Sociologist
- The vast majority of bachelor’s degree holders in sociology find employment in niche areas with specialized titles, such as market analyst, research assistant, writer, or policy analyst.
- Employment growth of sociologists is projected to grow much faster than average.
- Candidates who hold a master’s or Ph.D. degree will have the best employment prospects and advancement opportunities; competition for teaching positions, while keen, should ease as the expected number of retirements increases.
- Quantitative and qualitative skills are important for all workers.
Career Overview
Sociologists study society and social behavior by examining the groups, cultures, organizations, and social institutions people form. They also study the activities in which people participate, including activities conducted in social, religious, political, economic, and business organizations. They study the behavior of, and interaction among, groups, organizations, institutions, and nations, and how they react to phenomena such as the spread of technology, crime, social movements, and epidemics of illness. They also trace the origin and growth of these groups and interactions. Sociologists analyze how social influences affect different individuals and groups, and the ways organizations and institutions affect the daily lives of those same people. To analyze these social patterns, sociologists usually begin by designing research projects that incorporate a variety of methods, including historical analysis, comparative analysis, and quantitative and qualitative techniques. Through this process of applied research, they construct theories and produce information that attempts to explain certain social trends or that will enable people to make better decisions or manage their affairs more effectively. The results of sociological research aid educators, lawmakers, administrators, and others who are interested in resolving social problems and formulating public policy. Most sociologists work in one or more specialties, such as social organization, stratification, and mobility; racial and ethnic relations; education; the family; social psychology; urban, rural, political, and comparative sociology; gender relations; demography; gerontology; criminology; and sociological practice.
Work environment. Most sociologists have regular hours. Generally working behind a desk, either alone or in collaboration with other social scientists, they read and write research articles or reports. Many experience the pressures of writing and publishing, as well as those associated with deadlines and tight schedules. Some sociologists may be required to attend meetings.
Sociologists employed by colleges and universities usually have flexible work schedules, often dividing their time among teaching, research, writing, consulting, and administrative responsibilities. Those who teach in these settings are classified as postsecondary teachers. (See the Professor or College Instructor career profile.)
Training, Qualifications, and Advancement
Some entry-level positions for sociologists are available to those with a bachelor’s degree, but higher degrees are required for the majority of positions. Prospects need good quantitative and qualitative skills.
Education and training. Whether working in government, industry, research organizations, or consulting firms, sociologists with a bachelor's degree usually qualify for entry-level positions as a market analyst, research assistant, writer, or policy analyst. Graduates with master's degrees in applied specialties usually qualify for most administrative and research positions, while a Ph.D. degree is typically required for college and university teaching positions.
The ability to use computers for research purposes is mandatory in most disciplines.
Many sociology students can benefit greatly from internships. Numerous government agencies, as well as nonprofit and other organizations, offer internships or volunteer research opportunities. Also, the vast majority of colleges and universities have student organizations devoted to specific public policy issues.
While in college, aspiring sociologists should gain experience gathering and analyzing data, conducting interviews or surveys, and writing reports on their findings. This experience can prove invaluable later in obtaining a full-time position in the field, because much of the work, especially in the beginning, may center on these duties.
Other qualifications. Sociologists need excellent written and oral communication skills to report research findings and to collaborate on research. Successful workers also need intellectual curiosity and creativity because they constantly are seeking new information about people, things, and ideas. The ability to think logically and methodically also is essential in analyzing complicated issues, such as the relative merits of various forms of government.
Advancement. Many sociologists choose to teach in their field, often while pursuing their own research. These workers are usually classified as postsecondary teachers. The minimum requirement for most positions in colleges and universities is a Ph.D. degree. Graduates with a master's degree in sociology may qualify for teaching positions in community colleges.
Employment
Sociologists held about 4,900 jobs in 2008. Most sociologists worked as researchers, administrators, and counselors for a wide range of employers. The industries that employed the largest number of sociologists in 2008 were scientific research and development services, social advocacy organizations, and State and local government, excluding education and hospitals.
Many sociologists—about 37 percent—teach in colleges and universities and in secondary and elementary schools. (For more information, see the career profiles for professors or college instructors and teachers—elementary, middle, and high school.)
Job Outlook
Employment growth of sociologists is projected to grow much faster than the average. Job opportunities should be best for jobseekers with a master’s or PhD degree in a social science and with strong quantitative skills.
Employment change. Overall employment of sociologists is expected to grow 22 percent from 2008 to 2018, much faster than the average for all occupations. Sociologists will experience much faster than average job growth because the incorporation of sociology into research in other fields continues to increase. Sociologists possess broad training and education in analytical, methodological, conceptual, and quantitative and qualitative analysis and research, so their skills can be applied to many different occupations. As a result, many workers with sociology backgrounds will find work in niche areas with specialized titles, such as market analyst, research assistant, writer, and policy analyst. Some sociologists may find work conducting policy research for consulting firms, and their knowledge of society and social behavior may be used as well by a variety of companies in product development, marketing, and advertising. Demand for sociologists also will stem from growth in the number of social, political, and business associations and organizations, including many nonprofit organizations, to conduct various evaluations and statistical work.
Job prospects. In addition to opportunities arising from employment growth, a growing number of job openings will come from the need to replace those who retire, enter teaching or other occupations, or leave their social science occupation for other reasons.
People seeking sociologist positions may face competition for jobs, and those with higher educational attainment will have the best prospects. Many jobs in policy, research, or marketing, for which bachelor’s degree holders qualify, are not advertised exclusively as sociologist positions. Because of the wide range of skills and knowledge possessed by these workers, many compete for jobs with other workers, such as anthropologists and archaeologists, geographers, historians, market and survey researchers, psychologists, engineers, and statisticians.
Some people with a Ph.D. degree in sociology will find opportunities as university faculty rather than as applied sociologists. Although there will be competition for tenured positions, the number of faculty expected to retire over the decade and the increasing number of part-time or short-term faculty positions will lead to better opportunities in colleges and universities than in the past. The growing importance and popularity of social science subjects in secondary schools also is strengthening the demand for social science teachers at that level.
Earnings
Median annual wages of sociologists in May 2008 were $68,570. The middle 50 percent earned between $51,110 and $92,220. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $40,720, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $122,130. Median annual wages of sociologists in scientific research and development services were $72,170.
In March 2009, the Federal Government’s average salary was $100,824 for sociologists. Beginning salaries were higher in selected areas of the country where the prevailing local pay level was higher.
For More Information
Information about careers in sociology is available from:
- American Sociological Association, 1430 K St. NW., Suite 600, Washington, DC 20005. Internet: http://www.asanet.org
For information about careers in public policy, contact:
- National Association of Schools of Public Affairs and Administration, 1029 Vermont Ave. NW., Suite 1100, Washington, DC 20005. Internet: http://www.naspaa.org
For information about careers in policy analysis, an important task for some social scientists, see "Policy analysts: Shaping society through research and problem-solving," online at http://www.bls.gov/opub/ooq/2007/spring/art03.pdf and in the spring 2007 issue of the Occupational Outlook Quarterly.
