128 bachelor’s programs in sociology, political science, and anthropology list an online option, across 36 states
That includes 65 in sociology, 50 in political science, and 13 in anthropology. Most start at the associate level too: 77 associate programs list an online option, so you can begin at a community college and transfer into a bachelor’s.
Key Findings
- 128 bachelor’s programs list an online option: 65 in sociology, 50 in political science, and 13 in anthropology.
- Sociology’s programs sit in 31 states, political science’s in 28, and anthropology’s in 10.
- At the master’s level, 22 sociology, 17 political science, and 7 anthropology programs list an online option.
- At the doctoral level, 2 anthropology programs list an online option, alongside 7 in sociology and 5 in political science.
- Associate degrees are the most common online route: 36 of 183 sociology associate programs (19.7%) list an online option.
- Schools that list an online option for a bachelor’s program charge a median $10,728 in tuition and fees for sociology, $10,314 for political science, and $10,728 for anthropology.
- BLS lists a master’s degree as the typical entry credential for political scientists (median $142,080), sociologists ($106,030), and anthropologists and archeologists ($70,770).
Share of Bachelor’s Programs With an Online Flag
Each bar shows how many of a field’s bachelor’s programs list an online option, so you can see where your options are concentrated.
Online-Flagged Programs at Every Degree Level
Sociology leads at every level. The gap is widest at the bachelor’s, where most students start.
What the Three Fields Pay by Occupation
These are wages for people working in each occupation, not what a new graduate earns. Each bar runs from the 10th to the 90th percentile, and the dot marks the median.
| Occupation | Employed | 10th Percentile | Median | 90th Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Political Scientists | 5,540 | $83,350 | $142,080 | $195,190 |
| Sociologists | 2,260 | $65,160 | $106,030 | $172,550 |
| Anthropologists and Archeologists | 8,990 | $49,050 | $70,770 | $108,060 |
| Social Science Research Assistants | 30,640 | $38,090 | $61,990 | $102,070 |
The Full Data by Field and Degree Level
Each row counts every program record in the field and level. 265 of 3,558 program records across the three fields list an online option.
| Field | Level | Programs | Lists an Online Option | Share | States With a Listing Program | Median Tuition and Fees, Listing Schools |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sociology | Associate | 183 | 36 | 19.7% | 16 | $4,046 |
| Sociology | Bachelor’s | 855 | 65 | 7.6% | 31 | $10,728 |
| Sociology | Master’s | 194 | 22 | 11.3% | 17 | $9,984 |
| Sociology | Doctorate | 110 | 7 | 6.4% | 6 | $12,737 |
| Political Science | Associate | 163 | 26 | 16% | 12 | $2,363 |
| Political Science | Bachelor’s | 999 | 50 | 5% | 28 | $10,314 |
| Political Science | Master’s | 187 | 17 | 9.1% | 12 | $9,518 |
| Political Science | Doctorate | 111 | 5 | 4.5% | 5 | $13,027 |
| Anthropology | Associate | 117 | 15 | 12.8% | 8 | $4,410 |
| Anthropology | Bachelor’s | 408 | 13 | 3.2% | 10 | $10,728 |
| Anthropology | Master’s | 144 | 7 | 4.9% | 6 | $9,518 |
| Anthropology | Doctorate | 87 | 2 | 2.3% | 2 | $14,472 |
The 13 Anthropology Bachelor’s Programs With an Online Flag
| School | State | Control | Degrees Awarded |
|---|---|---|---|
| ASU Online | AZ | Public | 136 |
| Eastern New Mexico University | NM | Public | 5 |
| Oregon State University | OR | Public | 56 |
| Southern New Hampshire University | NH | Private nonprofit | 153 |
| Texas Tech University | TX | Public | 20 |
| Troy University | AL | Public | 19 |
| University of Central Florida | FL | Public | 103 |
| University of Florida | FL | Public | 94 |
| University of Florida-Online | FL | Public | 22 |
| University of Memphis | TN | Public | 19 |
| University of North Texas | TX | Public | 44 |
| Utah State University | UT | Public | 36 |
| Western Illinois University | IL | Public | 8 |
What This Means for Students
If you want to study anthropology online, start with the 13 schools listed in the table above, then read each program page for fieldwork rules. Archaeology tracks often include site-based field school, which no online course replaces.
Sociology and political science give you more room to compare. With 65 and 50 flagged bachelor’s programs, you can filter by price, state, and public or private control, and still have several schools left.
Keep the careers in mind too. The jobs titled political scientist, sociologist, and anthropologist usually need a master’s, and fewer online master’s programs exist than bachelor’s programs. A bachelor’s still supports roles such as social science research assistant, which has a national median of $61,990. Plan the master’s early if the specialist title is your goal.
Ready to compare schools? Open the rankings for sociology, anthropology, and political science, or compare the majors side by side. The online anthropology guide and online political science guide show the program rules school by school.
Questions About Online Social Science Degrees
How Many Online Bachelor’s Programs Are There in Sociology, Anthropology, and Political Science?
128 bachelor’s programs list an online option: 65 in sociology, 50 in political science, and 13 in anthropology.
Which Social Science Has the Most Online Degree Options?
Sociology lists the most online options at the associate, bachelor’s, and master’s levels. Political science has the largest pool of bachelor’s programs overall (999), but a smaller share of them list an online option.
Do These Counts Prove a Program Is Fully Online?
No. The flag tells you a school reports online options in the field. Open the school’s degree page and confirm the exact degree, track, and any in-person requirements before you apply.
Methodology
- Programs. Program records for CIP 45.1101 (sociology), 45.1001 (political science), and 45.0201 (anthropology) at the associate, bachelor’s, master’s, and research doctorate levels, from Hapi’s IPEDS-derived data. n = 3,558 program records. The three bachelor’s fields hold 855, 999, and 408 records.
- Online flag. Hapi’s flag marks an institution-and-field combination that reports online options. It does not confirm that the whole degree is available online, so confirm delivery on the school’s degree page.
- Tuition. The median of each flagged school’s average annual in-state tuition and required fees (undergraduate for associate and bachelor’s, graduate for master’s and doctoral), IPEDS 2024–25. These are institution figures, not per-credit or program prices.
- States. Counts use the state where the school is located, including the District of Columbia and U.S. territories that report programs.
- Wages. BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 national estimates. Occupation wages are not graduate earnings. Typical entry education comes from the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook profiles for sociologists and anthropologists and archeologists.
- Excluded. Other CIP codes and adjacent majors are outside this report, as are certificates and professional doctorates.
Read our full program comparison method.
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