Sociology Teachers, Postsecondary: Career Overview
Teach courses in sociology. Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of teaching and research.
Featured schools near , edit
The Daily Work of Sociology Teachers, Postsecondary Perform?
The day-to-day responsibilities of sociology teachers, postsecondary span:
- Evaluate and grade students' class work, assignments, and papers.
- Initiate, facilitate, and moderate classroom discussions.
- Compile, administer, and grade examinations, or assign this work to others.
- Prepare and deliver lectures to undergraduate or graduate students on topics such as race and ethnic relations, measurement and data collection, and workplace social relations.
- Prepare course materials, such as syllabi, homework assignments, and handouts.
- Keep abreast of developments in the field by reading current literature, talking with colleagues, and participating in professional conferences.
- Conduct research in a particular field of knowledge and publish findings in professional journals, books, or electronic media.
- Plan, evaluate, and revise curricula, course content, course materials, and methods of instruction.
What Sociology Teachers, Postsecondary Need to Know
Successful sociology teachers, postsecondary combine a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Most Important Skills
These are the skills most important for this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Core Knowledge
Other Sociology Teachers, Postsecondary Job Titles
Common job titles for this role include:
- Adjunct Instructor
- Adjunct Professor
- Adjunct Sociology Professor
- Assistant Professor
- Associate Professor
- College Faculty Member
- College Professor
- Comparative Sociology Professor
Employment and Demand
There are roughly 652,464 sociology teachers, postsecondary working in the United States today. Demand is forecast to grow by +12.0% over the projection horizon.
How Much Do Sociology Teachers, Postsecondary Make?
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $53,394 |
| Hourly median | $25.67 |
| 10th percentile | $38,012 |
| 25th percentile | $45,703 |
| 75th percentile | $61,086 |
| 90th percentile | $68,777 |
Compensation varies based on experience, location, and industry.
Pay by State
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| California | $129,760 |
| New Hampshire | $109,850 |
| Arizona | $106,460 |
| Michigan | $98,920 |
| District of Columbia | $98,680 |
| New York | $98,330 |
| Massachusetts | $98,100 |
| New Jersey | $97,790 |
| Wisconsin | $94,800 |
| Connecticut | $93,870 |
| Utah | $86,810 |
| Puerto Rico | $86,740 |
| Florida | $85,230 |
| Minnesota | $85,060 |
| Louisiana | $84,360 |
| Nevada | $83,940 |
| Oregon | $83,840 |
| Maryland | $83,130 |
| Texas | $82,920 |
| Pennsylvania | $82,710 |
| Georgia | $82,250 |
| Colorado | $81,670 |
| Delaware | $81,000 |
| Illinois | $79,910 |
| West Virginia | $79,770 |
| Indiana | $79,710 |
| Nebraska | $79,660 |
| Washington | $79,500 |
| Alaska | $78,220 |
| Kansas | $78,000 |
| Missouri | $77,890 |
| Iowa | $76,770 |
| Ohio | $75,720 |
| North Carolina | $75,030 |
| New Mexico | $74,600 |
| Montana | $74,570 |
| Virginia | $74,200 |
| South Carolina | $73,560 |
| Idaho | $73,120 |
| Arkansas | $71,400 |
| Vermont | $69,710 |
| Tennessee | $68,510 |
| Mississippi | $67,590 |
| Maine | $66,060 |
| Kentucky | $64,580 |
| Oklahoma | $62,280 |
| South Dakota | $61,670 |
| Alabama | $60,840 |
Where Sociology Teachers, Postsecondary Earn the Most
Earnings for sociology teachers, postsecondary shift depending on where you work. These regions lead on median pay:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Far Western US | $113,738 | 10.7% | 0.67 |
| New England | $94,275 | 9.0% | 2.15 |
| Middle Atlantic | $93,267 | 21.3% | 1.45 |
| Other U.S. Territories | $86,740 | 1.2% | 1.94 |
| Great Lakes | $84,901 | 17.8% | 1.32 |
| Southwest | $83,018 | 11.3% | 0.94 |
| Rocky Mountains | $80,654 | 3.1% | 0.80 |
| Plains States | $79,152 | 6.1% | 1.01 |
Top Metro Areas
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | CA | $181,960 | 70 |
| Madison, WI | WI | $152,420 | 80 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | CA | $136,220 | 100 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | CA | $136,120 | 130 |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | AZ | $131,110 | 60 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | CA | $125,770 | 310 |
| Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX | TX | $124,020 | 120 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | CA | $122,530 | 60 |
Top Industries Employing Sociology Teachers, Postsecondary
The bulk of sociology teachers, postsecondary are concentrated in the following sectors:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Educational Services | 12,370 | n/a |
The table below shows some of the most common industries where those employed in this career field work.
Software Sociology Teachers, Postsecondary Use
- Word processing software: Google Docs (hot technology)
- Analytical or scientific software: IBM SPSS Statistics (hot technology)
- Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Office suite software: Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Electronic mail software: Microsoft Outlook (hot technology)
- Presentation software: Microsoft PowerPoint (hot technology)
- Word processing software: Microsoft Word (hot technology)
- Object or component oriented development software: R (hot technology)
- Analytical or scientific software: SAS (hot technology)
- Analytical or scientific software: The MathWorks MATLAB (hot technology)
- Computer based training software: Learning management system LMS (in demand)
Work Environment
The on-the-job environment of sociology teachers, postsecondary reflects the following characteristics:
- Freedom to Make Decisions
- Determine Tasks, Priorities and Goals
- Indoors, Environmentally Controlled
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
Education and Training
The role falls in Extensive Preparation Needed (Job Zone 5), indicating the level of preparation typically expected.
Other Careers to Consider
Similar Occupations
- Sociologists (Supplemental)
- Anthropology and Archeology Teachers, Postsecondary (Primary-Short)
- Area, Ethnic, and Cultural Studies Teachers, Postsecondary (Primary-Short)
- Economics Teachers, Postsecondary (Primary-Long)
- Geography Teachers, Postsecondary (Supplemental)
- Political Science Teachers, Postsecondary (Primary-Short)
- Psychology Teachers, Postsecondary (Primary-Short)
- Education Teachers, Postsecondary (Primary-Long)
About the Data
Data on this page comes from the following authoritative sources:
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for employment and wage data by state and industry.
- BLS Employment Projections for total employment and growth forecasts.
- O*NET (Occupational Information Network) for skills, knowledge, tasks, work activities, work context, technology, and education-zone data.
SOC code: 25-1067.00 (Sociology Teachers, Postsecondary).