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2022 Best Value Sociology Schools for a Doctorate For Those Making $30-$48k

111 Ranked Colleges
603 Degrees Awarded
$44,500 Avg Grad Tuition & Fees*
Best Value Sociology Schools for a Doctorate For Those Making $30-$48k

With all of the options students have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take. College Factual was founded, in part, to help students make the decision as to what would be the best school for them. Our “Best Value Sociology Schools for a Doctorate For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking is part of that endeavor.

Sociology is the 24th most popular major in the country with 37,807 degrees awarded in 2019-2020. In 2017-2018, sociology graduates who were awarded their degree in 2015-2017, earned an average of $29,727 and had an average of $23,622 in loans still to pay off.

At the doctor’s degree level specifically, there were 603 sociology graduates with average earnings and debt of $72,680 and $116,043 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Sociology Schools for a Doctorate For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking looked at 111 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in sociology. The schools that top this list are recognized because they have great sociology programs and cost less that schools of similar quality.

When determining these rankings, we looked at things such as overall quality of the sociology program at the school and the cost to attend the school once aid has been awarded. Check out our ranking methodology for more information.

One Size Does Not Fit All

Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we’ve developed the “Best Value Sociology Schools for a Doctorate For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.

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.

Best Value Sociology Schools for a Doctorate For Those Making $30-$48k

The colleges and universities below are the best for doctor’s degree sociology students whose families make $30-$48k.

Top 25 Best Value Doctor’s Degree Colleges for Sociology (Income $30-$48k)

#1

Duke University

Durham, North Carolina
#2 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Duke University. The school came in at #1 for the Best Value Sociology Schools for a Doctorate For Those Making $30-$48k. This fairly large school is located in Durham, North Carolina, and it awarded 7 doctorate’s sociology degrees in 2019-2020.

Duke did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #2 on our “Best Sociology Doctor’s Degree Schools” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at Duke are $59,140, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Full Duke Sociology Report

#2

University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
#1 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Pennsylvania. It ranked #2 on our 2022 Best Value Sociology Schools for a Doctorate For Those Making $30-$48k list. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out doctorate’s sociology degrees to 10 students in 2019-2020.

UPenn also took the #1 spot in our “Best Sociology Doctor’s Degree Schools” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at University of Pennsylvania are $41,760, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Read full report on Sociology at University of Pennsylvania

#3

Stanford University

Stanford, California
#5 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Stanford University. It ranked #3 on our 2022 Best Value Sociology Schools for a Doctorate For Those Making $30-$48k list. Stanford University is located in Stanford, California and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 6 doctorate’s sociology degrees to qualified students.

Stanford did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #5 on our “Best Sociology Doctor’s Degree Schools” list. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at Stanford are $55,011.

Read more about Sociology at Stanford

#4

Harvard University

Cambridge, Massachusetts
#6 in overall quality

Out of the 111 schools in the Best Value Sociology Schools for a Doctorate For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, Harvard University landed the #4 spot on the list. Harvard is located in Cambridge, Massachusetts and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 6 doctorate’s sociology degrees to qualified students.

Harvard not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #6 on our “Best Sociology Doctor’s Degree Schools” list. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at Harvard University are $50,654.

Read full report on Sociology at Harvard

#5

Yale University

New Haven, Connecticut
#3 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Yale University. The school came in at #5 for the Best Value Sociology Schools for a Doctorate For Those Making $30-$48k. Yale is a private not-for-profit institution located in New Haven, Connecticut. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 5 doctorate’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Yale also made our “Best Sociology Doctor’s Degree Schools” list, coming in at #3. Average graduate tuition and fees at Yale are $44,500, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Read more about Sociology at Yale

#6

Northwestern University

Evanston, Illinois
#9 in overall quality

Northwestern University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Sociology Schools for a Doctorate For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #6. Northwestern University is a large private not-for-profit school situated in Evanston, Illinois. It awarded 6 doctorate’s sociology degrees in 2019-2020.

