Best institutions to study Sociology
A program that focuses on the systematic study of human social institutions and social relationships.
1,030 U.S. institutions graduated 27,731 Sociology students in 2024–25 (IPEDS). It is CIP 45.1101, a specialization of Sociology (CIP 45.11), and leads most directly to the Sociologists occupation (BLS SOC 19-3041).
About Sociology programs
A program that focuses on the systematic study of human social institutions and social relationships. Includes instruction in social theory, sociological research methods, social organization and structure, social stratification and hierarchies, dynamics of social change, family structures, social deviance and control, and applications to the study of specific social groups, social institutions, and social problems.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics, Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP 2020).
The Sociology program offers a comprehensive exploration of human social institutions and relationships. It is designed for students interested in understanding social dynamics, structures, and the factors that influence human behavior within various contexts. This program is ideal for those who are curious about societal issues and wish to make a positive impact in their communities.
Students in the Sociology program will develop essential skills in speaking, active listening, and critical thinking. Coursework typically includes social theory, research methods, and the study of social stratification, family structures, and social change, equipping graduates with a deep understanding of social behavior and institutions.
Credentials awarded
What Sociology graduates earned in 2024–25, by award level (IPEDS completions).
- Bachelor's degree20,955 graduates / yr · 845 institutions76%
- Associate's degree4,947 graduates / yr · 182 institutions18%
- Master's degree1,111 graduates / yr · 181 institutions4.0%
- Doctor's degree - research/scholarship533 graduates / yr · 109 institutions1.9%
- Award of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic year154 graduates / yr · 16 institutions0.6%
- Postbaccalaureate certificate30 graduates / yr · 11 institutions0.1%
- Post-master's certificate1 graduates / yr · 1 institution0.0%
Graduates over time
Sociology completions reported to IPEDS each year, all award levels combined.
| Year | Graduates |
|---|---|
| 2012 | 33,730 |
| 2013 | 34,541 |
| 2014 | 34,613 |
| 2015 | 33,963 |
| 2016 | 33,464 |
| 2017 | 33,581 |
| 2018 | 34,369 |
| 2019 | 34,484 |
| 2020 | 34,632 |
| 2021 | 35,241 |
| 2022 | 32,373 |
| 2023 | 30,157 |
| 2024 | 28,459 |
| 2025 | 27,731 |
Top 50 institutions for Sociology, ranked by graduates
Graduates (IPEDS completions), 2024–25. Award levels show which credentials each institution confers in this specialization.
| # | Institution | Graduates / yr | Grad rate | Net price | Field earnings* (1 yr) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of California - Los Angeles Los Angeles, CAPublicBachelor's | 672 | 93% | — | $34,121 |
| 2 | University of California - Santa Barbara Santa Barbara, CAPublicBachelor'sDoctoralMaster's | 667 | 83% | — | $34,372 |
| 3 | California State University - Northridge Northridge, CAPublicBachelor'sMaster's | 341 | 57% | — | $34,093 |
| 4 | California State University - Fullerton Fullerton, CAPublicBachelor'sMaster's | 319 | 70% | — | $34,714 |
| 5 | California State University - Long Beach Long Beach, CAPublicBachelor'sMaster's | 303 | 69% | — | $31,270 |
| 6 | California State University - Los Angeles Los Angeles, CAPublicBachelor'sMaster's | 259 | 53% | — | $34,092 |
| 7 | University of California - Irvine Irvine, CAPublicBachelor's | 257 | 87% | — | $34,050 |
| 8 | University of California - Davis Davis, CAPublicBachelor'sMaster'sDoctoral | 255 | 86% | — | $32,137 |
| 9 | University of California - Berkeley Berkeley, CAPublicBachelor'sMaster'sDoctoral | 251 | 93% | — | $40,774 |
| 10 | California State University - Sacramento Sacramento, CAPublicBachelor's | 235 | 56% | — | $37,040 |
| 11 | University of California - Riverside Riverside, CAPublicBachelor'sDoctoral | 234 | 76% | — | $29,367 |
| 12 | California State University - San Bernardino San Bernardino, CAPublicBachelor's | 231 | 55% | — | $30,126 |
