Rural Sociology
Featured schools near , edit
Types of Degrees Rural Sociology Majors Are Getting
The following table lists how many rural sociology graduations there were in 2018-2019 for each degree level.
Education Level | Number of Grads |
---|---|
Bachelor’s Degree | 36 |
What Rural Sociology Majors Need to Know
People with careers related to rural sociology were asked what knowledge areas, skills, and abilities were important for their jobs. They weighted these areas on a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being the highest.
Knowledge Areas for Rural Sociology Majors
Rural Sociology 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.
- Law and Government - Knowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process.
- 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.
Skills for Rural Sociology Majors
When studying rural sociology, you’ll learn many skills that will help you be successful in a wide range of jobs - even those that do not require a degree in the field. The following is a list of some of the most common skills needed for careers associated with this major:

- Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.
- Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
- 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 Rural Sociology Majors
A major in rural sociology will prepare for your careers in which the following abilities are important:

- Oral Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
- Written Comprehension - The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
- 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 Rural Sociology Major?
People with a rural sociology degree often go into the following careers:
Job Title | Job Growth Rate | Median Salary |
---|---|---|
Compliance Managers | 8.0% | $107,480 |
Investment Fund Managers | 8.0% | $107,480 |
Regulatory Affairs Managers | 8.0% | $107,480 |
Social Sciences Professors | 9.8% | $71,600 |
Sociology Professors | 9.5% | $74,140 |
Who Is Getting a Bachelor’s Degree in Rural Sociology?
Racial-Ethnic Diversity
At the countrywide level, the racial-ethnic distribution of rural sociology majors is as follows:

Race/Ethnicity | Number of Grads |
---|---|
Asian | 0 |
Black or African American | 1 |
Hispanic or Latino | 5 |
White | 29 |
International Students | 0 |
Other Races/Ethnicities | 1 |
How Much Do Rural Sociology Majors Make?
Salaries According to BLS
Rural Sociology majors often go into careers where salaries can range from $83,310 to $90,290 (25th to 75th percentile). This range includes all degree levels, so the salary for a person with just a bachelor’s degree may be a little less and the one for a person with an advanced degree may be a little more.
To put that into context, according to BLS data from the first quarter of 2020, the typical high school graduate makes between $30,000 and $57,900 a year (25th through 75th percentile). The average person with a bachelor’s degree (any field) makes between $45,600 and $99,000. Advanced degree holders make the most with salaries between $55,600 and $125,400.
Amount of Education Required for Careers Related to Rural Sociology
Some careers associated with rural sociology require an advanced degree while some may not even require a bachelor’s. 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 rural sociology careers below.

Education Level | Percentage of Workers |
---|---|
High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED) | 1.6% |
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) | 1.2% |
Some College Courses | 0.2% |
Associate’s Degree (or other 2-year degree) | 1.7% |
Bachelor’s Degree | 33.4% |
Master’s Degree | 27.2% |
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. | 1.3% |
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. | 1.2% |
Doctoral Degree | 33.0% |
Online Rural Sociology Programs
In the 2018-2019 academic year, 3 schools offered some type of rural sociology program. 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) | 0 | 0 |
Certificate (2-4 Years) | 0 | 0 |
Associate’s Degree | 0 | 0 |
Bachelor’s Degree | 0 | 0 |
Post-Baccalaureate | 0 | 0 |
Master’s Degree | 0 | 0 |
Post-Master’s | 0 | 0 |
Doctor’s Degree (Research) | 0 | 0 |
Doctor’s Degree (Professional Practice) | 0 | 0 |
Doctor’s Degree (Other) | 0 | 0 |
Is a Degree in Rural Sociology Worth It?
The median salary for a rural sociology grad is $87,950 per year. This is based on the weighted average of the most common careers associated with the major.
This is 120% more than the average salary for an individual holding a high school degree. This adds up to a gain of about $961,000 after 20 years!

Explore Major by State
Alabama
Arkansas
Connecticut
Florida
Idaho
Iowa
Louisiana
Massachusetts
Mississippi
Nebraska
New Jersey
North Carolina
Oklahoma
Rhode Island
Tennessee
Vermont
West Virginia
Majors Related to Rural Sociology
You may also be interested in one of the following majors related to rural sociology.
Major | Number of Grads |
---|---|
Economics | 48,297 |
Political Science & Government | 47,035 |
Sociology | 37,611 |
General Social Sciences | 19,694 |
International Relations & National Security | 15,207 |
Anthropology | 11,703 |
Criminology | 9,783 |
Geography & Cartography | 8,673 |
Other Social Sciences | 2,729 |
Urban Studies | 1,647 |
Sociology & Anthropology | 543 |
Archeology | 364 |
Demography & Population Studies | 77 |
References
- 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 U.S. National Archives and Records Administration under License
More about our data sources and methodologies.
Featured Schools
![]() |
Southern New Hampshire University You have goals. Southern New Hampshire University can help you get there. Whether you need a bachelor's degree to get into a career or want a master's degree to move up in your current career, SNHU has an online program for you. Find your degree from over 200 online programs. Learn More > |