You might be interested in checking out this list of the top feeders to PhD programs in Sociology. The left side is just in total, so tends to favors larger research universities. The right side is per capita, and you will see many smaller colleges:
Obviously you may or may not be interested in going on to graduate work in Sociology, but I think this is still useful information because it really demonstrates how strong departments in Sociology that can do a good job supporting their top undergraduates are not somehow limited to just some generically-ranked top 30 colleges or universities.
Like, most of what I think of as the core Big 10 universities have strong Sociology departments–Wisconsin, Minnesota, Ohio State, Michigan State, Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, and so on. Some of these also offer relatively modest OOS costs and/or attainable merit for high numbers applicants. And they can also be fantastically fun places to go to college.
And then there are many small colleges with strong departments. Like, I don’t see you identifying your gender, but if you did identify as a woman then there are many women’s colleges high on the per capita list–like Bryn Mawr, Wellesley, Smith, Spelman, Scripps, Mount Holyoke, Barnard, and Saint Mary’s–and again some of them offer good need+merit to some high numbers applicants. But there are many great options for non-women too (in fact at some you might have a bit of a competitive advantage as a male applicant).
So my advice is to think broadly about the possibilities.