What You Need to Know About Sociology Professor
Sociology Professor Job Description Teach courses in sociology. Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of teaching and research.
Life As a Sociology Professor: What Do They Do?
- Keep abreast of developments in the field by reading current literature, talking with colleagues, and participating in professional conferences.
- Collaborate with colleagues to address teaching and research issues.
- Maintain regularly scheduled office hours to advise and assist students.
- 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.
- Initiate, facilitate, and moderate classroom discussions.
- Advise students on academic and vocational curricula and on career issues.
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What Every Sociology Professor Should Know
When polled, Sociology Professors say the following skills are most frequently used in their jobs:
Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Learning Strategies: Selecting and using training/instructional methods and procedures appropriate for the situation when learning or teaching new things.
Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Writing: Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
Reading Comprehension: Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
Instructing: Teaching others how to do something.
Types of Sociology Professor
- Social Sciences Lecturer
- Sociology Professor
- Social and Political Studies Professor
- Anthropology Professor
- Humanities Professor
Job Outlook for Sociology Professors
In the United States, there were 17,900 jobs for Sociology Professor in 2016. New jobs are being produced at a rate of 9.5% which is above the national average. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 1,700 new jobs for Sociology Professor by 2026. The BLS estimates 1,600 yearly job openings in this field.

The states with the most job growth for Sociology Professor are North Dakota, Utah, and Colorado. Watch out if you plan on working in Wyoming, Vermont, or South Dakota. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.
Average Sociology Professors Salary
The salary for Sociology Professors ranges between about $38,440 and $138,500 a year.

Sociology Professors who work in District of Columbia, Rhode Island, or California, make the highest salaries.
How much do Sociology Professors make in each U.S. state?
State | Annual Mean Salary |
---|---|
Alabama | $68,630 |
Arizona | $92,790 |
Arkansas | $93,550 |
California | $103,600 |
Colorado | $68,900 |
Connecticut | $82,570 |
Delaware | $81,740 |
District of Columbia | $146,220 |
Florida | $89,790 |
Georgia | $88,790 |
Illinois | $78,290 |
Indiana | $78,640 |
Iowa | $90,000 |
Kansas | $72,740 |
Kentucky | $70,790 |
Maine | $69,560 |
Maryland | $87,410 |
Massachusetts | $85,270 |
Michigan | $82,320 |
Minnesota | $81,490 |
Mississippi | $69,580 |
Missouri | $93,490 |
Montana | $51,920 |
Nebraska | $72,750 |
Nevada | $70,990 |
New Hampshire | $92,180 |
New Jersey | $94,620 |
New York | $90,250 |
North Carolina | $77,720 |
Ohio | $98,010 |
Oklahoma | $60,730 |
Oregon | $82,240 |
Pennsylvania | $80,290 |
Rhode Island | $116,720 |
South Carolina | $65,010 |
South Dakota | $65,340 |
Tennessee | $43,390 |
Texas | $82,580 |
Utah | $92,950 |
Virginia | $73,710 |
Washington | $72,020 |
West Virginia | $49,580 |
Wisconsin | $84,930 |
Tools & Technologies Used by Sociology Professors
Below is a list of the types of tools and technologies that Sociology Professors may use on a daily basis:
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Word
- Microsoft Office
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- Microsoft Outlook
- Web browser software
- Data entry software
- Email software
- The MathWorks MATLAB
- SAS
- Google Docs
- IBM SPSS Statistics
- R
- Blackboard
- StataCorp Stata
- Calendar and scheduling software
- Blackboard Learn
- Learning management system LMS
- iParadigms Turnitin
- Sakai CLE
How to Become a Sociology Professor
Are there Sociology Professors education requirements?

How Long Does it Take to Become a Sociology Professor?

Where do Sociology Professors Work?

The table below shows some of the most common industries where those employed in this career field work.

You May Also Be Interested In…
Those thinking about becoming a Sociology Professor might also be interested in the following careers:
References:
Image Credit: Kontos via Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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