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2023 Most Focused Doctor’s Degree Colleges for Social Sciences

204 Ranked Colleges
3,781 Degrees Awarded
$62,624 Avg Salary
Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Social Sciences Major

With all of the options students have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take. At College Factual, we’re committed to helping you make that decision by providing information such as that found in our “Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Social Sciences Major” ranking.

In 2021-2022, 197,356 social sciences students received their degree, making the major the 5th most popular in the country. In , social sciences graduates who were awarded their degree in , earned an average of $36,428 and had an average of $22,588 in loans still to pay off.

At the doctor’s degree level specifically, there were 3,781 social sciences graduates with average earnings and debt of $75,735 and $124,256 respectively.

This year’s “Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Social Sciences Major” ranking analyzed 204 colleges that offered a degree in social sciences. The colleges and universities that top this list are recognized because their social sciences program is one of the largest majors offered at the school.

For more information, check out our ranking methodology.

More Ways to Rank Social Sciences Schools

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The social sciences school you choose to invest your time and money in matters. To help you make the decision that is right for you, we’ve developed a number of major-specific rankings, including this list of “Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Social Sciences Major”.

We’ve created a tool called College Combat that lets you create your own customized comparisons based on the factors that matter the most to you. Test it out when you get a chance! You may also want to bookmark the link and share it with others who are trying to make the college decision.

Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Social Sciences Major

The colleges and universities below are the best for doctor’s degree social sciences students.

Top 25 Most Focused Doctor’s Degree Colleges for Social Sciences

1
Pardee RAND Graduate School crest
Pardee RAND Graduate School
Santa Monica, California

Out of the 204 schools in the Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Social Sciences Major that were part of this year’s ranking, Pardee RAND Graduate School landed the #1 spot on the list. Pardee RAND Graduate School is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Santa Monica, California. It awarded 21 doctorate’s social sciences degrees in 2021-2022.

Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Read more about Social Sciences at Pardee RAND Graduate School

2
Claremont Graduate University crest
Claremont Graduate University
Claremont, California

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Claremont Graduate University. It ranked #2 on our 2023 Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Social Sciences Major list. Claremont Graduate University is located in Claremont, California and, has a small student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 30 doctorate’s social sciences degrees to qualified students.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.

Read more about Social Sciences at Claremont Graduate University

3
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Princeton University
Princeton, New Jersey

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Princeton University. It ranked #3 on our 2023 Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Social Sciences Major list. This medium-sized school is located in Princeton, New Jersey, and it awarded 66 doctorate’s social sciences degrees in 2021-2022.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 96%. The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 5 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.

Read more about Social Sciences at Princeton

4
The Graduate Center crest
The Graduate Center, CUNY
New York, New York

Out of the 204 schools in the Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Social Sciences Major that were part of this year’s ranking, The Graduate Center, CUNY landed the #4 spot on the list. The Graduate Center is a public institution located in New York, New York. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 59 doctorate’s degrees in 2021-2022.

The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.4% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read more about Social Sciences at The Graduate Center, CUNY

5
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University of Chicago
Chicago, Illinois

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Chicago. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Social Sciences Major list. University of Chicago is a fairly large private not-for-profit school situated in Chicago, Illinois. It awarded 85 doctorate’s social sciences degrees in 2021-2022.

With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 5 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 99%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Full UChicago Social Sciences Report

6
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Stanford University
Stanford, California

Stanford University ranked #6 on this year’s Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Social Sciences Major list. Stanford, California is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out doctorate’s social sciences degrees to 51 students in 2021-2022.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 5 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. With a freshman retention rate of 98%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Full Stanford University Social Sciences Report

7
Yale crest
Yale University
New Haven, Connecticut

Yale University did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Social Sciences Major ranking, coming in at #7. Located in New Haven, Connecticut, this fairly large private not-for-profit school handed out 38 degrees to qualified doctorate’s social sciences students in 2021-2022.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 98%. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Read more about Social Sciences at Yale

8
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Howard University
Washington, District of Columbia

Howard University did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Social Sciences Major ranking, coming in at #8. Howard is a fairly large school located in Washington, District of Columbia that handed out 6 doctorate’s social sciences degrees in 2021-2022.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 91%.

Read full report on Social Sciences at Howard

9
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Brown University
Providence, Rhode Island

Brown University did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Social Sciences Major ranking, coming in at #9. Brown is a fairly large school located in Providence, Rhode Island that handed out 46 doctorate’s social sciences degrees in 2021-2022.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 98%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Read full report on Social Sciences at Brown University

10
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Clark University
Worcester, Massachusetts

With a ranking of #10, Clark University did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Social Sciences Major list. Located in Worcester, Massachusetts, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 8 degrees to qualified doctorate’s social sciences students in 2021-2022.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 87%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.3% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.