| 13 | Texas A&M University - College Station College Station, TXPublicBachelor'sDoctoralMaster's | 219 | 84% | — | $35,848 |
| 14 | Arizona State University Digital Immersion Scottsdale, AZPublicBachelor'sMaster's | 217 | 0% | — | $40,029 |
| 15 | California State University - San Marcos San Marcos, CAPublicBachelor'sMaster's | 215 | 55% | — | $34,541 |
| 16 | Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College Baton Rouge, LAPublicBachelor'sDoctoralMaster's | 208 | 69% | — | $27,846 |
| 17 | California State University - Chico Chico, CAPublicBachelor's | 198 | 63% | — | $36,992 |
| 18 | Mt San Antonio College Walnut, CAPublicAssociate's | 192 | 45% | — | — |
| 19 | California State University - Dominguez Hills Carson, CAPublicBachelor'sMaster's | 190 | 43% | — | $34,350 |
| 20 | Purdue University - Main Campus West Lafayette, INPublicBachelor'sMaster'sDoctoral | 179 | 83% | — | $36,826 |
| 21 | Long Beach City College Long Beach, CAPublicAssociate's | 177 | 30% | — | — |
| 22 | Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University Blacksburg, VAPublicBachelor'sMaster'sDoctoral | 172 | 86% | — | $38,768 |
| 23 | Colorado State University - Fort Collins Fort Collins, COPublicBachelor'sMaster'sDoctoral | 161 | 67% | — | $37,335 |
| 24 | University of Washington - Seattle Campus Seattle, WAPublicBachelor'sMaster'sDoctoral | 160 | 85% | — | $40,062 |
| 25 | University of Colorado Boulder Boulder, COPublicBachelor'sDoctoralMaster's | 156 | 74% | — | $37,958 |
| 26 | San Diego State University San Diego, CAPublicBachelor'sMaster's | 155 | 76% | — | $35,136 |
| 27 | California State Polytechnic University - Pomona Pomona, CAPublicBachelor's | 152 | 68% | — | $30,432 |
| 28 | San Jose State University San Jose, CAPublicBachelor's | 151 | 69% | — | — |
| 29 | The University of Texas at Austin Austin, TXPublicBachelor'sDoctoralPost-degree cert.Master's | 149 | 89% | — | $39,621 |
| 30 | University of North Carolina at Charlotte Charlotte, NCPublicBachelor'sMaster's | 146 | 69% | — | $31,897 |
| 31 | University of California - Santa Cruz Santa Cruz, CAPublicBachelor'sMaster'sDoctoral | 144 | 75% | — | $28,495 |
| 32 | CUNY Hunter College New York, NYPublicBachelor'sMaster's | 141 | 57% | — | $30,246 |
| 33 | University of California - San Diego La Jolla, CAPublicBachelor'sDoctoralMaster's | 139 | 86% | — | $36,464 |
| 34 | Merced College Merced, CAPublicAssociate'sAward of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic year | 138 | 36% | — | — |
| 35 | Georgia State University Atlanta, GAPublicBachelor'sMaster'sDoctoral | 135 | 53% | — | $28,968 |
| 36 | California State University - Fresno Fresno, CAPublicBachelor's | 132 | 57% | — | $30,378 |
| 37 | University of Michigan - Ann Arbor Ann Arbor, MIPublicBachelor'sMaster'sDoctoral | 129 | 93% | — | $33,832 |
| 38 | University of North Carolina at Pembroke Pembroke, NCPublicBachelor's | 127 | 44% | — | $34,051 |
| 39 | University of Florida Gainesville, FLPublicBachelor'sDoctoralMaster's | 126 | 91% | — | $33,611 |
| 40 | University at Albany Albany, NYPublicBachelor'sMaster'sDoctoral | 125 | 61% | — | $33,433 |
| 41 | CUNY Lehman College Bronx, NYPublicBachelor's | 118 | 51% | — | $42,710 |
| 42 | University at Buffalo Buffalo, NYPublicBachelor'sMaster's | 118 | 75% | — | $28,593 |
| 43 | Bakersfield College Bakersfield, CAPublicAssociate's | 117 | 21% | — | — |
| 44 | University of Utah Salt Lake City, UTPublicBachelor'sDoctoralMaster's | 115 | 65% | — | $36,308 |
| 45 | San Francisco State University San Francisco, CAPublicBachelor's | 114 | 50% | — | $40,763 |
| 46 | California State University - Bakersfield Bakersfield, CAPublicBachelor's | 111 | 50% | — | — |
| 47 | Clemson University Clemson, SCPublicBachelor's | 110 | 87% | — | $36,320 |
| 48 | Michigan State University East Lansing, MIPublicBachelor'sDoctoral | 108 | 81% | — | $35,055 |
| 49 | University of Maryland - College Park College Park, MDPublicBachelor'sDoctoralMaster's | 107 | 89% | — | $34,150 |
| 50 | University of Massachusetts - Amherst Amherst, MAPublicBachelor'sDoctoralMaster's | 105 | 83% | — | $31,686 |
* Median earnings 1 year after graduation for the broader Sociology field (CIP 45.11) at these institutions; College Scorecard does not publish earnings at the 6-digit level.
