Sociology
Sociology graduates earn an average annual wage of $101,142, making it one of the higher-paying degree fields. With 23,750 professionals in the field earning competitive wages, this degree offers strong career prospects.
Key Statistics
Institutions
Information about the types of higher education institutions that grant degrees in Sociology and the types of students that study this field.
Tuition Costs for Common Institutions
$5,324 Median In-State Public
$33,628 Median Out of State Private
Tuition costs for Sociology majors are, on average, $5,324 for in-state public colleges, and $33,628 for out of state private colleges.
Tuition costs comparison for Sociology programs.
Degrees Awarded Over Time
31,211 Total Degrees Awarded in 2023
This chart shows the number of degrees awarded in Sociology from 2015 to 2023.
Historical trend of degrees awarded in Sociology.
Top 5 Schools by Enrollment
| # | School | State | Enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Southern New Hampshire University | NH | 156,755 |
| 2 | Western Governors University | UT | 135,822 |
| 3 | University of Phoenix-Arizona | AZ | 76,996 |
| 4 | Grand Canyon University | AZ | 68,619 |
| 5 | Arizona State University Campus Immersion | AZ | 64,398 |
Schools with the largest enrollment offering Sociology programs.
Top 5 Most Affordable Tuition
| # | School | State | Tuition |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Barstow Community College | CA | $1,104 |
| 2 | Copper Mountain Community College | CA | $1,114 |
| 3 | Antelope Valley Community College District | CA | $1,124 |
| 4 | Imperial Valley College | CA | $1,126 |
| 5 | Yuba College | CA | $1,128 |
Schools with the lowest tuition costs for Sociology programs.
Top 5 Most Affordable Net Price
| # | School | State | Net Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Canada College | CA | $10 |
| 2 | College of the Sequoias | CA | $29 |
| 3 | Reid State Technical College | AL | $131 |
| 4 | Cleveland Community College | NC | $414 |
| 5 | Coahoma Community College | MS | $560 |
Schools with the lowest net price (after financial aid) for Sociology programs.
Graduation Rates
57.09% Median Graduation Rate (150% of normal time)
57.43% Average Graduation Rate
1,104 Institutions Reporting
45.30% - 70.31% Interquartile Range
Graduation/completion rates for Sociology programs across institutions.
Employment
Information on the businesses and industries that employ Sociology graduates and on wages and locations for those in the field.
Yearly Income for Common Jobs
$101,142 Average Wage in Workforce
The average salary for Sociology majors is $101,142.
Average annual salaries of the most common occupations for Sociology majors.
Occupations by Share
23,750 2023 Workforce
The number of Sociology graduates in the workforce has been growing.
Various jobs filled by those with a major in Sociology by share of the total number of graduates.
Return on Investment & Value
Financial analysis of Sociology degree including debt, earnings, and return on investment metrics.
Financial Value Analysis
ROI data is not available for this degree program.
Financial value comparison for Sociology degree.
Diversity
Demographic information for those who earn a degree in Sociology in the United States.
Workforce Age
N/A Average Age in 2023
This chart shows distribution of ages for employees with a degree in Sociology.
Age distribution for Sociology degree holders in the workforce.
Gender Distribution
31,211 Total Degrees Awarded
7,811 Male (25.03%)
23,400 Female (74.97%)
Gender distribution of Sociology degree recipients.
Race and Ethnicity Distribution
11,251 White (36.05%)
10,361 Hispanic or Latino (33.20%)
3,976 Black or African American (12.74%)
2,088 Asian (6.69%)
1,592 Two or More Races (5.10%)
Racial and ethnic distribution of Sociology degree recipients.
Degrees Awarded
The most common degree types awarded to students graduating in Sociology are Bachelors Degree, Masters Degree, and Associates Degree.
Distribution of degree types awarded in Sociology.
Skills
Data on the critical and distinctive skills necessary for those working in the Sociology field from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Required Skills
Sociology majors need many skills, but most especially Critical Thinking, Active Listening, and Reading Comprehension.
Rating of how necessary various skills are for Sociology majors.
Skills Bar Chart
This bar chart shows the same information as the radar chart, displaying the importance of each skill.
Skill importance ratings for Sociology majors.
About
Sociology
In 2023, 31,211 degrees were awarded across all undergraduate and graduate programs in Sociology.
CIP Code
45.1101 - Sociology
Insights and Analysis
High Earning Potential: Sociology graduates earn an average annual wage of $101,142, placing them among the top earners in the workforce. This strong earning potential reflects both the demand for skills in this field and the value employers place on this degree.
Data Sources
This page uses data from the following sources:
- College Scorecard - U.S. Department of Education
- Institutional characteristics, costs, completion rates, and earnings data
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: collegescorecard.ed.gov
- Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)
- Employment and wage data by occupation
- Latest data: May 2024
- Source: bls.gov/oes
- O*NET Online - U.S. Department of Labor
- Occupational skills, knowledge, abilities, and work activities
- Database version: 28.0 (August 2023)
- Source: onetcenter.org
- IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) - National Center for Education Statistics
- Institutional data, completions, enrollment, and financial aid
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: nces.ed.gov/ipeds
- Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS)
- Demographic and workforce data
- Latest data: 2023 ACS 5-Year Estimates
- Source: census.gov/acs
Data Processing: All data has been processed, cleaned, and aggregated for presentation. Where specific data points are unavailable, estimates are based on available data and clearly marked.
Last Updated: Data reflects the most recent available information as of January 2025.
Methodology
Data for this profile is sourced from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard dataset, IPEDS completion data, and Bureau of Labor Statistics employment data.
All financial figures are adjusted for inflation and represent the most recent available data. Employment and wage data are from the most recent Census Bureau ACS PUMS estimates.