Be University Wise guides › Rankings › Sociology, social policy and anthropology
Top universities for sociology, social policy and anthropology in the UK: the Be Wise ranking
74 UK universities and colleges ranked for sociology, social policy and anthropology on official data.
Providers need at least 50 survey responses in sociology, social policy and anthropology to appear in the table. Student experience is the average share of final-year students giving positive answers across the seven National Student Survey themes. Earnings are medians five years after graduating, compared with the UK average for sociology, social policy and anthropology.
The table
| Position | University or college | Score out of 100 | Student experience | Continuation | Graduate prospects | Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of CambridgeCambridge, England | 100.0 | 84.8% | 99.1% | 71.6% | £42,10039% above the UK average for this subject |
| 2 | Durham UniversityDurham, England | 96.5 | 87.3% | 95.7% | 71.6% | £38,10026% above the UK average for this subject |
| 3 | University of BathBath, England | 94.8 | 85.1% | 92.7% | 74.5% | £40,10033% above the UK average for this subject |
| 4 | UCL (University College London)London, England | 89.1 | 84.2% | 92.2% | 76.0% | £37,00023% above the UK average for this subject |
| 5 | University of SurreyGuildford, England | 86.8 | 93.7% | 84.9% | 63.8% | £33,70012% above the UK average for this subject |
| 6 | King's College LondonLondon, England | 84.1 | 82.9% | 95.9% | 63.5% | £39,50031% above the UK average for this subject |
| 7 | University of BirminghamBirmingham, England | 81.2 | 88.6% | 91.6% | 62.5% | £33,30010% above the UK average for this subject |
| 8 | University of NottinghamNottingham, England | 81.0 | 83.8% | 91.8% | 69.1% | £35,90019% above the UK average for this subject |
| 9 | Queen's University BelfastBelfast, Northern Ireland | 80.6 | 89.6% | 88.9% | 61.2% | Not in LEO data |
| 10 | University of LiverpoolLiverpool, England | 80.5 | 86.0% | 94.3% | 68.7% | £31,5004% above the UK average for this subject |
| 11 | Loughborough UniversityLoughborough, England | 79.6 | 90.5% | 89.7% | 59.9% | £32,2007% above the UK average for this subject |
| 12 | University of WarwickWarwick and Leamington Spa, England | 79.3 | 88.3% | 94.4% | 64.9% | £29,6002% below the UK average for this subject |
| 13 | Newcastle UniversityNewcastle upon Tyne, England | 78.4 | 85.4% | 98.0% | Not published | £32,2007% above the UK average for this subject |
| 14 | University of EdinburghEdinburgh, Scotland | 75.3 | 82.4% | 92.9% | 66.0% | £34,80015% above the UK average for this subject |
| 15 | Lancaster UniversityLancaster, England | 74.1 | 87.8% | 93.6% | 64.7% | £27,4009% below the UK average for this subject |
| 16 | University of BristolBristol, England | 73.0 | 85.3% | 90.6% | 56.1% | £35,90019% above the UK average for this subject |
| 17 | University of ExeterExeter, England | 72.9 | 80.5% | 89.6% | 71.0% | £35,10016% above the UK average for this subject |
| 18 | Cardiff UniversityCardiff, Wales | 72.1 | 85.6% | 94.0% | 59.8% | £31,1003% above the UK average for this subject |
| 19 | University of SheffieldSheffield, England | 71.7 | 82.6% | 95.1% | 64.3% | £31,8005% above the UK average for this subject |
| 20 | University of LeedsLeeds, England | 71.3 | 84.5% | 89.8% | 61.2% | £33,70012% above the UK average for this subject |
| 21 | Swansea UniversitySwansea, Wales | 70.9 | 88.1% | 90.9% | 62.0% | £27,8008% below the UK average for this subject |
| 22 | Oxford Brookes UniversityOxford, England | 69.7 | 86.2% | 87.4% | 55.3% | £34,80015% above the UK average for this subject |
| 23 | Ulster UniversityBelfast, Northern Ireland | 68.4 | 88.3% | 89.5% | 51.0% | Not in LEO data |
| 24 | University of SussexBrighton, England | 68.3 | 86.9% | 92.3% | 53.4% | £31,1003% above the UK average for this subject |
| 25 | City St George's, University of LondonLondon, England | 68.2 | 85.7% | 88.0% | Not published | £32,6008% above the UK average for this subject |
| 25 | University of East AngliaNorwich, England | 68.2 | 83.7% | 91.0% | 60.8% | Not published |
| 27 | University of ManchesterManchester, England | 66.6 | 82.9% | 91.4% | 59.5% | £32,6008% above the UK average for this subject |
| 28 | Nottingham Trent UniversityNottingham, England | 65.6 | 89.6% | 88.3% | 49.0% | £30,4001% above the UK average for this subject |
| 29 | University of GlasgowGlasgow, Scotland | 65.4 | 83.7% | 91.4% | 62.4% | £29,3003% below the UK average for this subject |
| 29 | University of YorkYork, England | 65.4 | 82.2% | 92.1% | 62.7% | £30,7002% above the UK average for this subject |
