Social Sciences

Types of Degrees Social Sciences Majors Are Getting

The following table lists how many social sciences graduations there were for each degree level during the last year for which data was available.

Education Level	Number of Grads
Bachelor’s Degree	140,768
Associate Degree	22,137
Master’s Degree	19,295
Doctor’s Degree	3,723
Basic Certificate	2,514
Graduate Certificate	2,108
Undergraduate Certificate	247

What Social Sciences Majors Need to Know

In an O*NET survey, social sciences majors were asked to rate what knowledge areas, skills, and abilities were important in their occupations. These answers were weighted on a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being the most important.

Knowledge Areas for Social Sciences Majors

Social Sciences majors often go into careers in which the following knowledge areas are important:

• English Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
• Education and Training - Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
• Mathematics - Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
• Computers and Electronics - Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
• Law and Government - Knowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process.

Skills for Social Sciences Majors

The following list of skills has been highlighted as some of the most essential for careers related to social sciences:

• Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
• Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.
• 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.
• Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
• Writing - Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.

Abilities for Social Sciences Majors

As you progress with your social sciences degree, there are several abilities you should pick up that will help you in whatever related career you choose. These abilities include:

• Written Comprehension - The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
• Oral Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
• Oral Comprehension - The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
• Written Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
• Deductive Reasoning - The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.

What Can You Do With a Social Sciences Major?

People with a social sciences degree often go into the following careers:

Job Title	Job Growth Rate	Median Salary
Anthropologists	3.9%	$62,410
Anthropology and Archeology Professors	9.9%	$83,940
Archeologists	3.9%	$62,410
City and Regional Planning Aides	4.4%	$46,640
Clinical Data Managers	33.9%	$87,780
Compliance Managers	8.0%	$107,480
Economics Professors	10.9%	$101,480
Environmental Economists	6.1%	$104,340
Geographers	13.3%	$80,300
Geography Professors	8.0%	$80,350
Political Scientists	2.7%	$117,570
Regulatory Affairs Managers	8.0%	$107,480
Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education	7.5%	$60,320
Security Managers	8.0%	$107,480
Social Science Research Assistants	4.4%	$46,640
Sociology Professors	9.5%	$74,140
Statisticians	33.9%	$87,780
Transportation Planners	6.7%	$81,340
Wind Energy Project Managers	8.0%	$107,480

Who Is Getting a Bachelor’s Degree in Social Sciences?

This major is dominated by women with about 56% of recent graduates being female.

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the countrywide level, the racial-ethnic distribution of social sciences majors is as follows:

Race/Ethnicity	Number of Grads
Asian	11,436
Black or African American	12,021
Hispanic or Latino	27,115
White	68,582
International Students	10,634
Other Races/Ethnicities	10,980

Geographic Diversity

Americans aren’t the only ones with an interest in Social Sciences. About 7.6% of those with this major are international students.

Amount of Education Required for Careers Related to Social Sciences

Some degrees associated with social sciences may require an advanced degree, while others may not even require a bachelor’s in the field. In general, the more advanced your degree the more career options will open up to you. However, there is significant time and money that needs to be invested into your education so weigh the pros and cons.

Find out what the typical degree level is for social sciences careers below.

Education Level	Percentage of Workers
High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)	0.3%
Post-Secondary Certificate - awarded for training completed after high school (for example, in agriculture or natural resources, computer services, personal or culinary services, engineering technologies, healthcare, construction trades, mechanic and repair technologies, or precision production)	1.4%
Some College Courses	0.9%
Associate’s Degree (or other 2-year degree)	1.9%
Bachelor’s Degree	27.4%
Post-Baccalaureate Certificate - awarded for completion of an organized program of study; designed for people who have completed a Baccalaureate degree but do not meet the requirements of academic degrees carrying the title of Master.	1.6%
Master’s Degree	27.0%
Post-Master’s Certificate - awarded for completion of an organized program of study; designed for people who have completed a Master’s degree but do not meet the requirements of academic degrees at the doctoral level.	1.8%
First Professional Degree - awarded for completion of a program that: requires at least 2 years of college work before entrance into the program, includes a total of at least 6 academic years of work to complete, and provides all remaining academic requirements to begin practice in a profession.	0.9%
Doctoral Degree	33.7%
Post-Doctoral Training	0.9%

Online Social Sciences Programs

The following table lists the number of programs by degree level, along with how many schools offered online courses in the field.

Degree Level	Colleges Offering Programs	Colleges Offering Online Classes
Certificate (Less Than 1 Year)	0	0
Certificate (1-2 years)	172	12
Certificate (2-4 Years)	26	4
Associate’s Degree	2,136	336
Bachelor’s Degree	870	168
Post-Baccalaureate	0	0
Master’s Degree	3,108	236
Post-Master’s	132	0
Doctor’s Degree (Research)	1,434	10
Doctor’s Degree (Professional Practice)	18	0
Doctor’s Degree (Other)	2	0

Majors Related to Social Sciences

You may also be interested in one of the following majors related to social sciences.

Major	Number of Grads
Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities	511,953
Communication & Journalism	109,432
Family, Consumer & Human Sciences	51,926
English Language & Literature	50,299
History	31,255
Foreign Languages & Linguistics	29,738
Theology & Religious Vocations	26,672
Philosophy & Religious Studies	19,301
Area, Ethnic, Culture, & Gender Studies	15,254

References

*The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students, international students, and students whose race/ethnicity was unknown. This number is then divided by the total number of students at the school to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

• College Factual
• College Scorecard
• National Center for Education Statistics
• O*NET Online
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• Usual Weekly Earnings of Wage and Salary Workers First Quarter 2020
• Image Credit: By AndrГ© KГјnzelmann under License

More about our data sources and methodologies.