Northwestern also made our “Best Sociology Doctor’s Degree Schools” list, coming in at #9. Average graduate tuition and fees at Northwestern are $56,567, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Read more about Sociology at Northwestern University

#7

Princeton University

Princeton, New Jersey
#8 in overall quality

Princeton University ranked #7 on this year’s Best Value Sociology Schools for a Doctorate For Those Making $30-$48k list. Princeton, New Jersey is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out doctorate’s sociology degrees to 7 students in 2019-2020.

Princeton not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #8 on our “Best Sociology Doctor’s Degree Schools” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at Princeton University are $56,470, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Read more about Sociology at Princeton

#8

Brown University

Providence, Rhode Island
#10 in overall quality

Brown University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Sociology Schools for a Doctorate For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #8. Brown is a medium-sized school located in Providence, Rhode Island that handed out 8 doctorate’s sociology degrees in 2019-2020.

Brown did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #10 on our “Best Sociology Doctor’s Degree Schools” list. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at Brown are $60,363.

Read more about Sociology at Brown

#9

Rice University

Houston, Texas
#20 in overall quality

Rice University came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Sociology Schools for a Doctorate For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Located in Houston, Texas, this medium-sized private not-for-profit school awarded 3 degrees to qualified doctorate’s sociology students in 2019-2020.

Rice also took the #20 spot in our “Best Sociology Doctor’s Degree Schools” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at Rice University are $47,913, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Full Rice Sociology Report

#4 in overall quality

Columbia University in the City of New York did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Sociology Schools for a Doctorate For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #10. Columbia University in the City of New York is a large private not-for-profit school situated in New York, New York. It awarded 13 doctorate’s sociology degrees in 2019-2020.

Columbia also made our “Best Sociology Doctor’s Degree Schools” list, coming in at #4. Average graduate tuition and fees at Columbia are $51,194, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Read full report on Sociology at Columbia

#11

Johns Hopkins University

Baltimore, Maryland
#7 in overall quality

With a ranking of #11, Johns Hopkins University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Sociology Schools for a Doctorate For Those Making $30-$48k list. Baltimore, Maryland is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out doctorate’s sociology degrees to 4 students in 2019-2020.

Johns Hopkins did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #7 on our “Best Sociology Doctor’s Degree Schools” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at Johns Hopkins are $59,425, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Read more about Sociology at Johns Hopkins

#12

Cornell University

Ithaca, New York
#11 in overall quality

Cornell University came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Sociology Schools for a Doctorate For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. This large school is located in Ithaca, New York, and it awarded 8 doctorate’s sociology degrees in 2019-2020.

Cornell did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #11 on our “Best Sociology Doctor’s Degree Schools” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at Cornell University are $30,042, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Full Cornell Sociology Report

#13

University of Chicago

Chicago, Illinois

University of Chicago came in at #13 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Sociology Schools for a Doctorate For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. University of Chicago is a fairly large school located in Chicago, Illinois that handed out 11 doctorate’s sociology degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UChicago, the school also landed the #12 spot in our “Best Sociology Doctor’s Degree Schools” ranking. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at UChicago are $61,548.

Read more about Sociology at UChicago

#14

University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

Ann Arbor, Michigan
#17 in overall quality

University of Michigan - Ann Arbor landed the #14 spot on the 2022 Best Value Sociology Schools for a Doctorate For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor is a large public school situated in Ann Arbor, Michigan. It awarded 6 doctorate’s sociology degrees in 2019-2020.

U-M also made our “Best Sociology Doctor’s Degree Schools” list, coming in at #17. Average graduate tuition and fees at University of Michigan - Ann Arbor are $49,548, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Full U-M Sociology Report

#15

Vanderbilt University

Nashville, Tennessee
#24 in overall quality

Vanderbilt University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Sociology Schools for a Doctorate For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #15. Vanderbilt is a fairly large school located in Nashville, Tennessee that handed out 2 doctorate’s sociology degrees in 2019-2020.

Vanderbilt not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #24 on our “Best Sociology Doctor’s Degree Schools” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at Vanderbilt University are $50,624, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Full Vanderbilt Sociology Report

University of Wisconsin - Madison did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Sociology Schools for a Doctorate For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #16. University of Wisconsin - Madison is located in Madison, Wisconsin and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 16 doctorate’s sociology degrees to qualified students.

