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Sociology & Anthropology Major

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Sociology & Anthropology

541 Bachelor's Degrees Annually
0 Master's Degrees Annually
#201 in Popularity
$90,290 Median Salary

Types of Degrees Sociology & Anthropology Majors Are Getting

The following table lists how many sociology and anthropology graduations there were in 2020-2021 for each degree level.

Education Level Number of Grads
Bachelor’s Degree 541

What Sociology & Anthropology Majors Need to Know

People with careers related to sociology and anthropology 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 Sociology & Anthropology Majors

Sociology and Anthropology majors often go into careers in which the following knowledge areas are important:

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  • 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.
  • Sociology and Anthropology - Knowledge of group behavior and dynamics, societal trends and influences, human migrations, ethnicity, cultures and their history and origins.
  • Computers and Electronics - Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
  • Mathematics - Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.

Skills for Sociology & Anthropology Majors

A major in sociology and anthropology prepares you for careers in which the following skill-sets are crucial:

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  • 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.
  • Writing - Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
  • Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.

Abilities for Sociology & Anthropology Majors

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

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

What Can You Do With a Sociology & Anthropology Major?

People with a sociology and anthropology 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
Compliance Managers 8.0% $107,480
Investment Fund Managers 8.0% $107,480
Regulatory Affairs Managers 8.0% $107,480
Sociology Professors 9.5% $74,140

Who Is Getting a Bachelor’s Degree in Sociology & Anthropology?

541 Bachelor's Degrees Annually
79% Percent Women
42% Percent Racial-Ethnic Minorities*
This is a less frequently chosen undergraduate major. Only 541 students graduated with a bachelor’s degree in sociology and anthropology in 2021, making it rank #201 in popularity. This major is dominated by women with about 79% of recent graduates being female.

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the countrywide level, the racial-ethnic distribution of sociology and anthropology majors is as follows:

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Race/Ethnicity Number of Grads
Asian 23
Black or African American 89
Hispanic or Latino 91
White 279
International Students 22
Other Races/Ethnicities 37

Geographic Diversity

Americans aren’t the only ones with an interest in Sociology & Anthropology. About 4.1% of those with this major are international students. The most popular countries for students from outside the country are:

  • China
  • Japan
  • Canada
  • South Korea
  • India

How Much Do Sociology & Anthropology Majors Make?

Bachelor’s Degree Starting Salary

According to 2019-2020 data from the U.S. Department of Education, students who graduated with a bachelor’s degree in sociology and anthropology have a median salary of $25,665 during the early years of their career. During this timeframe, most salaries fell between $23,599 (25th percentile) and $27,996 (75th percentile).

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It is possible that some of these people may have taken positions that were not related to sociology and anthropology.

Salaries According to BLS

Average salaries range from $83,310 to $94,080 (25th to 75th percentile) for careers related to sociology and anthropology. 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, 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.

Median Salary for a Sociology & Anthropology Major  ( 83310 to 94080 )
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250K
Median Salary for a High School Graduate  ( 30000 to 57900 )
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250K
Median Salary for a Bachelor's Degree Holder  ( 45600 to 99000 )
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250K
Median Salary for an Advanced Degree Holder  ( 55600 to 125400 )
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250K

Some degrees associated with sociology and anthropology may require an advanced degree, while others may not even require a bachelor’s in the field. Whatever the case may be, pursuing more education usually means that more career options will be available to you.

Find out what the typical degree level is for sociology and anthropology careers below.

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Education Level Percentage of Workers
High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED) 1.1%
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) 0.9%
Some College Courses 0.2%
Associate’s Degree (or other 2-year degree) 1.2%
Bachelor’s Degree 23.9%
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. 0.9%
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. 1.3%
Doctoral Degree 43.0%
Post-Doctoral Training 1.6%

Online Sociology & Anthropology Programs

In 2020-2021, 55 schools offered a sociology and anthropology program of some type. 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 1 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 Sociology & Anthropology Worth It?

The median salary for a sociology and anthropology grad is $90,290 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 $1,007,800 after 20 years!

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You may also be interested in one of the following majors related to sociology and anthropology.

Major Number of Grads
Political Science & Government 49,282
Economics 49,055
Sociology 38,475
General Social Sciences 18,997
International Relations & National Security 14,306
Anthropology 11,415
Criminology 11,039
Geography & Cartography 8,526
Other Social Sciences 2,414
Urban Studies 1,507
Archeology 339
Demography & Population Studies 88

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.

More about our data sources and methodologies.

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