Best Sociology Schools Near Brookings, SD (2026)

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

Brookings, South Dakota has 5 accredited schools offering sociology programs, with tuition ranging from $36,710 to $49,783 per year for indexed programs. Brookings has a population of about 23,710. Median household income is $61,979 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 49.7% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In South Dakota, the top-earning sociology-related role is Social and Community Service Managers at a median $86,870 annually (BLS, May 2025).

Closest Sociology Schools to Brookings

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

South Dakota State University

Brookings, SD 1.0 miles from Brookings
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
59.4 BOC Score
Graduation rate 58%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $55,070
Avg net price $19,841/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 83%
  • Programs offered: 109

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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

Sociology Wages Near Brookings

Occupation Median Annual Wage (South Dakota, statewide)
Sociologists N/A
Sociology Teachers, Postsecondary $64,210
Social and Human Service Assistants $38,350
Survey Researchers N/A
Child, Family, and School Social Workers $51,100
Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists $63,490
Social Science Research Assistants $44,820
Social and Community Service Managers $86,870

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.

Brookings at a Glance

Metric Value Source
Population 23,710 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $61,979 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ 49.7% Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)

Other Brookings-Area Cities With Sociology Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited sociology schools are near Brookings, SD?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering sociology programs near Brookings. The closest is South Dakota State University in Brookings, SD (1.0 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Northwestern College (97.1 miles). 5 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying sociology roles in South Dakota?

Based on BLS May 2025 state wage data, the top-paying sociology-related roles in South Dakota are: Social and Community Service Managers ($86,870), Sociology Teachers, Postsecondary ($64,210), Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists ($63,490). Wages for Brookings workers will track these statewide medians, adjusted for local cost of living.

Should I look at programs in Watertown instead of Brookings?

Watertown, SD is 45.7 miles from Brookings 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 Brookings an affordable place to study sociology?

Brookings’s median household income of $61,979 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Brookings while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and South Dakota 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 Brookings

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

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.

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