2026 Subject Ranking

Best Graduate Schools for Social Work & Sociology

The Social Work & Sociology ranking compares universities for graduate study using subject strength and applicant demand. This page shows positions 1–30 from the full ranking. Each position belongs to a university, not an individual degree program. Open a university's program count to see and compare its matching graduate programs. It combines evidence from doctoral sociology programs and professionally oriented social work programs.

University homepage. For program-level links, use GSN Explorer.

Rank	University	Country
1	Harvard University	United States
2 programs Doctoral Programs Doctor of Philosophy in Sociology Doctor of Philosophy in Sociology and Social Policy
2	Stanford University	United States
2 programs Doctoral Programs Doctor of Philosophy in Sociology Doctor of Philosophy in Sociology of Education
3	University of California, Berkeley	United States
2 programs Doctoral Programs Doctor of Philosophy in Sociology PhD in Social Welfare
4	University of Michigan--Ann Arbor	United States
5 programs Doctoral Programs PhD in sociology Master's Programs Master of Science in Social Work and Business Administration Master of Science in Social Work and Law Master of Science in Social Work and Public Health (Health Behavior and Health Education) Master of Social Work
5	Princeton University	United States
1 program Doctoral Programs Doctor of Philosophy in Sociology
6	University of Chicago	United States
3 programs Doctoral Programs Doctor of Philosophy in Social Work, Social Policy, and Social Administration Master of Arts\|Doctor of Philosophy in Sociology Master's Programs Master of Arts Program in Social Work, Social Policy, and Social Administration
7	Columbia University	United States
10 programs Doctoral Programs Doctor of Education in Sociology and Education Doctor of Philosophy in Social Work Doctor of Philosophy in Sociology Doctor of Philosophy in Sociology and Education Master's Programs Master of Arts in Jewish Studies and Social Work Master of Arts in Sociology Master of Arts in Sociology and Education Master of Education in Sociology and Education Master of Social Work MS in Sociology
8	Yale University	United States
1 program Doctoral Programs Doctor of Philosophy in Sociology
9	University of Oxford	United Kingdom
3 programs Doctoral Programs DPhil in Sociology Master's Programs MPhil in Sociology and Demography MSc in Sociology
10	New York University	United States
4 programs Doctoral Programs Doctor of Philosophy in Social Work Doctor of Philosophy in Sociology Doctor of Social Work in Clinical Social Work Master's Programs Master of Social Work
11	Northwestern University	United States
1 program Doctoral Programs Doctor of Sociology
12	University of California, Los Angeles	United States
2 programs Doctoral Programs Doctor of Philosophy in Sociology Master's Programs Master of Arts in Sociology
13	University of Pennsylvania	United States
7 programs Doctoral Programs Doctor of Philosophy in History and Sociology of Science Doctor of Philosophy in Sociology Doctorate in Clinical Social Work MD-PhD in History and Sociology of Science PhD in Demography Master's Programs Master of Arts in History and Sociology of Science Master of Social Work
14	University of Toronto	Canada
4 programs Doctoral Programs Doctor of Philosophy in Sociology Master's Programs Master of Arts in Sociology Master of Social Work Master's Program in Women and Gender Studies (MWGS)
15	Brown University	United States
1 program Doctoral Programs Doctor of Philosophy in Sociology
16	The University of Texas at Austin	United States
4 programs Doctoral Programs Doctor of Philosophy in Social Work Doctor of Philosophy in Sociology Master's Programs Master of Arts in Sociology Master of Science in Social Work
17	University of North Carolina--Chapel Hill	United States
4 programs Doctoral Programs Doctor of Philosophy in Social Work Doctor of Philosophy in Sociology Master's Programs Master of Arts in Sociology Master of Social Work
18	University of Wisconsin--Madison	United States
4 programs Doctoral Programs Doctor of Philosophy in Social Work Doctor of Philosophy in Sociology Master's Programs Master of Science in Sociology Master of Social Work
19	University of Washington	United States
2 programs Doctoral Programs Doctor of Philosophy in Sociology Master's Programs Master of Social Work
20	University of Minnesota--Twin Cities	United States
4 programs Doctoral Programs Doctor of Philosophy in Social Work Doctor of Philosophy in Sociology Master's Programs Master of Arts in Sociology Master of Social Work
21	Cornell University	United States
3 programs Doctoral Programs Doctor of Philosophy in Development Sociology Doctor of Philosophy in Sociology Master's Programs Master of Arts in Sociology
22	Johns Hopkins University	United States
1 program Doctoral Programs PhD in Sociology
23	Washington University in St. Louis	United States
3 programs Doctoral Programs Doctor of Philosophy in Social Work PhD in Sociology Master's Programs Master of Social Work
24	London School of Economics and Political Science	United Kingdom
4 programs Doctoral Programs MPhil\|PhD Sociology Master's Programs MSc Culture and Society MSc Political Sociology MSc Sociology
25	Duke University	United States
1 program Doctoral Programs Doctor of Philosophy in Sociology
26	University of Southern California	United States
11 programs Doctoral Programs Doctor of Philosophy in Social Work Master of Social Work\|Juris Doctor Master of Social Work\|PhD in Social Work PhD in Sociology Master's Programs Master of Social Work Master of Social Work\|Master of Arts in Jewish Nonprofit Master of Social Work\|Master of Business Administration Master of Social Work\|Master of Planning Master of Social Work\|Master of Public Administration Master of Social Work\|Master of Public Health Master of Social Work\|Master of Science in Gerontology
27	Ohio State University--Columbus	United States
3 programs Doctoral Programs Doctor of Philosophy in Social Work Doctor of Philosophy in Sociology Master's Programs Master of Social Work
28	The Pennsylvania State University	United States
4 programs Doctoral Programs Doctor of Philosophy in Sociology Dual-Title PhD in Sociology and Demography Master of Arts and Doctor of Philosophy in Sociology and Demography Master's Programs Master of Arts in Sociology
29	National University of Singapore	Singapore
1 program Master's Programs Master in Social Science (Sociology)
30	University of Maryland, College Park	United States
1 program Doctoral Programs Doctor of Philosophy in Sociology

