Rural Sociology Major

Rural sociology is a major that typically falls into the Social Sciences category.

There are 0 programs available throughout the country that offer an associate’s degree in rural sociology, 2 that offer a bachelor’s degree, and 0 that offer a master’s degree.

Who Is Getting a Rural Sociology Degree?

This is a less frequently chosen major. Only 0 students graduated with a bachelor’s degree in rural sociology in 2017. The major attracts more women than men. About 75.8% of the recent graduates in this field are female.

Racial Distribution

At the countrywide level, the racial distribution of rural sociology majors is as follows:

• Asian: 3%
• Black or African American: 3%
• Hispanic or Latino: 3%
• White: 84.8%
• Non-Resident Alien: 0%
• Other Races: 6.1%

Americans aren’t the only ones with an interest in rural sociology. About 0% of those graduating in 2017 were international students. The most popular countries sending rural sociology majors to the U.S. are India, Ghana and Uganda.

What Will You Learn as a Rural Sociology Major?

An O*NET survey asked people with careers related to rural sociology to rate how important certain subject areas were to their job. The following are some of the results of that survey. Importance was rated on a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being most important.

Knowledge Areas for Rural Sociology Majors

This major prepares you for careers in which these knowledge areas are important:

Skills for Rural Sociology Majors

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

Abilities for Rural Sociology Majors

Some of the most crucial abilities to master while a rural sociology student include the following:

What Can You Do With a Rural Sociology Major?

Below is a list of occupations associated with rural sociology:

Careers Related to Rural Sociology

Job Title	Job Growth Rate	Median Salary
Compliance Managers	8%	$107,480
Regulatory Affairs Managers	8%	$107,480
Sociology Professors	9.5%	$74,140
Sociologists	0%	$82,050
Social Sciences Professors	9.8%	$71,600
Investment Fund Managers	8%	$107,480

Rural Sociology Major Salary

Average salaries range from $83,000 to $90,000 for careers related to rural sociology. This range includes all degree levels, so you may expect those with a more advanced degree to make more while those with less advanced degrees will typically make less.

To put that into context, the typical high school graduate makes between $29,000 and $57,000 a year. The average person with a bachelor’s degree (any field) makes between $44,000 and $99,000. Advanced degree holders make the most with salaries between $55,000 and $120,000.

The area of the country you choose to work in will also affect your career and salary prospects. Getting a graduate degree may open up more options with higher salary potential.

Amount of Education Required for Rural Sociology Major Jobs

Some careers associated with rural sociology 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.

How much education do you really need to compete in today’s job market? People currently working in careers related to rural sociology have obtained the following education levels.

Education Levels for Careers Associated With Rural Sociology

Level of Education	Percentage of Workers
Less Than a High School Diploma	0%
High School Diploma or Equivalent	1.6%
Post-Secondary Certificate	1.2%
Some College Courses	0.2%
Associate's Degree or Equivalent	1.7%
Bachelor's Degree	33.4%
Post-Baccalaureate Certificate	0%
Master's Degree	27.2%
Post-Master's Certificate	1.3%
First Professional Degree	1.2%
Doctoral Degree	33%
Post-Doctoral Training	0%

Online Rural Sociology Programs

There are 2 colleges that offer a bachelor’s degree in rural sociology, with 0 of them offering at least some courses online.

Online learners must listen or watch video lectures, participate in group chats or forums, submit papers and assignments electronically, take tests, and meet deadlines.

Online learners benefit from being able to watch lectures remotely and complete coursework on their schedule, but they also take longer to graduate than average and are more likely to dropout.

Is a Rural Sociology Major Worth It?

The median salary for a rural sociology grad is $88,000 per year. This is based on the weighted average of the most common careers associated with the major.

This is 126% more than the average salary for an individual holding a high school degree. This adds up to a gain of about $981,000 after 20 years!

Related Majors

• General Social Sciences
• Anthropology
• Archeology
• Criminology
• Demography & Population Studies
• Economics
• Geography & Cartography
• International Relations & Security
• Political Science & Government
• Sociology
• Urban Studies
• Sociology & Anthropology
• Rural Sociology
• Other Social Sciences

References

Bureau of Labor Statistics
National Center for Education Statistics
O*NET Online
Image Credit: U.S. National Archives and Records Administration via License