Social Sciences Major
Sociology, anthropology, political science, economics, international relations. A flexible degree that signals analytical thinking. Economics in particular is a strong launchpad to finance, consulting, and policy careers.
Realistic career paths
Top schools for social sciences
Ranked by what share of degrees the school awards in this field. A high % means the school is genuinely focused on this major, not just listing it as a program.
| School | Location | % in Social | Net Price | 10-yr Earnings | Acceptance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Claremont McKenna College Private | Claremont, CA | 44% | $28,849 | $93,200 | 10% |
| Ohlone College Public | Fremont, CA | 36% | $11,130 | $47,700 | — |
| American University Private | Washington, DC | 36% | $41,943 | $67,700 | 62% |
| Georgetown University Private | Washington, DC | 36% | $40,815 | $125,200 | 13% |
| George Washington University Private | Washington, DC | 32% | $36,586 | $82,400 | 47% |
| Colorado College Private | Colorado Springs, CO | 30% | $33,375 | $49,900 | 18% |
| Connecticut College Private | New London, CT | 27% | $36,175 | $62,900 | 37% |
| Wesleyan University Private | Middletown, CT | 27% | $30,177 | $63,400 | 16% |
| University of California-Santa Barbara Public | Santa Barbara, CA | 27% | $16,109 | $62,400 | 33% |
| University of California-Los Angeles Public | Los Angeles, CA | 24% | $12,548 | $73,200 | 9% |
| Willamette University Private | Salem, OR | 24% | $25,121 | $57,900 | 77% |
| Lake Tahoe Community College Public | South Lake Tahoe, CA | 24% | $8,516 | $31,400 | — |
| Kenyon College Private | Gambier, OH | 23% | $38,512 | $54,500 | 31% |
| Occidental College Private | Los Angeles, CA | 23% | $38,263 | $59,400 | 44% |
| Yale University Private | New Haven, CT | 23% | $23,777 | $124,400 | 4% |
| Lewis & Clark College Private | Portland, OR | 20% | $36,013 | $55,000 | 78% |
| Hendrix College Private | Conway, AR | 19% | $24,149 | $44,500 | 56% |
| Sierra College Public | Rocklin, CA | 19% | $7,245 | $37,800 | — |
| United States Coast Guard Academy Public | New London, CT | 19% | — | — | 22% |
| Porterville College Public | Porterville, CA | 19% | $12,301 | $32,700 | — |
| Folsom Lake College Public | Folsom, CA | 19% | $5,975 | — | — |
| Reed College Private | Portland, OR | 19% | $33,013 | $52,700 | 25% |
| East Los Angeles College Public | Monterey Park, CA | 18% | $10,852 | $36,100 | — |
| University of Oregon Public | Eugene, OR | 18% | $22,182 | $51,300 | 88% |
| University of California-Riverside Public | Riverside, CA | 17% | $14,304 | $55,300 | 76% |
| The College of Wooster Private | Wooster, OH | 17% | $23,458 | $53,000 | 60% |
| Glendale Community College Public | Glendale, CA | 17% | $8,365 | $41,100 | — |
| Laney College Public | Oakland, CA | 17% | $17,110 | $34,400 | — |
| University of California-Berkeley Public | Berkeley, CA | 17% | $13,481 | $79,000 | 11% |
| Scripps College Private | Claremont, CA | 16% | $36,294 | $61,800 | 38% |
| College of the Canyons Public | Santa Clarita, CA | 16% | $3,702 | $45,800 | — |
| Lake Forest College Private | Lake Forest, IL | 15% | $27,499 | $55,600 | 59% |
| Loyola Marymount University Private | Los Angeles, CA | 15% | $48,381 | $71,600 | 45% |
| Antelope Valley Community College District Public | Lancaster, CA | 14% | $3,860 | $34,500 | — |
| Florida State University Public | Tallahassee, FL | 14% | $11,297 | $53,900 | 24% |
| Boston University Private | Boston, MA | 14% | $24,402 | $75,900 | 11% |
| CUNY Hunter College Public | New York, NY | 14% | $2,984 | $51,800 | 54% |
| Howard University Private | Washington, DC | 14% | $50,539 | $54,500 | 41% |
| Butte College Public | Oroville, CA | 13% | $5,520 | $37,600 | — |
| Rollins College Private | Winter Park, FL | 13% | $34,732 | $53,100 | 48% |
| University of California-Davis Public | Davis, CA | 13% | $14,741 | $68,100 | 42% |
| Texas A&M University-San Antonio Public | San Antonio, TX | 13% | $11,196 | — | 93% |
| Yuba College Public | Marysville, CA | 13% | $2,576 | $34,700 | — |
| California State University-Fresno Public | Fresno, CA | 12% | $7,000 | $48,500 | 95% |
| University at Buffalo Public | Buffalo, NY | 12% | $20,995 | $62,100 | 74% |
| University of Michigan-Ann Arbor Public | Ann Arbor, MI | 12% | $13,138 | $79,000 | 16% |
| Portland State University Public | Portland, OR | 12% | $9,552 | $50,800 | 91% |
| Oberlin College Private | Oberlin, OH | 12% | $38,645 | $45,500 | 34% |
| University of La Verne Private | La Verne, CA | 12% | $20,161 | $52,700 | 71% |
| University of Connecticut Public | Storrs, CT | 12% | $25,097 | $66,000 | 52% |
What this ranking is and isn't
What it is: A list of schools where social sciences is actually a focus area, ranked by what % of degrees fall in this field. If you want to be surrounded by people studying the same thing, this list is what you want.
What it isn't: A prestige ranking. MIT might have an outstanding social sciences program but rank low here if the school awards more degrees in other fields. For program quality alone, look at faculty research output, employer recruiting, and graduate outcomes — not the share of degrees.