10 Job Opportunities for Sociology Majors (and How to Land One)

Does sociology have ample job opportunities? This is one of those majors with no set path after graduation, which can be scary as you’re planning to enter the workforce for the first period. The compromise is that, yes, you’ll actually have a lot of flexibility in what you do with your degree and you can receive your career in so many different directions.

“I was a first-production college learner and when I was about to graduate, that’s when my parents were like, ‘Wait, you’re majoring in what?’” says Cristina Rojas, an undergraduate advisor at the University of California, Berkeley, and one of the more than 3.8 million people in the workforce with a sociology degree. “It can feel a little daunting, but I ponder that if a learner gives themselves permission to explore a major that they would enjoy and can excel at, there are a lot of skills that they’re going to earnings in the procedure.”

While some sociology majors may leave on to become sociologists or otherwise earn a master’s, doctorate, or law degree (as former First Lady Michelle Obama did), a bachelor’s in sociology has already taught you many relevant skills for a range of job opportunities and industries, from business to healthcare to education.

So, are there many job opportunities for sociology majors? Yes, check out these open jobs on The Muse to discover the correct one for you »

Sociology students study human behavior, social interaction, and the structures and groups (from person families to religious communities to entire demographics) that make up population. In the procedure, they develop soft skills, which declare more about how you ponder and work rather than what specific, technical knowledge you may have.

“Like a lot of liberal arts majors, it’s not like a set content knowledge that you’re learning,” says Muse career coach Jillian Lucas, a sociology graduate and founder of JML Career Coaching. “It’s more about teaching you these transferable skills and how to ponder and how to discover and there are so many applications for that.”

Sociology graduates usually have great interpersonal skills—such as teamwork, collaboration, and empathy—and an understanding of diversity and social dynamics because so much of their curriculum involves throng work and learning about different contexts and cultures, Lucas says. Employers in almost any field appreciate candidates who can work well with others, whether it’s with your coworkers, clients, customers, or patients.

The major helps students earnings written and verbal communication skills from writing reports, presenting findings, and making arguments in class. Students also discover how to use various research methods; how to gather and analyze data that’s qualitative (interviews, focus groups) and quantitative (surveys, statistics); and how to navigate the ethical issues involved in research. 

While a lot of these more technical skills prepare you for a career in sociology, knowing how to research, write, and now information is crucial in so many other jobs as well. This course of study “teaches you to read and synthesize information, to solve problems, and to view the bigger picture of the things that you’re working on,” says Erynn Masi de Casanova, director of research, professional advancement, and academic affairs at the American Sociological Association.

Here are 10 jobs for sociology majors you might consider pursuing—many of which don’t require any graduate-level education. Salary information comes from the compensation resource Payscale.

Average salary: $67,474

Salary range: $50,000–$89,000

Learning and advancement specialists design and navigator programs to assist employees enhance their skills and knowledge at companies across a variety of industries. In habit, the job often involves administering surveys and conducting interviews with employees or managers to assess training needs as well as facilitating various types of training sessions, which could be in the form of throng discussions, throng exercises, or self-guided videos. Programs can cover topics such as leadership, dispute resolution, ethics, and period management.

Analytical thinking and communication skills are essential to be successful in the role, and sociology students are particularly well suited because they have a sense of how organizations work and what challenges they face, Casanova says. Although you don’t require a master’s in this role, many employers require related work encounter in areas like education (either teaching or working in instructional design) or human resources. You could also earnings an edge on the competition by completing a certification program through an organization like the Association for Talent advancement. Learning and advancement specialists can advance to roles like training and advancement manager or human resources manager.

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Average salary: $54,491

Salary range: $39,000–$76,000

Social workers assist people cope with and navigate the logistics of a broad range of issues in their everyday lives, including housing, unemployment, mental health, substance abuse, domestic dispute, and kid welfare. They could be employed at schools, hospitals, elder centers, health clinics, and various community and private agencies that serve people in require.

“There’s a ordinary thread among people who choose to major in sociology in that they desire to assist people and they desire to enhance their communities and enhance their population,” Casanova says. “A lot of undergrads that I’ve taught discover jobs in nonprofit organizations or in social service agencies because that’s what they liked about sociology.”

