Sociology Teachers, Postsecondary Salary: $82,540 Median Pay (2026 stats)
Executive Summary
About 12,380 sociology teachers, postsecondary work nationally, and $82,540 is the BLS national median annual wage. Employment in the series shown fell about 23% from the first to the last year; projections imply about 2.0% annual growth.
Sociology Teachers, Postsecondary: what the data shows
Common questions about sociology teachers, postsecondary careers, answered from BLS OEWS and O*NET in this repository.
What is a sociology teachers, postsecondary?
Sociology Teachers, Postsecondary is tracked by the Bureau of Labor Statistics under SOC 25-1067.
U.S. employment in our OEWS extract is about 12,380 workers.
What does a sociology teachers, postsecondary do?
O*NET work activities rated highest for this occupation include Processing Information, Analyzing Data or Information, Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others, Training and Teaching Others, Thinking Creatively, Working with Computers, and related tasks. See Work Activities for the full list.
How much does a sociology teachers, postsecondary make?
BLS national median annual wage: $82,540 (May 2024 in our extract).
Mean annual wage in our occupational extract: $141,771 — higher than the median, which often reflects top earners in the distribution.
Wage percentiles below are from the California OEWS extract (not national unless noted).
| Wage percentile | Annual wage |
|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $61,261 |
| 25th percentile | $92,949 |
| Median (50th) | $133,287 |
| 75th percentile | $176,151 |
| 90th percentile | $236,477 |
What skills do you need?
O*NET ratings for this occupation emphasize skills such as Speaking, Writing, Learning Strategies, Reading Comprehension, Active Listening, Instructing, and knowledge areas including English Language, Sociology and Anthropology, Education and Training, Computers and Electronics. See Education & Skills for detail.
Is sociology teachers, postsecondary in demand?
Historical employment trend in our series implies about 2.0% annual growth (compound rate in the extract).
Five-year projected employment change: 10.4%.
Ten-year projected employment change: 21.8%.
Current U.S. headcount: 12,380.
We report federal series only—compare wages, growth, and openings against your target market.
Where do sociology teachers, postsecondarys work?
Top industries by employment share in our OEWS industry extract:
| Industry | Employment | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Educational Services | 24,740 | 26.1% |
| Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools | 19,550 | 20.6% |
| Cross-industry | 12,380 | 13.0% |
| Educational Services | 12,370 | 13.0% |
| Federal, State, and Local Government, including State and Local Government Schools and Hospitals and the U.S. Postal Service (OEWS Designation) | 8,330 | 8.8% |
| State Government, including Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) | 6,230 | 6.6% |
See Industry for charts.
What degrees lead to this career?
Common majors for Sociology Teachers, Postsecondary in O*NET:
See Related degrees.
What careers are related?
Other occupations linked through shared degree pathways in our mapping:
| Occupation | U.S. employment | Median wage |
|---|---|---|
| Psychiatric Aides | 34,900 | $41,590 |
| Genetic Counselors | 3,510 | $98,910 |
| Substance Abuse and Behavioral Disorder Counselors | — | — |
| Area, Ethnic, and Cultural Studies Teachers, Postsecondary | 11,430 | $84,290 |
| Instructional Coordinators | 210,850 | $74,720 |
| Lawyers | 747,750 | $151,160 |
| History Teachers, Postsecondary | 19,860 | $81,500 |
Employment
Employment and salary information for the Sociology Teachers, Postsecondary workforce.
Employment Over Time
12,380 U.S. workforce (OEWS)
California employment for Sociology Teachers, Postsecondary grew from 2,320 in 2009 to 3,180 in 2025 (37.1%).
Historical employment for Sociology Teachers, Postsecondary from the California OEWS series, 2009–2025. The U.S. workforce figure is national and is not the endpoint of this line.
Yearly Wage Ranking
$82,540 Median pay (BLS national)
Sociology Teachers, Postsecondary earn $82,540 as the BLS national median annual wage.
Wage ranking compared to other occupations.
Wage Distribution
This chart shows the distribution of average salaries by income buckets for Sociology Teachers, Postsecondary.
Salary distribution for Sociology Teachers, Postsecondary.
Employment Growth Projections
2.0% Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR)
3,509 Projected Employment (5 years)
Projected growth: 10.4%
3,872 Projected Employment (10 years)
Projected growth: 21.8%
This occupation is projected to grow at 2.0% annually, indicating strong future demand.
Historical employment trends and future projections for Sociology Teachers, Postsecondary.
Industry
Information on the industries that employ Sociology Teachers, Postsecondary and on wages for those in the field.
Occupations by Industries
This graphic shows the share of Sociology Teachers, Postsecondary employed by various industries.
Industry distribution for Sociology Teachers, Postsecondary.
Wage Trends by Industry
-0.3% Average Annual Wage Growth Rate
Historical wage growth trends by industry for Sociology Teachers, Postsecondary.
Geographic Distribution
Employment and wage information by geographic location for Sociology Teachers, Postsecondary.
