Best Colleges for Social Sciences, General

Social Sciences, General programs provide students with a broad foundation across multiple disciplines including sociology, psychology, political science, and anthropology. With 88 schools offering this interdisciplinary major, graduates typically earn around $34,273 annually in entry-level positions, though earnings potential increases significantly with advanced degrees and specialization.

When evaluating programs, students should prioritize schools with strong faculty-to-student ratios, diverse research opportunities, and clear pathways for specialization. Look for programs offering internship partnerships with government agencies, nonprofits, or research institutions. The best programs also provide career counseling services and alumni networks to help graduates transition into fields like social work, public administration, market research, or graduate school preparation.

Schools Ranked

$43,069

Avg. Program Earnings

66.5%

Avg. Graduation Rate

Top 25 Schools

College rankings
#	School	Median Earnings	Graduation Rate	School Type
1	Manhattan College Riverdale, New York	$64,493	66.0%	private-nonprofit
2	Vanderbilt University Nashville, Tennessee	$56,544	92.7%	private-nonprofit
3	University of Washington-Seattle Campus Seattle, Washington	$53,358	83.7%	public
4	Harvard University Cambridge, Massachusetts	$52,107	97.3%	private-nonprofit
5	New York University New York, New York	$49,019	88.5%	private-nonprofit
6	Thomas Edison State University Trenton, New Jersey	$48,432		public
7	University of Southern California Los Angeles, California	$46,087	92.0%	private-nonprofit
8	The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley Edinburg, Texas	$42,682	49.3%	public
9	Ball State University Muncie, Indiana	$42,044	63.3%	public
10	University of Massachusetts Global Irvine, California	$41,193		public
11	University of Wisconsin-Platteville Platteville, Wisconsin	$41,193	61.5%	public
12	Central Washington University Ellensburg, Washington	$40,580	49.9%	public
13	Colorado State University Global Aurora, Colorado	$40,527		public
14	Campbell University Buies Creek, North Carolina	$39,729	55.9%	private-nonprofit
15	Washington State University Pullman, Washington	$39,301	61.6%	public
16	University of North Texas Denton, Texas	$39,153	59.6%	public
17	Upper Iowa University Fayette, Iowa	$39,009	41.5%	private-nonprofit
18	Michigan State University East Lansing, Michigan	$38,289	82.2%	public
19	Caldwell University Caldwell, New Jersey	$38,289	58.7%	private-nonprofit
20	California State University-Sacramento Sacramento, California	$37,748	55.8%	public
21	Florida Atlantic University Boca Raton, Florida	$37,568	64.3%	public
22	University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point Stevens Point, Wisconsin	$37,568	56.0%	public
23	Arizona State University Campus Immersion Tempe, Arizona	$37,568	67.8%	public
24	Kutztown University of Pennsylvania Kutztown, Pennsylvania	$37,568	54.1%	public
25	University of Minnesota-Morris Morris, Minnesota	$36,668	61.9%	public