Sociology Teachers
O*NET title: Sociology Teachers, Postsecondary
Teach courses in sociology. Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of teaching and research.
Also called: Adjunct Instructor, Adjunct Professor, Adjunct Sociology Professor, Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, College Faculty Member
Median pay
$84,290
per year, U.S.
Pay range (10th–90th)
$49,930 – $160,140
People employed
11,850
Holland code
SIA
Social · Investigative · Artistic
Updated October 2026 · Data: O*NET 31.0 and BLS OEWS May 2025 · How we match careers
Is this career right for you?
These are the things that stand out in this job compared with other U.S. jobs (O*NET 31.0 work context). Answer honestly.
- 1.Do you want a lot of freedom to make your own decisions?
- 2.Do you want a job with little physical risk?
- 3.Do you prefer working indoors?
- 4.Are you OK working more than 40 hours a week?
- 5.Are you OK with hours that change?
The hard parts
- Tight deadlines are common
Sociology Teachers pay by state
Highest-paying states
Annual median pay by state (45 states and DC with published data). Source: BLS OEWS May 2025.
What sociology teachers do
- 01Evaluate and grade students' class work, assignments, and papers.
- 02Initiate, facilitate, and moderate classroom discussions.
- 03Compile, administer, and grade examinations, or assign this work to others.
- 04Prepare and deliver lectures to undergraduate or graduate students on topics such as race and ethnic relations, measurement and data collection, and workplace social relations.
- 05Prepare course materials, such as syllabi, homework assignments, and handouts.
- 06Keep abreast of developments in the field by reading current literature, talking with colleagues, and participating in professional conferences.
Skills that matter most
- Speaking
- Learning Strategies
- Writing
- Reading Comprehension
- Active Listening
- Monitoring
Knowledge
- English Language
- Sociology and Anthropology
- Education and Training
- Computers and Electronics
- History and Archeology
Work styles that stand out
- Dependability
- Integrity
- Intellectual Curiosity
- Achievement Orientation
- Social Orientation
Education and first steps
Share of workers by required education, as reported to O*NET.
How people get started
- Usually needs a graduate degree (O*NET Job Zone 5).
- Related work experience: over 2 years, up to and including 4 years.
- On-the-job training: none or short demonstration.
- A certification can help.
Most common answers from O*NET 31.0 Education, Training and Experience.
Interest fit (Holland code)
O*NET occupational interest scores, scale 1–7. Take the Free Career Test to compare with your own.
Career changes
Change from sociology teachers
- Sociologists87% · +26%
- Instructional Coordinators79% · −8%
- Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education78% · −15%
- Political Scientists78% · +69%
- Special Education Teachers, Secondary School77% · −12%
Change into sociology teachers
Jobs whose skills carry over best (skill match, their median pay).
- Sociologists87% · $106,030
- Anthropologists and Archeologists79% · $70,770
- Instructional Coordinators79% · $77,440
- Marriage and Family Therapists78% · $66,940
- Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers77% · $60,280
Majors that lead here
- Survey Research/Methodology
- Demography and Population Studies
- Applied Demography
- Demography, Other
- Sociology, General
- Applied/Public Sociology
- Rural Sociology
- Sociology, Other
- Sociology and Anthropology
From the NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk.