-for-profit | 6 |
| Shaw University | Raleigh | Private not-for-profit | 6 |
| Salem College | Winston-Salem | Private not-for-profit | 5 |
| Wingate University | Wingate | Private not-for-profit | 4 |
| Gardner-Webb University | Boiling Springs | Private not-for-profit | 3 |
| Greensboro College | Greensboro | Private not-for-profit | 3 |
| Saint Augustine's University | Raleigh | Private not-for-profit | 3 |
| Catawba College | Salisbury | Private not-for-profit | 2 |
| Lenoir-Rhyne University | Hickory | Private not-for-profit | 2 |
| Livingstone College | Salisbury | Private not-for-profit | 2 |
| Queens University of Charlotte | Charlotte | Private not-for-profit | 2 |
| Mars Hill University | Mars Hill | Private not-for-profit | 1 |
| North Carolina Wesleyan University | Rocky Mount | Private not-for-profit | 1 |
Career outlook
What this program leads to: Sociologists (SOC 19-3041).
Top skills
What Sociologists earn in North Carolina
Related careers
Common questions
Answers for students comparing Sociology programs in North Carolina.
Which North Carolina colleges award the most Sociology degrees?+
University of North Carolina at Charlotte (146 graduates a year), University of North Carolina at Pembroke (127 graduates a year) and University of North Carolina at Greensboro (90 graduates a year) award the most Sociology degrees in North Carolina, per IPEDS 2024–25 completions. In all, 30 North Carolina colleges offer Sociology.
What is the best college for Sociology in North Carolina?+
By graduate earnings, Wake Forest University leads among bachelor's Sociology programs in North Carolina, with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $46,257, College Scorecard. Duke University and North Carolina State University at Raleigh follow. By degrees awarded, University of North Carolina at Charlotte is the largest, with 146 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25).
Which Sociology program in North Carolina has the highest-earning graduates?+
By median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard, Wake Forest University tops the list at $46,257. Compare it against graduates a year, graduation rate, cost, and debt in the ranked table above.
How much do Sociologists earn in North Carolina?+
The average annual wage for Sociologists in North Carolina is $129,740 (median $126,760), across about 170 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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