| 31 | University of EssexColchester, England | 64.1 | 87.3% | 85.3% | 54.1% | £31,5004% above the UK average for this subject |
| 32 | Kingston UniversityLondon, England | 63.0 | 87.7% | 85.0% | 54.4% | £30,300In line with the UK average for this subject |
| 33 | Manchester Metropolitan UniversityManchester, England | 62.4 | 89.6% | 84.2% | 53.3% | £28,5006% below the UK average for this subject |
| 34 | Leeds Beckett UniversityLeeds, England | 61.7 | 86.9% | 82.1% | 60.2% | £29,3003% below the UK average for this subject |
| 35 | Birmingham City UniversityBirmingham, England | 61.1 | 89.2% | 88.1% | 47.3% | £28,9004% below the UK average for this subject |
| 36 | Royal Holloway, University of LondonEgham, England | 60.8 | 81.4% | 88.2% | 54.9% | £34,80015% above the UK average for this subject |
| 36 | University of LeicesterLeicester, England | 60.8 | 84.1% | 89.6% | 51.6% | £32,2007% above the UK average for this subject |
| 38 | University of SouthamptonSouthampton, England | 60.4 | 84.9% | 88.4% | 43.8% | £35,50018% above the UK average for this subject |
| 38 | University of WorcesterWorcester, England | 60.4 | 87.2% | 84.4% | 56.7% | £28,5006% below the UK average for this subject |
| 40 | Liverpool John Moores UniversityLiverpool, England | 60.3 | 86.6% | 84.2% | 59.7% | £27,8008% below the UK average for this subject |
| 41 | Edge Hill UniversityOrmskirk, England | 60.0 | 87.4% | 86.6% | 54.4% | £27,8008% below the UK average for this subject |
| 42 | Aberystwyth UniversityAberystwyth, Wales | 59.3 | 89.5% | 86.6% | 48.9% | £27,4009% below the UK average for this subject |
| 43 | University of HuddersfieldHuddersfield, England | 58.7 | 89.8% | 84.0% | 48.2% | £28,5006% below the UK average for this subject |
| 44 | SOAS University of LondonLondon, England | 58.2 | 84.5% | 85.2% | 60.7% | £28,0007% below the UK average for this subject |
| 45 | University of PlymouthPlymouth, England | 57.4 | 84.4% | 83.9% | 61.9% | £27,8008% below the UK average for this subject |
| 46 | University of PortsmouthPortsmouth, England | 55.1 | 83.4% | 88.6% | 45.6% | £32,9009% above the UK average for this subject |
| 47 | University of StirlingStirling, Scotland | 54.3 | 85.4% | 83.4% | 52.2% | £29,6002% below the UK average for this subject |
| 48 | University of HullHull, England | 53.4 | 87.8% | 82.7% | 51.4% | £26,70012% below the UK average for this subject |
| 49 | University of GreenwichLondon, England | 52.1 | 86.3% | 80.4% | 41.6% | £34,00012% above the UK average for this subject |
| 50 | Coventry UniversityCoventry, England | 52.0 | 88.2% | 73.0% | 54.6% | £29,3003% below the UK average for this subject |
| 50 | University of the West of ScotlandPaisley, Scotland | 52.0 | 87.2% | 71.6% | 58.2% | £29,6002% below the UK average for this subject |
| 52 | Edinburgh Napier UniversityEdinburgh, Scotland | 50.1 | 84.8% | 78.4% | 51.0% | £31,1003% above the UK average for this subject |
| 53 | University of KentCanterbury, England | 49.1 | 78.4% | 89.0% | 50.1% | £32,9009% above the UK average for this subject |
| 54 | Glasgow Caledonian UniversityGlasgow, Scotland | 47.8 | 87.2% | 84.0% | 37.4% | £30,0001% below the UK average for this subject |
| 55 | University of BrightonBrighton, England | 47.6 | 83.8% | 83.5% | 45.7% | £30,4001% above the UK average for this subject |
| 56 | York St John UniversityYork, England | 46.5 | 85.4% | 87.8% | 46.5% | £24,70018% below the UK average for this subject |
| 57 | University of LincolnLincoln, England | 46.4 | 78.1% | 90.9% | 52.3% | £29,3003% below the UK average for this subject |
| 58 | Leeds Trinity UniversityLeeds, England | 43.6 | 90.9% | 71.5% | 39.1% | Not published |
| 59 | UWE BristolBristol, England | 43.1 | 82.3% | 83.4% | 47.6% | £28,5006% below the UK average for this subject |
| 60 | Northumbria UniversityNewcastle upon Tyne, England | 42.9 | 79.2% | 84.1% | Not published | £30,7002% above the UK average for this subject |
| 61 | Bath Spa UniversityBath, England | 41.3 | 88.9% | 59.8% | 50.2% | £29,6002% below the UK average for this subject |
| 62 | Sheffield Hallam UniversitySheffield, England | 40.4 | 79.9% | 83.4% | 51.6% | £27,8008% below the UK average for this subject |
| 63 | University of WestminsterLondon, England | 39.9 | 84.7% | 72.9% | 43.3% | £31,5004% above the UK average for this subject |
| 64 | Bournemouth UniversityBournemouth and Poole, England | 39.6 | 76.3% | 82.0% | 54.8% | £31,1003% above the UK average for this subject |
| 64 | Goldsmiths, University of LondonLondon, England | 39.6 | 78.0% | 78.5% | 50.0% | £33,30010% above the UK average for this subject |