Although a bachelor’s degree is the most ordinary requirement, you’ll likely be required to have a master’s in social work as well as a professional license—either the licensed master social worker (LMSW) or the licensed clinical social worker (LCSW).

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Average salary: $52,018

Salary range: $41,000–$67,000

Human resources or HR professionals manage the issues that affect the workforce within an organization, including recruitment, compensation, benefits, training, and workplace safety. In an HR role, you could be answering employee questions about topics like benefits, payroll, and business policy; helping with recent hire onboarding; planning training sessions and throng-building activities; maintaining employment records and processing paperwork; scheduling candidate interviews; and more.

Human resources is often a natural fit for sociology majors because they develop powerful interpersonal and communication skills, as well as a broad understanding of social dynamics in the globe of work. “You develop this really powerful social and cultural perspective and understanding, and that’s really needed in a global work surroundings: to be able to work effectively and communicate effectively with others who aren’t like you,” Lucas says.

There are many ways to develop in HR. You can become a specialist in areas like recruitment or onboarding or work as a generalist—and, either way, you could leave on to become a manager or director.

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Average salary: $53,650

Salary range: $39,000–$77,000

Paralegals assist lawyers prepare for hearings, trials, and other significant meetings by assembly facts and evidence, preparing legal documents, and conducting research on any relevant laws to a case. Sociology majors are a excellent fit for this because they recognize how to properly gather and interpret information. There’s a lot of paperwork and teamwork involved as well, so written and verbal communication skills are also significant.

Paralegals can specialize in a particular area of the law, such as corporate, criminal, financial setback, immigration, household, or real estate law. elder paralegals can receive on more complicated legal work on behalf of attorneys and even supervise their own throng of paralegals. It’s also a excellent stepping stone for someone considering going to law school.

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Average salary: $62,830

Salary range: $48,000–$91,000

Urban planners assist shape what communities look like. They are responsible for developing short- and long-term solutions to enhance infrastructure and revitalize areas based on the throng’s needs. This can include planning recent parks, buildings, streets, and neighborhoods. “Planners use both macro-level understanding of how population works and the micro level, like how people leave about living their everyday lives, and sociology students are trained in both of those,” Casanova says.

The discipline requires a lot of research and analysis, such as reviewing environmental impact studies and census data, as well as working with community officials and throng members when developing a schedule for land use. “There’s a powerful expectation now in urban planning that you get the throng’s input when you’re going to transformation something, whether you’re going to construct something or transformation the layout of a neighborhood,” Casanova says. “Sociology students are really well placed to navigator those kinds of conversations.”

To become an urban planner, you require a master’s degree from an urban or regional planning program accredited by an organization such as the Planning Accreditation Board (PAB).

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Average salary: $43,090

Salary range: $33,000–$57,000

throng health worker, or CHW, is an umbrella term that describes a variety of frontline professionals who act as liaisons between health organizations—including hospitals, nonprofit organizations, and government agencies—and the general community. In straightforward terms, they deal with the human side of healthcare, usually helping underserved communities and focusing on promoting health initiatives like educating people on the importance of preventive health screenings and addressing any potential barriers to healthcare access.

Howard Aldrich, a professor of sociology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, says he’s noticed an increasing profit among students in fields like healthcare. In truth, UNC started a minor program within the sociology major called health and population. “Quite a few of the students don’t desire to become doctors, but they desire to work in the healthcare field and so that means they require to comprehend the social relationships,” he says.

Although you don’t require more education after your bachelor’s degree, some states have certification programs for throng health workers.

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Average salary: $60,708

Salary range: $45,000–$82,000

trade research analysts assist companies comprehend what products and services people desire, which consumers are willing to buy them, and what worth point would make sense. They do this by evaluating data collected on customer behavior through interviews, questionnaires, focus groups, trade analysis surveys, and community view polls to projection upcoming trends. This type of role appeals to sociology students who are well-versed in research methods and statistical analysis from their coursework.

