All About Sociology Professors
Occupation Description Teach courses in sociology. Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of teaching and research.
Life As a Sociology Professor: What Do They Do?
- Plan, evaluate, and revise curricula, course content, course materials, and methods of instruction.
- Perform administrative duties, such as serving as department head.
- Conduct research in a particular field of knowledge and publish findings in professional journals, books, or electronic media.
- Maintain regularly scheduled office hours to advise and assist students.
- Collaborate with colleagues to address teaching and research issues.
- Select and obtain materials and supplies, such as textbooks and laboratory equipment.
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Skills Needed to be a Sociology Professor
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:
- Social Sciences Lecturer
- Adjunct Instructor
- Social Sciences Department Chair
- Social Organization Professor
- Humanities Professor
What Kind of Sociology Professor Job Opportunities Are There?
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. There will be an estimated 1,600 positions for Sociology Professor per 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
The typical yearly salary for Sociology Professors is somewhere between $38,440 and $138,500.

Sociology Professors who work in District of Columbia, Rhode Island, or California, make the highest salaries.
How much do Sociology Professors make in each U.S. state?
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 do Sociology Professors Use?
Below is a list of the types of tools and technologies that Sociology Professors may use on a daily basis:
- 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 do I Become a Sociology Professor?
Individuals working as a Sociology Professor have obtained the following education levels:

How Long Does it Take to Become a Sociology Professor?

Where Sociology Professors Work

Sociology Professors work in the following industries:

Other Jobs You May be Interested In
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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