Read full report on Social Sciences at Clark

11

Massachusetts Institute of Technology came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Social Sciences Major ranking. Massachusetts Institute of Technology is a private not-for-profit institution located in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 32 doctorate’s degrees in 2021-2022.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 99%. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 3 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Full MIT Social Sciences Report

12

Teachers College at Columbia University ranked #12 on this year’s Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Social Sciences Major list. Teachers College at Columbia University is located in New York, New York and, has a small student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 12 doctorate’s social sciences degrees to qualified students.

The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Social Sciences at Teachers College at Columbia University

13
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Gannon University
Erie, Pennsylvania

Gannon University ranked #13 on this year’s Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Social Sciences Major list. Gannon University is located in Erie, Pennsylvania and, has a small student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 6 doctorate’s social sciences degrees to qualified students.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Gannon Social Sciences Report

14
Harvard crest
Harvard University
Cambridge, Massachusetts

Harvard University came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Social Sciences Major ranking. Located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, this large private not-for-profit school handed out 76 degrees to qualified doctorate’s social sciences students in 2021-2022.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 7 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 96%.

Read more about Social Sciences at Harvard University

15
New School University crest
The New School
New York, New York

The New School did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Social Sciences Major ranking, coming in at #15. New School University is a private not-for-profit institution located in New York, New York. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 17 doctorate’s degrees in 2021-2022.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Read more about Social Sciences at New School University

16
Duke crest
Duke University
Durham, North Carolina

Duke University ranked #16 on this year’s Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Social Sciences Major list. Duke is a fairly large private not-for-profit school situated in Durham, North Carolina. It awarded 39 doctorate’s social sciences degrees in 2021-2022.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 98%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Full Duke University Social Sciences Report

17
Cornell crest
Cornell University
Ithaca, New York

Cornell University ranked #17 on this year’s Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Social Sciences Major list. This large school is located in Ithaca, New York, and it awarded 53 doctorate’s social sciences degrees in 2021-2022.

With a freshman retention rate of 97%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.

Full Cornell Social Sciences Report

18
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Vanderbilt University
Nashville, Tennessee

Vanderbilt University landed the #18 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Social Sciences Major ranking. Vanderbilt University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Nashville, Tennessee. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 29 doctorate’s degrees in 2021-2022.

With a freshman retention rate of 97%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Social Sciences at Vanderbilt University

19

University of California - San Francisco ranked #19 on this year’s Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Social Sciences Major list. Located in San Francisco, California, this small public school awarded 6 diplomas to qualified doctorate’s social sciences students in 2021-2022.

The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.

Read full report on Social Sciences at UCSF

20
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University of Notre Dame
Notre Dame, Indiana

With a ranking of #20, University of Notre Dame did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Social Sciences Major list. Located in Notre Dame, Indiana, this fairly large private not-for-profit school handed out 26 degrees to qualified doctorate’s social sciences students in 2021-2022.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 98%. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full University of Notre Dame Social Sciences Report

21

University of California - Berkeley landed the #21 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Social Sciences Major ranking. Located in Berkeley, California, this large public school handed out 66 degrees to qualified doctorate’s social sciences students in 2021-2022.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.5% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 96%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read more about Social Sciences at UC Berkeley

22
Hillsdale College crest
Hillsdale College
Hillsdale, Michigan

Hillsdale College did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Social Sciences Major ranking, coming in at #22. This small school is located in Hillsdale, Michigan, and it awarded 2 doctorate’s social sciences degrees in 2021-2022.

Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 94%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about Social Sciences at Hillsdale College

23
Northwestern crest
Northwestern University
Evanston, Illinois

Northwestern University landed the #23 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Social Sciences Major ranking. This large school is located in Evanston, Illinois, and it awarded 56 doctorate’s social sciences degrees in 2021-2022.

The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 99%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read more about Social Sciences at Northwestern

24
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University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

University of Pennsylvania did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Social Sciences Major ranking, coming in at #24. Located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, this large private not-for-profit school handed out 67 diplomas to qualified doctorate’s social sciences students in 2021-2022.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 98%. The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.

Full UPenn Social Sciences Report

25

University of Maryland - College Park ranked #25 on this year’s Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Social Sciences Major list. University of Maryland - College Park is a public institution located in College Park, Maryland. The school has a large population, and it awarded 39 doctorate’s degrees in 2021-2022.

With a freshman retention rate of 95%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Social Sciences at University of Maryland - College Park

Rest of the Best 31 in Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Social Sciences Major

Not only did these schools make the top 31 list, but they also landed in the top 15% of this year’s ranking:

26
27
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Rice University
Houston, TX
28
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Emory University
Atlanta, GA
29
30
31

Notes and References

References

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