Lowest In-State Tuition for a Bachelor’s
$12,090 in annual undergraduate tuition and required fees for state residents (2024–25), the lowest among the 6 bachelor’s programs shown here.
Maine · Sociology Rankings · 2027 
Best Sociology Programs in Maine for 2027
Colby College and Bowdoin College hold the first two places among Maine’s six ranked sociology programs, with scores of 61.6 and 60.7, and the University of Maine is third. The two public options, the University of Maine and the University of Southern Maine, charge residents $13,326 and $12,090 in schoolwide tuition and fees for 2024–25. All six are bachelor’s programs, and together they awarded 73 degrees in 2023–24.
By Taylor Rupe, Editor
Sociology Bachelor’s Degree Programs in Maine
6 schools in Maine awarded sociology bachelor’s degrees in 2023–24, scored against 843 bachelor’s programs nationwide.
- 1
Colby College
Sociology
61.6 Comparison ScoreColby taught one of the first sociology courses in the country in 1890, and the department still treats research as the center of the major. In classes, independent study projects and honors theses you practice interviewing, ethnographic observation, quantitative data analysis and data visualization. Some students work as paid research assistants on faculty projects, and a colloquium series brings in sociologists from other institutions. Seminars are small and built around participation, with topics running from poverty and policing to political polarization. The department awarded 16 degrees in 2023–24.
- Research Methods
- Interviewing, ethnographic observation, quantitative analysis and data visualization
- Senior Work
- Independent study projects and honors theses
- Student Research Jobs
- Paid research assistantships on faculty projects
Program Sources: Academic Program | Colby College
- Bachelor’s Degrees Awarded
- 16 Sociology, 2023–24
- School Six-Year Graduation Rate
- 89% 580 first-time, full-time students
- In-State Tuition + Fees
- $69,600 Undergraduate, schoolwide, 2024–25
- Out-of-State Tuition + Fees
- $69,600 Undergraduate, schoolwide, 2024–25
- 2
Bowdoin College
Sociology
60.7 Comparison ScoreBowdoin’s sociology major is ten courses, five of them fixed: Introduction to Sociology, Introduction to Social Research, Quantitative Analysis in Sociology, Classics of Sociological Theory and a Senior Seminar. You pick five more, and up to two semesters of independent study or honors work can count. Seven of the ten, including all five required courses, must be taken in Bowdoin’s own department, so transfer credit has limits. The research methods course is meant for sophomore year, and the department wants it finished before you study away, which it suggests planning for junior year. Honors applications open in the second semester of junior year.
- Required Core
- Five courses from Introduction to Sociology through the Senior Seminar
- Departmental Honors
- Application in the second semester of junior year, with a written project based on independent research
- Study Away
- Planned for junior year, after the research methods course
Program Sources: Requirements | Bowdoin CollegeRequirements | Bowdoin College
- Bachelor’s Degrees Awarded
- 15 Sociology, 2023–24
- School Six-Year Graduation Rate
- 95% 508 first-time, full-time students
- Median Graduate Earnings
- $47,749 Sociology bachelor’s graduates, College Scorecard
- In-State Tuition + Fees
- $67,832 Undergraduate, schoolwide, 2024–25
- Out-of-State Tuition + Fees
- $67,832 Undergraduate, schoolwide, 2024–25
- 3
University of Maine
Sociology
58.3 Comparison ScoreMaine’s sociology major is 33 credits: four core courses, 18 credits of electives and a senior capstone. The core runs from Introduction to Sociology through Research Foundations in Sociology, the writing-intensive course, and Major Ideas in Sociology. For the capstone you take SOC 499, six credits of SOC 493, or complete an Honors College thesis. Electives lean toward applied topics such as food systems and social change, rural sociology, environmental sociology, and social movements, protest and policing. A senior-year internship worth 3 to 9 credits is optional, and no more than 6 of those credits count toward the major.
