All About Sociology Professors
Job 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?
- Supervise undergraduate or graduate teaching, internship, and research work.
- Compile, administer, and grade examinations, or assign this work to others.
- Supervise students' laboratory and field work.
- Perform administrative duties, such as serving as department head.
- Keep abreast of developments in the field by reading current literature, talking with colleagues, and participating in professional conferences.
- Provide professional consulting services to government or industry.
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Skills Needed to be a Sociology Professor
These are the skills Sociology Professors say are the most useful in their careers:
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
- Social Science Professor
- Race Relations Professor
- Graduate Teaching Assistant
- Sociology Professor
What Kind of Sociology Professor Job Opportunities Are There?
In the United States, there were 17,900 jobs for Sociology Professor in 2016. 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.
Average Sociology Professors Salary
The salary for Sociology Professors ranges between about $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 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
Becoming a Sociology Professor
Learn what Sociology Professor education requirements there are.

What work experience do I need to become a Sociology Professor?

Sociology Professors Sector

The table below shows the approximate number of Sociology Professors employed by various industries.

Similar Careers
Those interested in being a Sociology Professor may also be interested in:
References:
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More about our data sources and methodologies.
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