| 66 | Liverpool Hope UniversityLiverpool, England | 37.9 | 79.9% | 80.7% | 52.8% | £27,10010% below the UK average for this subject |
| 66 | University of SalfordSalford, England | 37.9 | 81.1% | 78.0% | 56.5% | £25,30016% below the UK average for this subject |
| 68 | University of South WalesPontypridd, Wales | 36.2 | 84.4% | 73.8% | Not published | £26,70012% below the UK average for this subject |
| 69 | University of DerbyDerby, England | 34.2 | 82.9% | 67.5% | 54.2% | £27,8008% below the UK average for this subject |
| 70 | University of WinchesterWinchester, England | 33.9 | 75.2% | 84.9% | 49.7% | £29,6002% below the UK average for this subject |
| 71 | Anglia Ruskin UniversityCambridge, England | 32.7 | 81.1% | 79.9% | 43.2% | £27,4009% below the UK average for this subject |
| 72 | Arden UniversityBirmingham, England | 30.0 | 83.5% | 70.0% | 45.5% | Not published |
| 73 | University of NorthamptonNorthampton, England | 26.4 | 78.4% | 73.9% | 45.8% | £28,9004% below the UK average for this subject |
| 74 | University of LancashirePreston, England | 0.0 | 69.1% | 73.0% | 34.5% | £25,60015% below the UK average for this subject |
Sources: National Student Survey 2026, Office for Students (Open Government Licence v3.0), first degree, full-time, by teaching provider; LEO graduate outcomes, tax year 2023-24, Department for Education (Open Government Licence v3.0), median earnings five years after graduating; Discover Uni dataset, 8 September 2026 edition, HESA (CC BY 4.0), continuation and graduate prospects. All sources and licences.
Not enough data (56)
These providers teach sociology, social policy and anthropology but have fewer than 50 survey responses in the subject or too few published measures to include fairly. This says nothing about their quality. Discover Uni has their course-level data.
Abertay University; Aston University; Bangor University; Birkbeck, University of London; Birmingham Newman University; Blackburn College; Brunel University London; Buckinghamshire New University; Canterbury Christ Church University; Cardiff Metropolitan University; Cornwall College; DN Colleges Group; De Montfort University; Farnborough College of Technology; Keele University; London Metropolitan University; London School of Commerce & IT; London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE); London School of Science & Technology; London South Bank University; Middlesex University; Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh; Queen Mary University of London; Robert Gordon University; South Essex College of Further and Higher Education; Southampton Solent University; St Mary’s University, Twickenham; TEC Partnership; Teesside University; The London Interdisciplinary School; The Oldham College; University of Aberdeen; University of Bedfordshire; University of Bradford; University of Chester; University of Chichester; University of Cumbria; University of East London; University of Gloucestershire; University of Greater Manchester; University of Hertfordshire; University of Law; University of Oxford; University of Reading; University of Roehampton; University of St Andrews; University of Staffordshire; University of Strathclyde; University of Suffolk; University of Sunderland; University of Wales Trinity Saint David; University of West London; University of Wolverhampton; University of the Highlands and Islands; Wirral Metropolitan College; Wrexham University
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Quick answers
Which universities have the highest student satisfaction for sociology, social policy and anthropology?
In the 2026 National Student Survey, the highest average positive scores for sociology, social policy and anthropology among providers with at least 50 responses were University of Surrey (93.7%), Leeds Trinity University (90.9%), Loughborough University (90.5%), University of Huddersfield (89.8%), Queen's University Belfast (89.6%). This is one measure; the full table also shows graduate earnings.
How much do sociology, social policy and anthropology graduates earn?
Across UK providers, the typical (median) earnings of sociology, social policy and anthropology graduates five years after graduating were £30,200 in the 2023-24 tax year, according to the Department for Education's LEO data. Earnings vary a lot by university, region and job.
How is this sociology, social policy and anthropology table put together?
It uses only official data: the National Student Survey 2026, Discover Uni and LEO earnings. We do not copy commercial league tables. Universities with too little data are listed as not enough data rather than guessed.