- Core Courses
- Introduction to Sociology, Research Foundations, Major Ideas in Sociology and a Senior Capstone
- Capstone Options
- SOC 499, six credits of SOC 493, or an Honors College thesis
- Internship Option
- SOC 495 internship during senior year for 3 to 9 credits
Program Sources: Program: Sociology - The University of Maine
- Bachelor’s Degrees Awarded
- 10 Sociology, 2023–24
- School Six-Year Graduation Rate
- 55% 2,297 first-time, full-time students
- Median Graduate Earnings
- $58,217 Sociology bachelor’s graduates, College Scorecard
- In-State Tuition + Fees
- $13,326 Undergraduate, schoolwide, 2024–25
- Out-of-State Tuition + Fees
- $36,756 Undergraduate, schoolwide, 2024–25
- 4
Bates College
Sociology Major
55.1 Comparison ScoreBates builds the sociology major on four base courses: Theoretical Foundations of Sociology, Research Methods for Sociology, Introduction to Statistics for Sociology and a Senior Capstone. Beyond those you take at least two 300-level sociology courses, at least four more electives, and at least one senior thesis course. The core courses begin at the 200 level, and most 200-level courses are open to first-year students without prerequisites, so you can start early. With 18 degrees awarded in 2023–24, Bates is one of the larger options on its Maine state page.
- Base Courses
- Theory, research methods, statistics and a senior capstone
- Advanced Work
- At least two 300-level sociology courses and four additional electives
- Senior Thesis
- At least one senior thesis course
Program Sources: Sociology Major | Bates College Academic CatalogThe Major | Sociology | Bates College
- Bachelor’s Degrees Awarded
- 18 Sociology, 2023–24
- School Six-Year Graduation Rate
- 90% 543 first-time, full-time students
- Median Graduate Earnings
- $42,170 Sociology bachelor’s graduates, College Scorecard
- In-State Tuition + Fees
- $66,590 Undergraduate, schoolwide, 2024–25
- Out-of-State Tuition + Fees
- $66,590 Undergraduate, schoolwide, 2024–25
- 5
University of Southern Maine
Sociology
48.4 Comparison ScoreUSM puts research training up front: you learn qualitative and quantitative methods and then take seminar-style courses where faculty work closely with you. Fieldwork and internships let you tailor the degree to a career interest, and you can present original research at the university’s annual Thinking Matters symposium. Coursework looks at how class, race, sexuality and gender inequalities are created and dismantled. An Accelerated Graduate Pathway leads toward the University of Maine School of Law. The program awarded 13 degrees in 2023–24.
- Methods Training
- Qualitative and quantitative research methods
- Experiential Learning
- Fieldwork, internships, community-engaged learning and exchanges
- Law Pathway
- Accelerated Graduate Pathway to the University of Maine School of Law
Program Sources: Sociology – Academics | University of Southern MaineSociology – Academics | University of Southern Maine
- Bachelor’s Degrees Awarded
- 13 Sociology, 2023–24
- School Six-Year Graduation Rate
- 40% 917 first-time, full-time students
- In-State Tuition + Fees
- $12,090 Undergraduate, schoolwide, 2024–25
- Out-of-State Tuition + Fees
- $29,940 Undergraduate, schoolwide, 2024–25
- 6
University of New England
Sociology, B.A.
35.1 Comparison ScoreUNE pairs a two-course theory sequence, Classical Social Theory and Contemporary Social Theory, with Practice of Social Research and Applied Field Methods. Two experiential pieces are built in: a 120-hour internship, and a semester-long applied capstone chosen from an internship of at least 360 hours, a thesis, or study abroad. Internship sites come from a database of more than 900 organizations, and past students have interned with legal services groups, international charities and public access television stations. Only 1 degree was awarded in 2023–24, so you would be joining a very small group of majors.
- Theory Sequence
- Classical Social Theory and Contemporary Social Theory
- Applied Capstone
- Internship, capstone thesis or study abroad
- Internship Network
- More than 900 internship sites in a civic engagement database
Program Sources: Sociology | University of New England in MaineSociology | University of New England in Maine
- Bachelor’s Degrees Awarded
- 1 Sociology, 2023–24
- School Six-Year Graduation Rate
- 70% 594 first-time, full-time students
- In-State Tuition + Fees
- $44,210 Undergraduate, schoolwide, 2024–25
- Out-of-State Tuition + Fees
- $44,210 Undergraduate, schoolwide, 2024–25
Sociology Programs in Maine at a Glance
- Ranked Schools
- 6 2 public, 4 private
- Bachelor’s Programs
- 6 73 degrees in 2023–24
- Lowest In-State Tuition
- $12,090 Bachelor’s list, schoolwide, 2024–25
How We Rank Sociology Programs in Maine
Each program gets the same comparison score it earns in our national sociology model, calculated against the nationwide group that meets the numeric and directory criteria. We then order Maine’s eligible programs by that score within each degree level. This page features up to 10 programs, taking the next highest-ranked program from each degree-level list in turn. Scores are compared only within the same degree level. Bachelor’s lists weigh graduation rate (20%), published tuition (20%), graduate earnings (20%), program reputation (25%), and degrees awarded (15%). See the full ranking method.