UW - Madison also made our “Best Sociology Doctor’s Degree Schools” list, coming in at #15. Average graduate tuition and fees at UW - Madison are $25,523, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Full UW - Madison Sociology Report

#17

University of Florida

Gainesville, Florida

University of Florida came in at #17 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Sociology Schools for a Doctorate For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Gainesville, Florida is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out doctorate’s sociology degrees to 4 students in 2019-2020.

Average graduate tuition and fees at University of Florida are $30,130, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Read full report on Sociology at UF

#18

Boston College

Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts
#19 in overall quality

Boston College came in at #18 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Sociology Schools for a Doctorate For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. This fairly large school is located in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, and it awarded 4 doctorate’s sociology degrees in 2019-2020.

Boston College not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #19 on our “Best Sociology Doctor’s Degree Schools” list. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at Boston College are $31,930.

Full Boston College Sociology Report

#19

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Chapel Hill, North Carolina
Top 25% in overall quality

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill came in at #19 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Sociology Schools for a Doctorate For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is a large school located in Chapel Hill, North Carolina that handed out 10 doctorate’s sociology degrees in 2019-2020.

Average graduate tuition and fees at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill are $30,248, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Full University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Sociology Report

#20

University of Notre Dame

Notre Dame, Indiana
#14 in overall quality

University of Notre Dame did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Sociology Schools for a Doctorate For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #20. Notre Dame, Indiana is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out doctorate’s sociology degrees to 5 students in 2019-2020.

Notre Dame also made our “Best Sociology Doctor’s Degree Schools” list, coming in at #14. Average graduate tuition and fees at Notre Dame are $57,522, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Full Notre Dame Sociology Report

#21

Indiana University - Bloomington

Bloomington, Indiana

Indiana University - Bloomington did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Sociology Schools for a Doctorate For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #21. This large school is located in Bloomington, Indiana, and it awarded 8 doctorate’s sociology degrees in 2019-2020.

Average graduate tuition and fees at Indiana University - Bloomington are $33,338, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Read more about Sociology at Indiana University - Bloomington

University of Washington - Seattle Campus landed the #22 spot on the 2022 Best Value Sociology Schools for a Doctorate For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. UW Seattle is a large school located in Seattle, Washington that handed out 7 doctorate’s sociology degrees in 2019-2020.

Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at University of Washington - Seattle Campus are $30,294.

Read full report on Sociology at UW Seattle

University of California - Irvine came in at #23 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Sociology Schools for a Doctorate For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. UC Irvine is a large public school situated in Irvine, California. It awarded 13 doctorate’s sociology degrees in 2019-2020.

UC Irvine also made our “Best Sociology Doctor’s Degree Schools” list, coming in at #21. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at UC Irvine are $28,456.

Full University of California - Irvine Sociology Report

#24

Emory University

Atlanta, Georgia
#18 in overall quality

Emory University ranked #24 on this year’s Best Value Sociology Schools for a Doctorate For Those Making $30-$48k list. Located in Atlanta, Georgia, this fairly large private not-for-profit school awarded 5 diplomas to qualified doctorate’s sociology students in 2019-2020.

Emory not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #18 on our “Best Sociology Doctor’s Degree Schools” list. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at Emory are $44,676.

Full Emory University Sociology Report

#25

Northeastern University

Boston, Massachusetts

Northeastern University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Sociology Schools for a Doctorate For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #25. Northeastern is located in Boston, Massachusetts and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 5 doctorate’s sociology degrees to qualified students.

Average graduate tuition and fees at Northeastern are $25,558, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Read full report on Sociology at Northeastern University

Notes and References

References

  • 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 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).
  • Information about the national average student loan default rate is from the U.S. Department of Education and refers to data about the 2016 borrower cohort tracking period for which the cohort default rate (CDR) was 10.1%.

Read more about our data sources and methodologies

Footnotes

  • *Average salary, average net price, and average tuition and fees are for the top schools only.
  • Some schools otherwise deserving of recognition may have been removed from this ranking in the event that new data identified post-publication warranted it, or at the request of the school.

Credits

  • Credit for the banner image above goes to Kontos.

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