by our College Data Analytics TeamFor its 2025 ranking, College Factual looked at 3 schools in Massachusetts to determine which ones were the best for social sciences students pursuing a doctor's degree. Combined, these schools handed out 269 doctor's degrees in social sciences to qualified students.
What's on this page: * Our Methodology
Your choice of social sciences for getting your doctor's degree school matters. This section explores some of the factors we include in our ranking and how much they vary depending on the school you select. To make it into this list, a school must excel in the following areas.
A school that excels in educating for a particular major and degree level must be a great school overall as well. To take this into account we consider a college's overall Best Colleges for a Doctor's Degree ranking which itself looks at a collection of different factors like degree completion, educational resources, student body caliber and post-graduation earnings for the school as a whole.
One measure we use to determine the quality of a school is to look at the average salary of doctorate graduates during the early years of their career. This is because one of the main reasons people pursue their doctor's degree is to enable themselves to find better-paying positions.
The metrics below are just some of the other metrics that we use to determine our rankings.
Our full ranking methodology documents in more detail how we consider these factors to identify the best schools for social sciences students working on their doctor's degree.
Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we've developed the Best Social Sciences Doctor's Degree Schools in Massachusetts ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.
Below you'll see a list of the best colleges and universities for pursuing a doctor's degree in social sciences.
It is difficult to beat Harvard University if you want to pursue a doctor's degree in social sciences. Located in the medium-sized city of Cambridge, Harvard is a private not-for-profit university with a fairly large student population.More information about a doctorate in social sciences from Harvard University
Any student pursuing a degree in a doctor's degree in social sciences needs to take a look at Boston College. Located in the small city of Chestnut Hill, Boston College is a private not-for-profit college with a large student population.More information about a doctorate in social sciences from Boston College
Boston University is a wonderful option for individuals interested in a doctor's degree in social sciences. Located in the city of Boston, Boston U is a private not-for-profit university with a fairly large student population.More information about a doctorate in social sciences from Boston University
Explore all the Best Social Sciences Schools in the New England Area or other specific states within that region.
| State | Colleges | Degrees Awarded |
|---|---|---|
| Connecticut | 28 | 68 |
| Rhode Island | 23 | 32 |
| Maine | 18 | 0 |
| New Hampshire | 16 | 6 |
| Vermont | 14 | 0 |
| Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Economics | 149 |
| Political Science & Government | 42 |
| Sociology | 35 |
| Anthropology | 31 |
| International Relations & National Security | 7 |
| Geography & Cartography | 5 |
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Theology & Religious Vocations | 80 |
| English Language & Literature | 55 |
| Foreign Languages & Linguistics | 51 |
| Area, Ethnic, Culture, & Gender Studies | 48 |
| History | 43 |
| Philosophy & Religious Studies | 41 |
| Communication & Journalism | 25 |
| Family, Consumer & Human Sciences | 4 |
