Best Sociology Schools Near Sunbury, PA (2026)

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

Sunbury, Pennsylvania has 5 accredited schools offering sociology programs, with tuition ranging from $15,972 to $83,756 per year for indexed programs. Sunbury has a population of about 9,643. Median household income is $48,509 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 11.4% 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 Sunbury

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

Susquehanna University

Selinsgrove, PA 6.4 miles from Sunbury
  • 4 year
58.6 BOC Score
Graduation rate 76%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $61,723
Avg net price $28,819/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 86%
  • Programs offered: 54

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Bucknell University

Lewisburg, PA 8.1 miles from Sunbury
  • 4 year
  • Accredited
67.6 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 29%
Graduation rate 86%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $93,807
Avg net price $40,766/yr
Tuition
In‑state$67,812
Out‑of‑state$67,812
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 95%
  • Programs offered: 60

Source:Accreditor: Middle States Commission on Higher EducationIPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#3

Commonwealth University of Pennsylvania

Bloomsburg, PA 20.4 miles from Sunbury
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
56.2 BOC Score
Graduation rate 56%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $52,416
Avg net price $15,699/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 76%
  • Programs offered: 76

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Lebanon Valley College

Annville, PA 39.4 miles from Sunbury
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
64.7 BOC Score
Graduation rate 67%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $62,621
Avg net price $26,979/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 83%
  • Programs offered: 57

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#5

Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Harrisburg

Middletown, PA 45.5 miles from Sunbury
  • 4 year
  • Accredited
41.3 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 98%
Graduation rate 28%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $63,435
Avg net price $23,330/yr
Tuition
In‑state$15,972
Out‑of‑state$26,958
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 82%
  • Programs offered: 53

Source:Accreditor: Middle States Commission on Higher EducationIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

Messiah University

Mechanicsburg, PA 49.8 miles from Sunbury
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
65.5 BOC Score
Graduation rate 77%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $54,064
Avg net price $26,502/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 87%
  • Programs offered: 87

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#7

Elizabethtown College

Elizabethtown, PA 50.3 miles from Sunbury
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
68.1 BOC Score
Graduation rate 73%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $62,399
Avg net price $26,598/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 84%
  • Programs offered: 62

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

Dickinson College

Carlisle, PA 50.4 miles from Sunbury
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
72.6 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 42%
Graduation rate 82%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $70,204
Avg net price $37,607/yr
Tuition
In‑state$65,650
Out‑of‑state$65,650
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 90%
  • Programs offered: 48

Source:Accreditor: Middle States Commission on Higher EducationIPEDSCollege Scorecard

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

Sociology Wages Near Sunbury

Occupation Median Annual Wage (Pennsylvania, statewide)
Sociologists N/A
Sociology Teachers, Postsecondary $99,660
Social and Human Service Assistants $44,050
Survey Researchers $63,310
Child, Family, and School Social Workers $50,820
Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists $68,760
Social Science Research Assistants $54,610
Social and Community Service Managers $75,280

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.

Sunbury at a Glance

Metric Value Source
Population 9,643 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $48,509 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ 11.4% Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)

Other Sunbury-Area Cities With Sociology Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited sociology schools are near Sunbury, PA?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering sociology programs near Sunbury. The closest is Susquehanna University in Selinsgrove, PA (6.4 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Harrisburg (45.5 miles). 2 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying sociology roles in Pennsylvania?

Based on BLS May 2025 state wage data, the top-paying sociology-related roles in Pennsylvania are: Sociology Teachers, Postsecondary ($99,660), Social and Community Service Managers ($75,280), Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists ($68,760). Wages for Sunbury workers will track these statewide medians, adjusted for local cost of living.

Should I look at programs in Milton instead of Sunbury?

Milton, PA is 10.7 miles from Sunbury 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 Sunbury an affordable place to study sociology?

Sunbury’s median household income of $48,509 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Sunbury 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 Sunbury

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

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)