Best Sociology Schools Near Decatur, AL (2026)

Updated September 5, 2026 BLS data College Scorecard On this page

Decatur, Alabama has 5 accredited schools offering sociology programs, with tuition ranging from $9,098 to $28,145 per year for indexed programs. Decatur has a population of about 57,974. In Alabama, the top-earning sociology-related role is Sociology Teachers, Postsecondary at a median $73,670 annually (BLS, May 2025).

Closest Sociology Schools to Decatur

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer sociology programs near Decatur, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Decatur city center. The list is rebuilt from federal IPEDS data on every site update.

How We Rank Schools

Every school list on this site is ordered by the BOC Score, computed from the most recent school-level data published by the U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard and IPEDS). To qualify, a school must be currently operating and accredited by an agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Each eligible school is then scored on five measures, percentile-ranked against schools at the same credential level:

  • Graduation rate 30%
  • Median earnings, 10 years after entry 25%
  • Average net price (lower is better) 20%
  • Retention rate 15%
  • Fully online availability 10%

Schools without enough outcome data appear after ranked schools, without a score. On this page, schools are ordered by distance from Decatur. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.

Ranked by BOC Score — U.S. Dept. of Education outcome data. Advertising never affects rankings.

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#1

Athens State University

Athens, AL 16.2 miles from Decatur
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
52.1 BOC Score
Graduation rate 58%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $50,273
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 44

Source:Accreditor: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on CollegesIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

University of Alabama in Huntsville

Huntsville, AL 22.5 miles from Decatur
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
65.0 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 69%
Graduation rate 63%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $61,767
Avg net price $18,796/yr
Tuition
In‑state$12,132
Out‑of‑state$26,408
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 82%
  • Programs offered: 62

Source:Accreditor: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on CollegesIPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#3

Alabama A & M University

Normal, AL 28.0 miles from Decatur
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
32.6 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 58%
Graduation rate 26%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $40,628
Avg net price $17,621/yr
Tuition
In‑state$10,024
Out‑of‑state$18,634
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 67%
  • Programs offered: 46

Source:Accreditor: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on CollegesIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

University of North Alabama

Florence, AL 42.4 miles from Decatur
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
53.6 BOC Score
Graduation rate 54%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $45,415
Avg net price $12,170/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 79%
  • Programs offered: 66

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#5

University of Alabama at Birmingham

Birmingham, AL 74.5 miles from Decatur
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
58.6 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 88%
Graduation rate 63%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $54,501
Avg net price $18,749/yr
Tuition
In‑state$9,098
Out‑of‑state$22,562
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 81%
  • Programs offered: 130

Source:Accreditor: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on CollegesIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

Samford University

Birmingham, AL 77.5 miles from Decatur
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
66.9 BOC Score
Graduation rate 77%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $58,469
Avg net price $32,622/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 90%
  • Programs offered: 90

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#7

Jacksonville State University

Jacksonville, AL 87.1 miles from Decatur
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
47.4 BOC Score
Graduation rate 56%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $45,235
Avg net price $14,279/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 64%
  • Programs offered: 54

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

Talladega College

Talladega, AL 93.4 miles from Decatur
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
29.3 BOC Score
Graduation rate 24%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $32,229
Avg net price $15,560/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 64%
  • Programs offered: 16

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all Alabama schools on the Alabama sociology page.

Sociology Wages Near Decatur

Decatur is part of the Decatur, AL metro area (BLS area code 19460). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Alabama statewide.

Occupation Median Wage Source COL-Adjusted (US=100)
Sociologists N/A AL statewide –
Sociology Teachers, Postsecondary $73,670 AL statewide $84,484
Social and Human Service Assistants $36,450 Decatur, AL $41,800
Survey Researchers N/A AL statewide –
Child, Family, and School Social Workers $48,980 Decatur, AL $56,170
Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists $56,450 Decatur, AL $64,736
Social Science Research Assistants $53,080 AL statewide $60,872
Social and Community Service Managers $72,970 Decatur, AL $83,681

Source: BLS, May 2025 Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes wage data at the metro (MSA) and state level – not by individual city.

Decatur at a Glance

Metric Value Source
Regional Price Parity (US=100) 87.2 (below U.S. average) BEA RPP 2024

Other Decatur-Area Cities With Sociology Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited sociology schools are near Decatur, AL?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering sociology programs near Decatur. The closest is Athens State University in Athens, AL (16.2 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is University of Alabama at Birmingham (74.5 miles). 5 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying sociology roles near Decatur?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying sociology-related roles near Decatur are: Sociology Teachers, Postsecondary ($73,670), Social and Community Service Managers ($72,970), Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists ($56,450). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Alabama statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Athens instead of Decatur?

Athens, AL is 14.7 miles from Decatur and has its own set of local sociology programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.

How do I verify a program is accredited?

Confirm institutional accreditation via the U.S. Department of Education database (U.S. Dept. of Education database), and check for any program-specific accreditation listed by the school.

Learn More About Sociology Programs

Other Programs Available in Decatur

Compare every accredited online degree program with city-level data for Decatur:

Data verified: September 5, 2026. Salary, employment, and tuition figures on this page are sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS May 2025; Employment Projections 2024–2034) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (2023 cohort). The source agency and data year are cited inline with every statistic.

Back to Best Sociology Schools in Alabama: Online Programs (2026)