2023 Best Sociology Schools in California
Finding the Best Sociology School for You
Sociology is one of the most popular subjects to study in California. With 15,498 degrees and certificates handed out in 2020-2021, it ranked 6th out of all the majors we track in the state.
It's not easy to decide which program to enroll in when you have so many options available. You're no longer limited to schools in your local area, either, since online programs are becoming more prevalent. Or you may find the programs at a trade school to be a better alternative for you.
To help you arm yourself with the information you need to make your decision, Course Advisor has developed this Best Sociology Schools in California ranking. This report analyzed 63 schools in California to see which ones offered the best programs for students.
View our full ranking methodology.
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2023 Best Sociology Schools in California
The following schools top our list of the Best Sociology Colleges.
Top 10 Best Sociology Schools
Our 2023 rankings named Claremont McKenna College the best school in California for sociology students. Located in the large suburb of Claremont, Claremont McKenna is a private not-for-profit college with a small student population.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around you if you attend Stanford University. The school came in at #2 on this year’s Best Sociology Schools in California list. Located in the large suburb of Stanford, Stanford is a private not-for-profit college with a fairly large student population.
Out of the 63 schools in California that were part of this year’s ranking, Pomona College landed the # 3 spot on the list. Pomona is a small private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of Claremont.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of California - Berkeley. It ranked #4 on our 2023 Best Sociology Schools in California list. UC Berkeley is a very large public school located in the midsize city of Berkeley.
On average, sociology graduates from UC Berkeley take out $13,305 in student loans while working on their degree. For students who choose a 10-year repayment plan, the average monthly student loan payment is $264.
The excellent programs at Santa Rosa Junior College helped the school earn the #5 place on this year’s ranking of the best sociology schools in California. Located in the medium-sized city of Santa Rosa, SRJC is a public college with a fairly large student population.
University of California - Los Angeles ranked #6 on this year’s Best Sociology Schools in California list. UCLA is a fairly large public school located in the large city of Los Angeles.
Sociology majors at UCLA take out an average of $15,000 in student loans while working on their egree. Assuming that a graduate chooses a 10-year repayment plan, the average monthly loan payment is $223.
Read full report on Sociology at University of California - Los Angeles
California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo ranked #7 on this year’s Best Sociology Schools in California list. Cal Poly San Luis Obispo is a very large public school located in the suburb of San Luis Obispo.
While working on their degree, sociology majors at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo accumulate an average of around $18,000 in student debt. When it comes time to repay the loan, graduates who are on a 10-year repayment plan pay an average monthly payment of $286.
Full Sociology at California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo Report
Brandman University landed the #8 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best sociology programs. Brandman is a medium-sized private not-for-profit school located in the large city of Irvine.
On average, sociology graduates from Brandman take out $23,334 in student loans while working on their degree.
University of Southern California landed the #9 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best sociology programs. Located in the large city of Los Angeles, USC is a private not-for-profit school with a very large student population.
While working on their degree, sociology majors at USC accumulate an average of around $12,000 in student debt. The average monthly payment of a loan this size is about $290, assuming that the borrower is on a 10-year repayment plan.
Read full report on Sociology at University of Southern California
Santa Clara University ranked #10 on this year’s Best Sociology Schools in California list. Located in the medium-sized city of Santa Clara, SCU is a private not-for-profit school with a moderately-sized student population.
Honorable Mentions
Here are some additional great schools for Sociology students in the state of California that almost earned our Best Sociology Schools in California award.
| Rank | College | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 11 | University of San Francisco | San Francisco, CA |
| 12 | San Jose State University | San Jose, CA |
Best Sociology Colleges in the Far Western US Region
Explore all the Best Sociology Colleges in the Far Western US Area or other specific states within that region.
| State | Degrees Awarded |
|---|---|
| Washington | 650 |
| Oregon | 341 |
| Nevada | 120 |
| Hawaii | 96 |
| Alaska | 5 |
More Sociology Rankings in California
Sociology Related Rankings by Major
Sociology is one of 12 different types of programs to choose from.
Majors Similar to Sociology
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Political Science & Government | 49,282 |
| Economics | 49,055 |
| General Social Sciences | 18,997 |
| International Relations & National Security | 14,306 |
| Anthropology | 11,415 |
Notes and References
*These averages are for the top 25 schools only.
- Read more about our ranking methodology.
- The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) serves as the core of the rest of our data about colleges.
- Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
- Credit for the banner image above goes to Kontos.
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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