by our College Data Analytics TeamIn 2020-2021, sociology was the 20th most popular major nationwide with 38,394 degrees awarded. This represents a 1.7% increase in sociology degrees awarded over the prior year's total of 37,747.
This year's Best Sociology Schools ranking compares 570 of them to identify the best overall programs in the country. Explore this or one of our many other custom sociology rankings further below.
Talking to others to convey information effectively is a required skill for sociology majors. Required skills include understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents and 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.
A high school diploma or equivalent is typically required for most sociology degree programs and many students will need a minimum GPA and SAT/ACT score depending on the school. In addition to these basic sociology program qualifications, to serve in some sociology careers, special certification may be required outside of your degree.
There are various different levels of sociology degrees. You can spend many years getting as high as a in sociology to something that takes less time like a . Depending on the sociology degree you choose, obtaining your diploma can take anwhere from 1 to 4+ years.
| Degree | Credit Requirements | Typical Program Length |
|---|---|---|
| Associate Degree | 60-70 credits | 2 years |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 120 credits | 4 years |
| Master’s Degree | 50-70 credits | 1-3 years |
| Doctorate | Program required coursework including thesis or dissertation | At least 4 years |
A bachelor's degree is the most common level of education achieved by those in careers related to sociology, with approximately 34.2% of workers getting one. People currently working in careers related to sociology tend obtained the following education levels.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Bachelor’s Degree | 33.4% |
| Doctoral Degree | 33.0% |
| Master’s Degree | 27.2% |
| Associate’s Degree (or other 2-year degree) | 1.7% |
| High School Diploma | 1.6% |
60.6% of sociology workers have at least a master's. View the chart below to get an idea of what degree level most of those in sociology careers have.
This of course varies depending on which sociology career you choose.
Want a job when you graduate with your sociology degree? Sociology careers are expected to grow 8.0% between 2016 and 2026.
The following options are some of the most in-demand careers related to sociology.
| Occupation Name | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Managers | 1,071,700 | 8.0% |
| Sociology Professors | 19,600 | 9.5% |
| Sociologists | 3,500 | 0.0% |
As you might expect, salaries for sociology graduates vary depending on the level of education that was acquired.
Salaries for sociology graduates can vary widely by the occupation you choose as well. The following table shows the top highest paying careers sociology grads often go into.
| Occupation Name | Median Average Salary |
|---|---|
| Managers | $115,590 |
| Sociologists | $90,290 |
| Sociology Professors | $83,310 |
With over 2,107 different sociology degree programs to choose from, finding the best fit for you can be a challenge. Fortunately you have come to the right place. We have analyzed all of these schools to come up with hundreds of unbiased sociology school rankings to help you with this.
Learn about other programs related to Sociology that might interest you.
One of 1 majors within the Sociology area of study, Sociology has other similar majors worth exploring.
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Applied/Public Sociology | 49 |
