Best Sociology Schools Near Mission Viejo, CA (2026)

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

Mission Viejo, California has 5 accredited schools offering sociology programs, with tuition ranging from $1,156 to $49,922 per year for indexed programs. Mission Viejo has a population of about 92,415. Median household income is $136,071 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 51.1% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA metro area, the top-earning sociology-related role is Sociology Teachers, Postsecondary at a median $128,010 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Closest Sociology Schools to Mission Viejo

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer sociology programs near Mission Viejo, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Mission Viejo 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 Mission Viejo. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.

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

Sort:
#1

Saddleback College

Mission Viejo, CA 3.9 miles from Mission Viejo
  • 2 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
71.2 BOC Score
Graduation rate 46%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $50,874
Avg net price $4,152/yr
Tuition
In‑state$1,156
Out‑of‑state$11,860
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 101

Source:Accreditor: Western Association of Schools and Colleges Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior CollegesIPEDSCollege Scorecard

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

Sociology Wages Near Mission Viejo

Mission Viejo is part of the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA metro area (BLS area code 31080). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to California statewide.

Occupation Median Wage Source COL-Adjusted (US=100)
Sociologists $124,540 Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA $109,630
Sociology Teachers, Postsecondary $128,010 Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA $112,685
Social and Human Service Assistants $50,330 Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA $44,305
Survey Researchers $83,520 Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA $73,521
Child, Family, and School Social Workers $71,250 Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA $62,720
Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists $82,990 Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA $73,055
Social Science Research Assistants $59,240 Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA $52,148
Social and Community Service Managers $87,100 Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA $76,673

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.

Mission Viejo at a Glance

Metric Value Source
Population 92,415 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $136,071 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ 51.1% Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100) 113.6 (above U.S. average) BEA RPP 2024

Other Mission Viejo-Area Cities With Sociology Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited sociology schools are near Mission Viejo, CA?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering sociology programs near Mission Viejo. The closest is Saddleback College in Mission Viejo, CA (3.9 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Santiago Canyon College (14.4 miles). 3 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying sociology roles near Mission Viejo?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying sociology-related roles near Mission Viejo are: Sociology Teachers, Postsecondary ($128,010), Sociologists ($124,540), Social and Community Service Managers ($87,100). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with California statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Laguna Hills instead of Mission Viejo?

Laguna Hills, CA is 2.8 miles from Mission Viejo 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.

Is Mission Viejo an affordable place to study sociology?

Mission Viejo’s median household income of $136,071 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Mission Viejo while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and California 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.

Learn More About Sociology Programs

Other Programs Available in Mission Viejo

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

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 California: Online Programs (2026)