Offered in 52 states & territories
Where Sociology graduates come from. Each state links to all Sociology programs offered there.
Careers & outlook
The payoff after graduation: occupation 19-3041, Sociologists, and its national outlook.
Graduates of the Sociology program can pursue careers as sociologists, social science research assistants, or sociology teachers at the postsecondary level. The job outlook for sociologists is about as fast as average, with an estimated growth rate of 3.6% and around 300 annual openings. The median wage for sociologists is approximately $101,690, with a typical education requirement of a master's degree.
Top-paying metros
Career pathways for CIP 45.1101
The occupations the NCES crosswalk maps this 6-digit code to, with BLS pay and 10-year outlook.
| Occupation | US median pay | Growth | Openings / yr | Typical entry education |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Sociologistsprimary SOC 19-3041 | $106,030 | +3.6% About as fast as average | ~300 | Master's degree |
Managers, All Other SOC 11-9199 | $141,900 | +4.5% About as fast as average | ~106,700 | Bachelor's degree |
Social Science Research Assistants SOC 19-4061 | $61,990 | +4.4% About as fast as average | ~5,200 | Bachelor's degree |
Sociology Teachers, Postsecondary SOC 25-1067 | $84,290 | +2.1% About as fast as average | ~1,100 | Doctoral or professional degree |
Job Zone Five: Extensive Preparation Needed
- Education
- Most of these occupations require graduate school. For example, they may require a master's degree, and some require a Ph.D., M.D., or J.D. (law degree).
- Experience
- Extensive skill, knowledge, and experience are needed for these occupations. Many require more than five years of experience. For example, surgeons must complete four years of college and an additional five to seven years of specialized medical training to be able to do their job.
- Training
- Employees may need some on-the-job training, but most of these occupations assume that the person will already have the required skills, knowledge, work-related experience, and/or training.
Related careers
Skills & knowledge in Sociology programs
From the U.S. Dept. of Labor for the occupation this specialization most leads to.
Skills you'll build
Knowledge areas
Abilities that matter most
Day-to-day work activities
What graduates do on the job
- Analyze and interpret data to increase the understanding of human social behavior.
- Prepare publications and reports containing research findings.
- Develop, implement, and evaluate methods of data collection, such as questionnaires or interviews.
- Collect data about the attitudes, values, and behaviors of people in groups, using observation, interviews, and review of documents.
- Teach sociology.
- Plan and conduct research to develop and test theories about societal issues such as crime, group relations, poverty, and aging.
Tools and technology used
Other Sociology specializations
The 3 other 6-digit CIP codes under Sociology (CIP 45.11).
Common questions
What degrees can I earn in Sociology?+
You can earn a Bachelor's, Associate's, Master's, or Doctor's degree in Sociology.
What skills will I develop in this program?+
You will develop skills in critical thinking, data analysis, and effective communication.
What careers can I pursue with a Sociology degree?+
You can work as a sociologist, social science research assistant, or sociology teacher.
What is the job outlook for sociologists?+
The job outlook is about as fast as average, with a growth rate of 3.6%.
What is the CIP code for Sociology?+
Sociology is CIP 45.1101 in the NCES Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP 2020), a 6-digit specialization within Sociology (CIP 45.11). NCES defines it as: A program that focuses on the systematic study of human social institutions and social relationships. Includes instruction in social theory, sociological research methods, social organization and structure, social stratification and hierarchies, dynamics of social change, family structures, social deviance and control, and applications to the study of specific social groups, social institutions, and social problems.
How many institutions offer Sociology programs?+
1,030 U.S. institutions reported Sociology graduates in IPEDS 2024–25, across 52 states & territories, awarding 27,731 credentials in the year. That is 99.4% of all Sociology graduates.
How much do Sociology graduates earn?+
Earnings are not published at the 6-digit CIP level by any federal source. The Sociologists occupation, which Sociology most directly leads to, pays a median of $106,030 a year nationally (BLS OEWS May 2025), and graduates of the broader Sociology field report median earnings of $34,121 one year after graduation (College Scorecard).
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.
Program definitions are from the NCES Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP 2020). Skills, knowledge, abilities, work activities, tools, and job zones are from the O*NET database by the U.S. Department of Labor, used under the CC BY 4.0 license. This specialization accounts for nearly all Sociology graduates, so its figures match the Sociology program page.
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