Best Sociology Schools Near Reading, PA (2026)

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

Reading, Pennsylvania has 5 accredited schools offering sociology programs. Reading has a population of about 94,836. Median household income is $45,599 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 11.7% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In Pennsylvania, the top-earning sociology-related role is Sociology Teachers, Postsecondary at a median $99,660 annually (BLS, May 2025).

Closest Sociology Schools to Reading

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

Albright College

Reading, PA 1.7 miles from Reading
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
48.5 BOC Score
Graduation rate 51%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $58,700
Avg net price $20,024/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 62%
  • Programs offered: 46

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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

Sociology Wages Near Reading

Reading is part of the Reading, PA metro area (BLS area code 39740). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Pennsylvania statewide.

Occupation Median Wage Source COL-Adjusted (US=100)
Sociologists N/A PA statewide –
Sociology Teachers, Postsecondary $99,660 PA statewide $102,636
Social and Human Service Assistants $42,910 Reading, PA $44,192
Survey Researchers $63,310 PA statewide $65,201
Child, Family, and School Social Workers $51,050 Reading, PA $52,575
Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists $63,040 Reading, PA $64,923
Social Science Research Assistants $54,610 PA statewide $56,241
Social and Community Service Managers $74,890 Reading, PA $77,127

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.

Reading at a Glance

Metric Value Source
Population 94,836 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $45,599 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ 11.7% Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100) 97.1 (below U.S. average) BEA RPP 2024

Other Reading-Area Cities With Sociology Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited sociology schools are near Reading, PA?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering sociology programs near Reading. The closest is Albright College in Reading, PA (1.7 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Franklin and Marshall College (28.9 miles). 3 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying sociology roles near Reading?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying sociology-related roles near Reading are: Sociology Teachers, Postsecondary ($99,660), Social and Community Service Managers ($74,890), Survey Researchers ($63,310). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Pennsylvania statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Pottstown instead of Reading?

Pottstown, PA is 16.1 miles from Reading 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 Reading an affordable place to study sociology?

Reading’s median household income of $45,599 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Reading while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Pennsylvania 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 Reading

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

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 Pennsylvania: Online Programs (2026)