Sociology teachers, postsecondary salary
| Measure | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $49,930 | Data unavailable |
| Median (50th percentile) | $84,290 | Data unavailable |
| Mean (average) | $96,980 | Data unavailable |
| 90th percentile | $160,140 | Data unavailable |
BLS publishes only annual wages for this occupation because workers are typically paid on an annual basis rather than hourly.
These wages describe everyone employed in the occupation, from new entrants to experienced workers. They are not starting salaries and not earnings of graduates from any particular program. Verified data
Sociology teachers, postsecondary pay by state and metro area
Table: median wage and employment for all 47 states and territories
| State | Median | 10th pct | 90th pct | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $73,670 | $48,480 | $104,780 | 210 | 1.3 |
| Arizona | $78,430 | $54,080 | $147,830 | 230 | 0.94 |
| Arkansas | $62,390 | $46,630 | $125,310 | 30 | 0.32 |
| California | $127,680 | $71,710 | $233,850 | 810 | 0.59 |
| Colorado | $78,630 | $41,400 | $139,920 | 220 | 1.01 |
| Connecticut | $101,490 | $67,800 | $201,880 | 320 | 2.48 |
| Delaware | $123,710 | $59,090 | $216,680 | ||
| District of Columbia | $103,160 | $66,410 | $224,340 | 70 | 1.28 |
| Florida | $63,470 | $52,950 | $100,900 | 230 | 0.31 |
| Georgia | $84,330 | $54,230 | $162,850 | 230 | 0.63 |
| Idaho | $84,140 | $71,200 | $127,980 | 50 | 0.74 |
| Illinois | $82,610 | $52,260 | $131,440 | 440 | 0.94 |
| Indiana | $79,880 | $52,680 | $145,190 | 290 | 1.17 |
| Iowa | $81,910 | $49,460 | $150,230 | 140 | 1.21 |
| Kansas | $78,630 | $41,950 | $171,420 | 110 | 0.99 |
| Kentucky | $61,260 | $35,590 | $136,960 | 150 | 0.98 |
| Louisiana | $83,700 | $56,790 | $124,130 | 80 | 0.55 |
| Maine | $76,010 | $61,700 | $137,320 | 80 | 1.68 |
| Maryland | $95,980 | $54,180 | $172,980 | 200 | 0.95 |
| Massachusetts | $96,790 | $61,200 | $195,940 | 580 | 2.1 |
| Michigan | $102,870 | $54,660 | $174,740 | 370 | 1.11 |
| Minnesota | $87,340 | $62,470 | $131,700 | 240 | 1.06 |
| Mississippi | $70,860 | $30,250 | $100,600 | 90 | 1.04 |
| Missouri | $77,800 | $45,530 | $169,070 | 100 | 0.44 |
| Montana | $75,880 | $25,560 | $125,390 | 30 | 0.82 |
| Nebraska | $76,230 | $57,690 | $95,200 | 70 | 0.91 |
| Nevada | $87,480 | $66,720 | $103,870 | 100 | 0.82 |
| New Hampshire | $112,890 | $80,450 | $167,700 | 40 | 0.79 |
| New Jersey | $78,350 | $32,220 | $156,300 | 550 | 1.68 |
| New Mexico | $77,740 | $58,390 | $126,680 | 50 | 0.74 |
| New York | $97,540 | $61,360 | $203,820 | 1,130 | 1.53 |
| North Carolina | $76,430 | $45,470 | $109,850 | 550 | 1.45 |
| Ohio | $79,690 | $46,530 | $123,980 | 550 | 1.31 |
| Oklahoma | $64,900 | $30,710 | $88,710 | 120 | 0.89 |
| Oregon | $101,960 | $67,710 | $147,770 | 150 | 1.03 |
| Pennsylvania | $99,660 | $48,420 | $132,230 | 440 | 0.95 |
| Puerto Rico | $84,090 | $45,130 | $96,520 | 70 | 0.96 |
| South Carolina | $78,410 | $41,440 | $109,170 | 120 | 0.68 |
| South Dakota | $64,210 | $50,750 | $91,260 | 40 | 1.27 |
| Tennessee | $77,370 | $50,030 | $122,820 | 190 | 0.76 |
| Texas | $81,220 | $47,130 | $133,610 | 1,040 | 0.97 |
| Utah | $99,350 | $65,630 | $131,770 | 70 | 0.51 |
| Vermont | $87,620 | $36,270 | $123,950 | 40 | 1.78 |
| Virginia | $78,120 | $44,980 | $127,460 | 400 | 1.29 |
| Washington | $83,140 | $55,610 | $119,310 | 200 | 0.72 |
| West Virginia | $77,380 | $52,890 | $132,810 | 60 | 1.16 |
| Wisconsin | $84,960 | $62,220 | $176,150 | 450 | 1.99 |
A location quotient above 1 means the occupation is more concentrated in that state than in the nation overall.
