Best Sociology Schools Near Burlington, IA (2026)

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

Burlington, Iowa has 5 accredited schools offering sociology programs, with tuition ranging from $6,420 to $51,141 per year for indexed programs. Burlington has a population of about 23,800. Median household income is $55,274 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 23.0% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In Iowa, the top-earning sociology-related role is Survey Researchers at a median $83,170 annually (BLS, May 2025).

Closest Sociology Schools to Burlington

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

Davenport, IA 58.1 miles from Burlington
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
62.5 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 77%
Graduation rate 62%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $59,531
Avg net price $24,691/yr
Tuition
In‑state$36,658
Out‑of‑state$36,658
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 80%
  • Programs offered: 59

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

University of Iowa

Iowa City, IA 62.8 miles from Burlington
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
73.5 BOC Score
Graduation rate 72%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $64,762
Avg net price $22,531/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 90%
  • Programs offered: 199

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#3

Cornell College

Mount Vernon, IA 78.7 miles from Burlington
  • 4 year
45.8 BOC Score
Graduation rate 64%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $53,460
Avg net price $23,634/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 77%
  • Programs offered: 49

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Coe College

Cedar Rapids, IA 86.2 miles from Burlington
  • 4 year
52.8 BOC Score
Graduation rate 65%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $57,125
Avg net price $18,745/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 75%
  • Programs offered: 38

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#5

William Penn University

Oskaloosa, IA 86.6 miles from Burlington
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
33.6 BOC Score
Graduation rate 41%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $48,936
Avg net price $22,601/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 57%
  • Programs offered: 36

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

Mount Mercy University

Cedar Rapids, IA 86.9 miles from Burlington
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
59.9 BOC Score
Graduation rate 62%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $60,787
Avg net price $20,168/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 71%
  • Programs offered: 48

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#7

Central College

Pella, IA 102.2 miles from Burlington
  • 4 year
49.0 BOC Score
Graduation rate 69%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $54,317
Avg net price $23,377/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 76%
  • Programs offered: 29

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

Grinnell College

Grinnell, IA 105.4 miles from Burlington
  • 4 year
72.6 BOC Score
Graduation rate 88%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $62,830
Avg net price $17,648/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 93%
  • Programs offered: 31

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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

Sociology Wages Near Burlington

Occupation Median Annual Wage (Iowa, statewide)
Sociologists N/A
Sociology Teachers, Postsecondary $81,910
Social and Human Service Assistants $42,480
Survey Researchers $83,170
Child, Family, and School Social Workers $52,250
Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists $66,390
Social Science Research Assistants $40,940
Social and Community Service Managers $65,940

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.

Burlington at a Glance

Metric Value Source
Population 23,800 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $55,274 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ 23.0% Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)

Other Burlington-Area Cities With Sociology Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited sociology schools are near Burlington, IA?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering sociology programs near Burlington. The closest is Southeastern Community College in West Burlington, IA (2.5 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Saint Ambrose University (58.1 miles). 4 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying sociology roles in Iowa?

Based on BLS May 2025 state wage data, the top-paying sociology-related roles in Iowa are: Survey Researchers ($83,170), Sociology Teachers, Postsecondary ($81,910), Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists ($66,390). Wages for Burlington workers will track these statewide medians, adjusted for local cost of living.

Should I look at programs in Galesburg instead of Burlington?

Galesburg, IL is 40.3 miles from Burlington 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 Burlington an affordable place to study sociology?

Burlington’s median household income of $55,274 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Burlington while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Iowa 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 Burlington

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

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 Iowa: Online Programs (2026)