State employment and wages are from the U.S. BLS OEWS May 2024 state extract. Metropolitan areas use the national MSA file when available.
Top States by Employment
Top States by Employment:
- NY: 1,280 employees, $114,380 avg wage
- TX: 1,120 employees, $94,840 avg wage
- CA: 880 employees, $138,020 avg wage
- MA: 730 employees, $109,030 avg wage
- PA: 550 employees, $94,630 avg wage
- NC: 540 employees, $82,850 avg wage
- IL: 490 employees, $88,680 avg wage
- IN: 490 employees, $88,730 avg wage
- OH: 460 employees, $76,170 avg wage
- VA: 440 employees, $81,530 avg wage
Top 10 states by employment for Sociology Teachers, Postsecondary.
Top Metropolitan Areas
Top Metropolitan Areas:
- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ: 1,130 employees, $123,660 avg wage
- Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH: 540 employees, $112,210 avg wage
- Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN: 360 employees, $88,680 avg wage
- Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA: 310 employees, $131,160 avg wage
- Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV: 270 employees, $94,920 avg wage
- Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD: 270 employees, $100,340 avg wage
- Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX: 250 employees, $96,290 avg wage
- Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX: 160 employees, $95,610 avg wage
- Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA: 150 employees, $107,250 avg wage
- Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI: 150 employees, $97,440 avg wage
Top 10 metropolitan statistical areas by employment for Sociology Teachers, Postsecondary.
Diversity
Demographic information on Sociology Teachers, Postsecondary in the US.
Gender and Age
The U.S. workforce for Sociology Teachers, Postsecondary is about 12,380 people in our OEWS extract.
Gender and age distribution for Sociology Teachers, Postsecondary.
Races
Racial and ethnic shares when present in the career dataset. If the chart area shows a notice instead, occupational race/ethnicity fields are not yet populated for this extract.
Race and ethnicity distribution for Sociology Teachers, Postsecondary.
Education & Skills
Data on higher education choices and required skills for Sociology Teachers, Postsecondary.
Majors
The most common majors achieved by Sociology Teachers, Postsecondary in 2023 were Education, Subject Area, Psychology.
Common majors for Sociology Teachers, Postsecondary.
Education Levels
The main educational levels achieved by Sociology Teachers, Postsecondary workers.
Education level distribution for Sociology Teachers, Postsecondary.
Skills
Sociology Teachers, Postsecondary need many skills, but most especially Speaking, Writing, Learning Strategies, Reading Comprehension, Active Listening.
Required skills for Sociology Teachers, Postsecondary.
Knowledge & Abilities
Knowledge areas and abilities required for Sociology Teachers, Postsecondary.
Knowledge Areas
The most important knowledge areas for Sociology Teachers, Postsecondary include English Language, Sociology and Anthropology, Education and Training, Computers and Electronics, History and Archeology.
Knowledge areas required for Sociology Teachers, Postsecondary.
Abilities
Key abilities needed for Sociology Teachers, Postsecondary include Oral Expression, Written Expression, Speech Clarity, Inductive Reasoning, Written Comprehension.
Required abilities for Sociology Teachers, Postsecondary.
Work Activities
Common work activities performed by Sociology Teachers, Postsecondary.
Daily Activities
Sociology Teachers, Postsecondary spend their time on activities such as Processing Information, Analyzing Data or Information, Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others, Training and Teaching Others, Thinking Creatively.
Most important work activities for Sociology Teachers, Postsecondary.
About
Sociology Teachers, Postsecondary
Sociology Teachers, Postsecondary earn $82,540 as the BLS national median annual wage.
SOC Code
25-1067 - Sociology Teachers, Postsecondary
Insights and Analysis
High earnings profile: Sociology Teachers, Postsecondary reports an average salary of $141,771, placing it among stronger-paying occupations.
Labor market presence: The current workforce is approximately 12,380 workers, indicating sustained demand.
Forward outlook: Projected annual growth is 2.0%, which should inform long-term career planning.
Data Sources
This page uses data from the following sources:
- College Scorecard - U.S. Department of Education
- Institutional characteristics, costs, completion rates, and earnings data
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: collegescorecard.ed.gov
- Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)
- Employment and wage data by occupation
- Latest data: May 2024
- Source: bls.gov/oes
- O*NET Online - U.S. Department of Labor
- Occupational skills, knowledge, abilities, and work activities
- Database version: 28.0 (August 2023)
- Source: onetcenter.org
- IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) - National Center for Education Statistics
- Institutional data, completions, enrollment, and financial aid
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: nces.ed.gov/ipeds
- Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS)
- Demographic and workforce data
- Latest data: 2023 ACS 5-Year Estimates
- Source: census.gov/acs
Data Processing: All data has been processed, cleaned, and aggregated for presentation. Where specific data points are unavailable, estimates are based on available data and clearly marked.
Last Updated: Data reflects the most recent available information as of January 2025.
Methodology
Data for this profile is sourced from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS), and O*NET Online.
All wage figures represent annual averages and may vary by location, industry, and experience level.