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Best Sociology Schools Near Fairbanks, AK (2026)
Updated September 5, 2026BLS dataCollege ScorecardOn this page
Fairbanks, Alaska is home to about 32,242 residents. Median household income is $72,077 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 26.5% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In Alaska, the top-earning sociology-related role is Sociologists at a median $108,170 annually (BLS, May 2025).
Closest Sociology Schools to Fairbanks
The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer sociology programs near Fairbanks, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Fairbanks 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:
BOCSCORE
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 Fairbanks.
Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.
BOC
Ranked by BOC Score — U.S. Dept. of Education outcome data. Advertising never affects rankings.
Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all Alaska schools on the Alaska sociology page.
Sociology Wages Near Fairbanks
Fairbanks is part of the Fairbanks-College, AK metro area (BLS area code 21820). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Alaska statewide.
Occupation
Median Wage
Source
COL-Adjusted (US=100)
Sociologists
$108,170
AK statewide
$104,816
Sociology Teachers, Postsecondary
N/A
AK statewide
–
Social and Human Service Assistants
$50,240
Fairbanks-College, AK
$48,682
Survey Researchers
$70,560
AK statewide
$68,372
Child, Family, and School Social Workers
$68,180
Fairbanks-College, AK
$66,066
Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists
$56,920
Fairbanks-College, AK
$55,155
Social Science Research Assistants
$62,230
AK statewide
$60,300
Social and Community Service Managers
$86,850
Fairbanks-College, AK
$84,157
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.
Fairbanks at a Glance
Metric
Value
Source
Population
32,242
Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income
$72,077
Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+
26.5%
Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)
103.2 (above U.S. average)
BEA RPP 2024
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the highest-paying sociology roles near Fairbanks?
Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying sociology-related roles near Fairbanks are: Sociologists ($108,170), Social and Community Service Managers ($86,850), Survey Researchers ($70,560). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Alaska statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.
Is Fairbanks an affordable place to study sociology?
Fairbanks’s median household income of $72,077 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Fairbanks while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Alaska public universities often offer reduced in-state online tuition.
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.
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.
