Sociology Teachers, Postsecondary: Job Description
Teach courses in sociology. Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of teaching and research.
What Tasks Do Sociology Teachers, Postsecondary Do?
The day-to-day responsibilities of sociology teachers, postsecondary include:
- Evaluate and grade students' class work, assignments, and papers.
- Initiate, facilitate, and moderate classroom discussions.
- Compile, administer, and grade examinations, or assign this work to others.
- Prepare and deliver lectures to undergraduate or graduate students on topics such as race and ethnic relations, measurement and data collection, and workplace social relations.
- Prepare course materials, such as syllabi, homework assignments, and handouts.
- Keep abreast of developments in the field by reading current literature, talking with colleagues, and participating in professional conferences.
- Conduct research in a particular field of knowledge and publish findings in professional journals, books, or electronic media.
- Plan, evaluate, and revise curricula, course content, course materials, and methods of instruction.
Key Skills and Knowledge
Top sociology teachers, postsecondary draw on a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Top Skills
These are the skills that matter most in this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Core Knowledge
Related Job Titles
This career also goes by job titles like:
- Adjunct Instructor
- Adjunct Professor
- Adjunct Sociology Professor
- Assistant Professor
- Associate Professor
- College Faculty Member
- College Professor
- Comparative Sociology Professor
Employment and Demand
There are about 652,464 sociology teachers, postsecondary working in the United States today. This occupation is expected to grow by +12.0% over the projection horizon.
Salary for Sociology Teachers, Postsecondary
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $53,394 |
| Hourly median | $25.67 |
| 10th percentile | $38,012 |
| 25th percentile | $45,703 |
| 75th percentile | $61,086 |
| 90th percentile | $68,777 |
Compensation varies based on experience, location, and industry.
Pay by State
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| California | $129,760 |
| New Hampshire | $109,850 |
| Arizona | $106,460 |
| Michigan | $98,920 |
| District of Columbia | $98,680 |
| New York | $98,330 |
| Massachusetts | $98,100 |
| New Jersey | $97,790 |
| Wisconsin | $94,800 |
| Connecticut | $93,870 |
| Utah | $86,810 |
| Puerto Rico | $86,740 |
| Florida | $85,230 |
| Minnesota | $85,060 |
| Louisiana | $84,360 |
| Nevada | $83,940 |
| Oregon | $83,840 |
| Maryland | $83,130 |
| Texas | $82,920 |
| Pennsylvania | $82,710 |
| Georgia | $82,250 |
| Colorado | $81,670 |
| Delaware | $81,000 |
| Illinois | $79,910 |
| West Virginia | $79,770 |
| Indiana | $79,710 |
| Nebraska | $79,660 |
| Washington | $79,500 |
| Alaska | $78,220 |
| Kansas | $78,000 |
| Missouri | $77,890 |
| Iowa | $76,770 |
| Ohio | $75,720 |
| North Carolina | $75,030 |
| New Mexico | $74,600 |
| Montana | $74,570 |
| Virginia | $74,200 |
| South Carolina | $73,560 |
| Idaho | $73,120 |
| Arkansas | $71,400 |
| Vermont | $69,710 |
| Tennessee | $68,510 |
| Mississippi | $67,590 |
| Maine | $66,060 |
| Kentucky | $64,580 |
| Oklahoma | $62,280 |
| South Dakota | $61,670 |
| Alabama | $60,840 |
Top-Paying U.S. Regions
Compensation for sociology teachers, postsecondary differ across the country. The following regions pay the most:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Far Western US | $113,738 | 10.7% | 0.67 |
| New England | $94,275 | 9.0% | 2.15 |
| Middle Atlantic | $93,267 | 21.3% | 1.45 |
| Other U.S. Territories | $86,740 | 1.2% | 1.94 |
| Great Lakes | $84,901 | 17.8% | 1.32 |
| Southwest | $83,018 | 11.3% | 0.94 |
| Rocky Mountains | $80,654 | 3.1% | 0.80 |
| Plains States | $79,152 | 6.1% | 1.01 |
Top Metro Areas
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | CA | $181,960 | 70 |
| Madison, WI | WI | $152,420 | 80 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | CA | $136,220 | 100 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | CA | $136,120 | 130 |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | AZ | $131,110 | 60 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | CA | $125,770 | 310 |
| Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX | TX | $124,020 | 120 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | CA | $122,530 | 60 |
Industry Breakdown
Most sociology teachers, postsecondary work in these industries:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Educational Services | 12,370 | n/a |
The table below shows some of the most common industries where those employed in this career field work.
Tech Stack
- Word processing software: Google Docs (hot technology)
- Analytical or scientific software: IBM SPSS Statistics (hot technology)
- Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Office suite software: Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Electronic mail software: Microsoft Outlook (hot technology)
- Presentation software: Microsoft PowerPoint (hot technology)
- Word processing software: Microsoft Word (hot technology)
- Object or component oriented development software: R (hot technology)
- Analytical or scientific software: SAS (hot technology)
- Analytical or scientific software: The MathWorks MATLAB (hot technology)
- Computer based training software: Learning management system LMS (in demand)
The Day-to-Day Environment
The on-the-job environment of sociology teachers, postsecondary reflects the following characteristics:
- Freedom to Make Decisions
- Determine Tasks, Priorities and Goals
- Indoors, Environmentally Controlled
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
Education and Training
This career aligns with Extensive Preparation Needed (Job Zone 5), reflecting the level of preparation typically expected.
Similar Occupations
Similar Occupations
- Sociologists (Supplemental)
- Anthropology and Archeology Teachers, Postsecondary (Primary-Short)
- Area, Ethnic, and Cultural Studies Teachers, Postsecondary (Primary-Short)
- Economics Teachers, Postsecondary (Primary-Long)
- Geography Teachers, Postsecondary (Supplemental)
- Political Science Teachers, Postsecondary (Primary-Short)
- Psychology Teachers, Postsecondary (Primary-Short)
- Education Teachers, Postsecondary (Primary-Long)
Where to Study
Students preparing for sociology teachers, postsecondary commonly pursue programs in:
Social Sciences
9 programs across 4 majors
About the Data
This profile draws on the following authoritative sources:
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for employment and wage data by state and industry.
- BLS Employment Projections for total employment and growth forecasts.
- O*NET (Occupational Information Network) for skills, knowledge, tasks, work activities, work context, technology, and education-zone data.
SOC code: 25-1067.00 (Sociology Teachers, Postsecondary).
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