Sociologists Career, Salary and Skills
Sociologists have a BLS-reported national median annual wage of $106,030 based on the 2025 OEWS dataset, with reported national employment of 2,260. Wage data is published for 21 locations.
Occupation description
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.
O*NET code
19-3041.00
Job zone
5
Typical education
Doctoral Degree
Experience
None
National salary and employment
Median annual
$106,030
Hourly median
$50.98
Employment
2,260
Data year
2025
National salary distribution
Top skills
| Skill | Importance | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Active Listening | 4.12 | 4.62 |
| Speaking | 4.12 | 4.62 |
| Writing | 4.00 | 4.75 |
| Reading Comprehension | 4.00 | 4.75 |
| Active Learning | 4.00 | 4.25 |
| Critical Thinking | 4.00 | 4.38 |
| Social Perceptiveness | 3.88 | 4.38 |
| Learning Strategies | 3.88 | 4.25 |
| Instructing | 3.62 | 3.75 |
| Complex Problem Solving | 3.62 | 3.88 |
Typical tasks
- Collaborate with research workers in other disciplines.
- Write grants to obtain funding for research projects.
- Analyze and interpret data to increase the understanding of human social behavior.
- Prepare publications and reports containing research findings.
- Develop, implement, and evaluate methods of data collection, such as questionnaires or interviews.
- Collect data about the attitudes, values, and behaviors of people in groups, using observation, interviews, and review of documents.
- Teach sociology.
- Plan and conduct research to develop and test theories about societal issues such as crime, group relations, poverty, and aging.
Technology
- Adobe Acrobat
- Adobe Dreamweaver
- Adobe Photoshop
- ATLAS.ti
- Circle Systems Stat/Transfer
- Data visualization software
- Database management system DBMS
- Email software
- ESRI ArcGIS software
- Fund accounting software
- Helios TextPad
- IBM SPSS Statistics
- Microsoft Access
Sociologists salary by location
Areas with the highest reported employment for this occupation.
- Sociologists Salary in CAMedian $125,770 · Employment 590
- Sociologists Salary in MAMedian $106,530 · Employment 250
- Sociologists Salary in Boston, MAMedian $106,530 · Employment 240
- Sociologists Salary in NCMedian $126,760 · Employment 170
- Sociologists Salary in FLMedian $46,950 · Employment 160
- Sociologists Salary in WAMedian $97,170 · Employment 130
- Sociologists Salary in OHMedian $78,850 · Employment 130
- Sociologists Salary in San Francisco, CAMedian $134,770 · Employment 110
- Sociologists Salary in Columbus, OHMedian $82,820 · Employment 100
- Sociologists Salary in MIMedian $88,040 · Employment 90
- Sociologists Salary in Seattle, WAMedian $97,170 · Employment 90
- Sociologists Salary in Los Angeles, CAMedian $124,540 · Employment 70
Related careers
- Clinical NeuropsychologistsNational median $110,840
- NeuropsychologistsNational median $110,840
- EpidemiologistsNational median $87,220
- School PsychologistsNational median $95,990
- HistoriansNational median $76,750
- Industrial-Organizational PsychologistsNational median $193,950
- Economics Teachers, PostsecondaryNational median $123,920
- Education Teachers, PostsecondaryNational median $75,350
Career and skills data: O*NET 31.0 (onetcenter.org). Salary and employment data: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS, 2025 (bls.gov/oes). Figures are published survey estimates, not real-time market data.