Metro areas with the most jobs
Highest paying metro areas
Job outlook for sociology teachers, postsecondary
- Average annual openings, 2025 to 2035: 1,000. Openings include new jobs plus replacement needs when workers retire or leave the occupation. Official projection
- Read the official BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook profile.
These are official BLS projections. ConnectPrep does not alter them or present its own forecasts as official statistics.
Education and training for sociology teachers, postsecondary
- Typical entry education
- Doctoral or professional degree
- Related work experience
- None
- On-the-job training
- None
- O*NET Job Zone
- Job Zone Five: Extensive Preparation Needed
Highest education of people working in this occupation
O*NET describes this preparation level as: Most of these occupations require graduate school. For example, they may require a master's degree, and some require a Ph.D., M.D., or J.D. (law degree).
Degrees and programs that lead to this career
Programs officially mapped to this occupation in the NCES and BLS CIP to SOC crosswalk. A mapping means the program commonly prepares students for the occupation, not that every graduate works in it. Official crosswalk
- Survey Research/Methodology CIP 45.0103
- Demography and Population Studies CIP 45.0501
- Applied Demography CIP 45.0502
- Demography, Other CIP 45.0599
- Sociology, General CIP 45.1101
- Applied/Public Sociology CIP 45.1102
- Rural Sociology CIP 45.1103
- Sociology, Other CIP 45.1199
- Sociology and Anthropology CIP 45.1301
Skills, knowledge, and daily work
Most important skills
Most important knowledge areas
Typical tasks
- 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.
Technology skills
- Microsoft Office software (in demand)
- Learning management system LMS (in demand)
- Google Docs (hot technology)
- IBM SPSS Statistics (hot technology)
- Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Microsoft Outlook (hot technology)
- Microsoft PowerPoint (hot technology)
- Microsoft Word (hot technology)
- R (hot technology)
- SAS (hot technology)
- The MathWorks MATLAB (hot technology)
- Blackboard Learn
- Blackboard software
- Centre for Multilevel Modeling MLwiN
- Collaborative editing software
- Course management system software
Transferable skills for career changers: Instructing, Social Perceptiveness, Time Management, Judgment and Decision Making, Complex Problem Solving, Service Orientation.
Common job titles: Adjunct Instructor, Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, Faculty Member, Instructor, Lecturer, Professor, Social Science Instructor, Sociology Instructor, Sociology Professor.
Is it worth it? Model the cost of getting there
Use the ROI calculator to compare the cost of the education this career usually requires against staying on your current path. It starts from the official wage distribution above, and you can change every assumption.
Frequently asked questions
How much do sociology teachers, postsecondary make?
The national median annual wage for sociology teachers, postsecondary was $84,290 in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program. The lowest paid 10 percent earned less than $49,930 and the highest paid 10 percent earned more than $160,140. These figures cover all workers in the occupation, not only new entrants.
What education do sociology teachers, postsecondary need?
BLS lists doctoral or professional degree as the typical education needed to enter this occupation, with none of related work experience and none on-the-job training typically needed to become competent.
Is sociology teachers, postsecondary a growing career?
BLS projects employment of sociology teachers, postsecondary to change +2.2% from 2025 to 2035, compared with +3.5% for all occupations. About 1,000 openings are projected each year on average, including openings from workers who retire or change occupations.
Which states pay sociology teachers, postsecondary the most?
By median annual wage in May 2025, the highest paying states were California ($127,680), Delaware ($123,710), New Hampshire ($112,890). Pay differences partly reflect differences in living costs.