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Sociologists

Typical education: Doctoral or professional degreeLower pressure

What they do

Study human society and social behavior by examining the groups and social institutions that people form, as well as various social, religious, political, and business organizations. May study the behavior and interaction of groups, trace their origin and growth, and analyze the influence of group activities on individual members.

Kinds of work

  • Investigative: Science, research, figuring out how things work and solving complex problems.
  • Social: Helping, teaching, caring for and supporting other people.
  • Artistic: Creating, designing and expressing ideas through art, writing, music or performance.

Lower pressure: How much pressure workers in this job report: deadlines, conflict, dealing with upset people, the cost of mistakes, responsibility for others' safety, competition and long hours. It varies a lot from one employer to the next. Source: U.S. Department of Labor worker surveys.

Pay, tasks and more

Salary

United States $106,030 Median per year · $50.98/hr Most earn $65,160–$172,550

BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, 2025.

What you might do

  • Plan and conduct research to develop and test theories about societal issues such as crime, group relations, poverty, and aging.
  • Direct work of statistical clerks, statisticians, and others who compile and evaluate research data.
  • Explain sociological research to the general public.
  • Develop approaches to the solution of groups' problems, based on research findings in sociology and related disciplines.
  • Analyze and interpret data to increase the understanding of human social behavior.
  • Analyze and interpret data to increase the understanding of human social behavior.

Job outlook

United States
4% more jobs by 2035, about as fast as average · about 200 openings a year

Openings include new jobs and jobs left by workers who retire or change careers. Projections: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. "Bright Outlook": U.S. Department of Labor.

Where they work

  • Research and development in the social sciences and humanities29.6%
  • Colleges, universities, and professional schools29.5%
  • State government, excluding education and hospitals25.1%
  • Self-employed (their own business)6.2%

Share of all workers in this career. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, National Employment Matrix.

Experience before this job: 6 months to 1 year

Career path

How people usually get into this career, from school to their first job and beyond.

Typical education: Doctoral or professional degreeExperience before this job: 6 months to 1 year

Sociologists usually need a doctoral degree, so this is not a job you can start straight out of school. Most people spend about 4 years on a bachelor's, gain some research experience, and then spend several more years earning a Ph.D.

  1. Bachelor's degree in sociology or a related social science

    4 years

    You learn the basics of social theory, research methods, and statistics, which are the foundation for graduate study.

  2. Social Science Research Assistant

    6 months to 1 year

    You help researchers collect and clean data, run interviews or surveys, and review papers, which shows graduate programs you can do real research.

  3. Doctoral degree (Ph.D.) in sociology

    4-6 years

    You complete advanced coursework, original research, and a dissertation, which is the usual requirement for sociologist jobs.

  4. Sociologist

    Career

    You study group behavior and social institutions, often through research, data analysis, and writing reports or papers.

Where it can lead

  1. Sociology Teacher, Postsecondary

    2-4 years of experience first

    You shift from doing research to teaching sociology courses at colleges and universities, and you usually publish research to earn a tenure-track position.

  2. Senior Sociologist

    Several years of experience first

    You lead larger research projects, manage other researchers, and advise organizations or government agencies on social issues.

What you can do now

Ideas for high school and college students.

In high school

  • Take social studies and statisticsCourses in psychology, government, economics, and statistics build the habit of asking questions about groups and testing answers with data.
  • Join debate, Model UN, or a school clubThese activities help you practice explaining ideas, working in groups, and seeing how organizations make decisions.
  • Volunteer with a community organizationHelping at a food bank, library, or youth program lets you watch how groups and institutions work in real life.
  • Get a part-time job that involves peopleCustomer service or a shift at a store or restaurant teaches you how people behave in groups and under different conditions.
  • Write regularlySociologists publish reports and papers, so strong writing from essays and journals will serve you well.

In college

  • Major in sociology or a related social scienceA sociology major gives you the theory and research background that graduate programs expect.
  • Take research methods and statisticsThese classes teach you how to design studies, collect data, and interpret results, which is the core of sociologist work.
  • Work as a research assistant for a professorHelping with a real project builds research skills and often leads to a letter of recommendation for graduate school.
  • Intern at a nonprofit, government agency, or research officeInternships show you how social research is used in practice and help you decide which area of sociology interests you.
  • Join a sociology club or honor societyThese groups connect you with peers and faculty, and they often host talks about graduate school and careers.

Tips for getting started

  • Get research experience early. Ask a professor if you can help with a project, since graduate schools look closely at hands-on research.
  • Take statistics and research methods classes, and learn a data tool such as SPSS, Stata, or R, because most sociology research depends on data analysis.

Related jobs a step up

Education, experience and related careers: U.S. Department of Labor. The step-by-step path, where it can lead and what you can do now were written by AI as typical examples; many people take other ways.

College majors that lead here

Majors: U.S. Department of Education and BLS (CIP–SOC crosswalk). Earnings and debt: College Scorecard, typical across U.S. colleges.

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