Best Sociology Schools Near Lakeland, FL (2026)

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

Lakeland, Florida has 5 accredited schools offering sociology programs, with tuition ranging from $6,410 to $51,614 per year for indexed programs. Lakeland has a population of about 117,030. Median household income is $60,947 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 27.7% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL metro area, the top-earning sociology-related role is Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists at a median $76,630 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Closest Sociology Schools to Lakeland

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer sociology programs near Lakeland, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Lakeland 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 Lakeland. 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

Saint Leo University

Saint Leo, FL 26.8 miles from Lakeland
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
32.0 BOC Score
Graduation rate 33%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $48,364
Avg net price $21,293/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 58%
  • Programs offered: 43

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

University of South Florida

Tampa, FL 28.0 miles from Lakeland
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
81.8 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 43%
Graduation rate 76%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $57,743
Avg net price $9,812/yr
Tuition
In‑state$6,410
Out‑of‑state$17,324
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 91%
  • Programs offered: 151

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

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#3

The University of Tampa

Tampa, FL 32.0 miles from Lakeland
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
58.0 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 40%
Graduation rate 63%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $59,436
Avg net price $36,211/yr
Tuition
In‑state$34,408
Out‑of‑state$34,408
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 83%
  • Programs offered: 73

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

#4

Eckerd College

Saint Petersburg, FL 50.5 miles from Lakeland
  • 4 year
38.7 BOC Score
Graduation rate 64%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $51,819
Avg net price $38,071/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 77%
  • Programs offered: 39

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#5

Rollins College

Winter Park, FL 52.3 miles from Lakeland
  • 4 year
53.3 BOC Score
Graduation rate 73%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $58,295
Avg net price $34,732/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 85%
  • Programs offered: 40

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

University of Central Florida

Orlando, FL 59.4 miles from Lakeland
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
80.8 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 40%
Graduation rate 77%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $58,308
Avg net price $10,411/yr
Tuition
In‑state$6,368
Out‑of‑state$22,467
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 92%
  • Programs offered: 130

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#7

Stetson University

DeLand, FL 78.5 miles from Lakeland
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
56.7 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 72%
Graduation rate 63%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $51,642
Avg net price $19,372/yr
Tuition
In‑state$57,410
Out‑of‑state$57,410
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 75%
  • Programs offered: 65

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

#8

Bethune-Cookman University

Daytona Beach, FL 97.2 miles from Lakeland
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
35.9 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 88%
Graduation rate 29%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $38,518
Avg net price $12,030/yr
Tuition
In‑state$14,794
Out‑of‑state$14,794
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 59%
  • Programs offered: 30

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

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

Sociology Wages Near Lakeland

Lakeland is part of the Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL metro area (BLS area code 29460). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Florida statewide.

Occupation Median Wage Source COL-Adjusted (US=100)
Sociologists $46,950 FL statewide $48,352
Sociology Teachers, Postsecondary $63,470 FL statewide $65,366
Social and Human Service Assistants $41,290 Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL $42,523
Survey Researchers N/A FL statewide –
Child, Family, and School Social Workers $53,800 Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL $55,407
Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists $76,630 Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL $78,919
Social Science Research Assistants $50,700 FL statewide $52,214
Social and Community Service Managers $70,400 Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL $72,503

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.

Lakeland at a Glance

Metric Value Source
Population 117,030 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $60,947 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ 27.7% Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100) 97.1 (below U.S. average) BEA RPP 2024

Other Lakeland-Area Cities With Sociology Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited sociology schools are near Lakeland, FL?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering sociology programs near Lakeland. The closest is Saint Leo University in Saint Leo, FL (26.8 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Rollins College (52.3 miles). 3 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying sociology roles near Lakeland?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying sociology-related roles near Lakeland are: Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists ($76,630), Social and Community Service Managers ($70,400), Sociology Teachers, Postsecondary ($63,470). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Florida statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Plant City instead of Lakeland?

Plant City, FL is 10.5 miles from Lakeland 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 Lakeland an affordable place to study sociology?

Lakeland’s median household income of $60,947 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Lakeland while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Florida 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 Lakeland

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

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 Florida: Online Programs (2026)