How this ranking is built

Graduate study is a career decision. These subject rankings help applicants compare where a degree may create the strongest long-term value, using evidence that reflects how graduate students actually choose and what they gain from their degrees.

We build subject rankings across 37 disciplines and publish the top 30 universities in each. Each university receives one position in the published table for that subject. That position reflects how the university performs across key ranking components, combined consistently for every institution in scope.

Key ranking components

Research strengthDepth, quality, and influence of scholarship and faculty in the university or field.
Employability and career outcomesGraduate placement, employer access, professional standing, alumni networks, and long-term options created by the degree.
Global engagementInternational reach, cross-border relevance, and breadth of academic and professional networks.
Learning experienceQuality and breadth of graduate study and the environment in which students learn, collaborate, and develop.
Applicant demand and revealed preferenceApplication demand and choices admitted applicants make when they hold more than one offer.

Independent expert judgment calibrates the weight given to each component and checks that the resulting order makes sense. There is no one-size-fits-all balance across subjects: research-led fields place more emphasis on academic depth, while professional fields place more emphasis on career outcomes and professional training.

Questions About the Social Work & Sociology Ranking

What does the Social Work & Sociology ranking measure?: It compares the strength of graduate study in Social Work & Sociology across universities using key ranking components: research strength; employability and career outcomes; global engagement; learning experience; and applicant demand and revealed preference. Independent expert judgment calibrates the weight given to each component for the field and checks that the resulting order makes sense.
Does the Social Work & Sociology ranking compare universities or individual programs?: The ranking compares universities, not individual programs. Each university receives one position based on how its graduate offering in Social Work & Sociology performs across the key ranking components. The programs listed beneath it help you explore your options; they do not receive separate ranks.
How should I use the Social Work & Sociology ranking to build my shortlist?: Use it to identify universities worth investigating, then compare the linked programs for academic fit, admissions requirements, deadlines and costs. A higher position should inform your shortlist, not decide it for you.
Which countries are represented in the Social Work & Sociology ranking?: United States (26), United Kingdom (2), Canada (1), and Singapore (1). The ranking is global and does not use a country quota.
Are higher-ranked universities usually harder to get into?: Often, but not always. Applicant demand and revealed preference are only part of the ranking. Research strength, career outcomes, global engagement, learning experience and field-specific calibration also shape the order. Admission standards still vary by degree level, specialization and individual program, even within the same university.

Best Graduate Schools for Social Work & Sociology

How this ranking is built

Key ranking components

Questions About the Social Work & Sociology Ranking

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