Best Sociology Schools in Maine by Goal
These picks compare only the programs featured in the lists above.
Most Sociology Bachelor’s Graduates
18 sociology bachelor’s degrees awarded in 2023–24, the most of any school on this list.
Highest Schoolwide Graduation Rate
95% of first-time, full-time students at the school finished a bachelor’s within six years. This is a schoolwide rate, not a sociology-only rate.
Top-Scoring Public University
The highest-scoring public school on the bachelor’s list (No. 3 overall), with a comparison score of 58.3.
Private Colleges Lead Maine’s Sociology Rankings, Public Schools Cost Less
The main tradeoff in Maine sociology is price against completion. Bates, Bowdoin, and Colby charge $66,590 to $69,600 in schoolwide tuition and required fees for 2024–25, with no lower rate for residents. The University of Maine and the University of Southern Maine charge residents $13,326 and $12,090, but their schoolwide graduation rates are 55 and 40 percent, against 89 percent or higher at the private three. These rates cover each whole school, not sociology majors alone, so ask a department for its own completion figures.
Sociology programs in Maine are small. The six schools awarded 73 bachelor’s degrees in 2023–24, from 18 at Bates to 1 at the University of New England in Biddeford, whose tuition of $44,210 falls between the two groups. These counts are completed degrees, not enrollment. New Hampshire has 7, Rhode Island 6, and Vermont 3.
Sociology Careers and Pay in Maine
These are BLS median annual wages for Maine and the United States from the May 2025 Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey. A median is the midpoint among workers in the occupation, from new hires to senior staff, so it is not a starting salary for a new graduate. The 10th–90th percentile range shows what the middle 80% of workers earn in the state.
| Occupation | Maine Median | Maine 10th–90th Percentile | U.S. Median | Maine Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Social Science Research Assistants | $50,650 | $41,870–$66,990 | $61,990 | 120 |
| Survey Researchers | $47,330 | $35,820–$77,880 | $69,460 | 60 |
| Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists | $71,980 | $43,310–$127,200 | $78,760 | 2,390 |
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Wage data does not enter the program scores.
Sociology Programs in Maine: Common Questions
How Many Schools in Maine Appear in These Sociology Rankings?
6 schools in Maine appear in the lists shown here (6 bachelor’s programs). A school can appear at more than one degree level. The degree counts come from federal IPEDS completions for 2023–24.
Which Sociology Bachelor’s Program in Maine Has the Lowest Tuition?
University of Southern Maine lists $12,090 in annual undergraduate tuition and required fees for state residents in 2024–25, the lowest among the bachelor’s programs shown here. That is a schoolwide figure before aid, so check the program’s own costs and any fees for fieldwork or labs.
Which Public Universities Rank for Sociology in Maine?
Two are on the list. The University of Maine in Orono ranks third with a score of 58.3 and charges residents $13,326 (nonresidents $36,756). The University of Southern Maine in Portland ranks fifth at 48.4 and has the lowest resident price, $12,090 (nonresidents $29,940). Both are schoolwide 2024–25 tuition and required fees, not sociology program prices.
How Close Are Bates, Bowdoin, and Colby in Sociology?
Colby and Bowdoin sit less than a point apart, at 61.6 and 60.7, while Bates ranks fourth at 55.1. Each awarded between 15 and 18 sociology bachelor’s degrees in 2023–24. Bowdoin has the highest schoolwide graduation rate on the list at 95 percent, and Bates has the lowest price of the three at $66,590. With Colby and Bowdoin this close, compare course catalogs and department size directly.
Sources for This Page
- IPEDS C2024_A completions: first-major degrees awarded by field and level, 2023–24.
- IPEDS COST1_2024: tuition and required fees, 2024–25.
- IPEDS DRVGR2024: schoolwide graduation rates.
- Carnegie 2025 Research Activity Designations.
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 state estimates.
- SocialSciences.org ranking methodology.