What Does it Take to Be a Sociology Professor?
Occupation Description Teach courses in sociology. Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of teaching and research.
A Day in the Life of a Sociology Professor
- Evaluate and grade students’ class work, assignments, and papers.
- Provide professional consulting services to government or industry.
- 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.
- Supervise students’ laboratory and field work.
- Plan, evaluate, and revise curricula, course content, course materials, and methods of instruction.
- Advise students on academic and vocational curricula and on career issues.
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What Every Sociology Professor Should Know
Below is a list of the skills most Sociology Professors say are important on the job.
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.
Related Job Titles for this Occupation:
- Marriage and Family Teacher
- College or University Faculty Member
- Faculty Member
- Adjunct Sociology Professor
- Sociology Adjunct Professor
Job Outlook for Sociology Professors
There were about 17,900 jobs for Sociology Professor in 2016 (in the United States). 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. Due to new job openings and attrition, there will be an average of 1,600 job openings in this field each year.
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.
Sociology Professor Salary
Sociology Professors make between $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 different U.S. states?
| 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 |
What Tools & Technology do Sociology Professors Use?
Although they’re not necessarily needed for all jobs, the following technologies are used by many Sociology Professors:
- 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 many years of work experience do I need?
Who Employs Sociology Professors?
The table below shows some of the most common industries where those employed in this career field work.
Related Careers
Those interested in being a Sociology Professor may also be interested in:
References:
Image Credit: Kontos via Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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