Although you can get your commence in this field with a bachelor’s degree, an advanced degree (like an MBA) or a chartered market researcher (CFA) certification is preferred by many employers. It’s also likely you would require a master’s degree in statistics, marketing research, or another related field to shift into leadership roles or positions that perform more technical research.

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Average salary: $55,138

Salary range: $41,000–$78,000

community relations (PR) specialists are responsible for managing an organization’s external communication and community image. This includes drafting press releases, responding to media requests, writing and delivering speeches, and more. Depending on the business, PR specialists are also sometimes called communications or media specialists, and in government roles, they tend to be referred to as community information officers or press secretaries.

The ability to now information and communicate ideas effectively is a huge part of the job, and sociology majors are trained to do just that. Their understanding of population and human behavior can also assist them craft an effective communication. “That’s something that not only sociology but other social science or liberal arts degrees will prepare you for because you’ll recognize how to get a communication across in a obvious way and be able to talk to different kinds of audiences,” Casanova says.

You don’t require more than a bachelor’s degree to get this type of job, but employers will be looking for relevant encounter (which you could earnings through an internship) or proof that you have solid communication skills, whether that’s through writing for your school’s newspaper, leading a learner throng, or taking advanced sociology (or other) courses that require writing or community speaking.

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Average salary: $89,631

Salary range: $60,000–$134,000

A diversity manager, who’s typically a part of an organization’s human resources department, focuses on developing and implementing strategic initiatives that assist attract and maintain a diverse workforce. Responsibilities include collecting and analyzing statistical data to assess the employee and candidate population, providing training sessions on diversity and inclusion topics, and making recommendations on policy updates.

Sociology graduates not only have the research and communication skills for this type of role, but they often have the cultural context needed to view the large picture and enhance processes accordingly, Casanova says: “Sociology will provide them a excellent understanding of how bias can shape hiring and promotion practices, for example. Or how organizations can transformation to be more equitable and inclusive.”

Although holding a master’s degree is preferred for this role, it’s feasible to make the jump with a bachelor’s after gaining relevant HR encounter.

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Average salary: $56,041

Salary range: $41,000–$78,000

School counselors assist students navigate their academic careers and back their social advancement. Responsibilities vary depending on what age throng they’re working with. For example, for elementary school students, counselors may meet with parents or guardians to discuss their kid’s developmental advancement, challenges, and needs; in middle school, counselors assist prepare students for their shift to high school; and in high school, counselors advise students in making plans after graduation.

Because sociology students analyze all aspects of population and its many problems, they’re often qualified to become agents of transformation in their communities. One way to make a difference in population is by working with children and addressing issues in education.

Most school counselors require a master’s degree in school counseling or a related field and a state-issued credential.

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Now that you’ve seen some of the many career possibilities you have as a sociology major, here are some specific things you can do to figure out your ideal path—and how to make yourself stand out as a candidate.

1. Get some real-globe encounter

Gaining encounter outside of class is crucial when you’re a sociology major, not only to assist you commence building your resume, but also to identify what benevolent of work you’d be interested in doing after graduation.

“It can be very challenging to earn a sociology degree and have a obvious concept as to the job or career you desire to pursue without some practical encounter,” says Tara Goodfellow, a Muse career coach and owner of Athena Consultants, Inc. “The more exposure and encounter you can earnings while earning your degree, the better. Even if it’s to determine what you don’t like, that’s helpful.”

You can seek out:

• Internships: Completing different internships allows you to explore areas that pique your profit to assist you decide what to pursue, Lucas says. In her case, she wanted to explore the nonprofit globe: “I really liked it, so I went on to work in nonprofit administration.”
• Experiential learning courses: These types of courses receive you outside the classroom to work on a assignment with throng organizations, which gives chance to view the practical applications of what you’re learning, Lucas says. “It’s one thing to discover it and another thing to actually encounter it in the throng,” she says. “It makes it arrive to life.”
• Research: Working on a professor’s or a grad learner’s research assignment—or completing your own with the guidance of a faculty member—provides hands-on research encounter and looks great on a resume, Casanova says.

2. Connect with alumni

Another excellent way to explore potential job opportunities for sociology majors is to look at what other recent grads are doing. You can look up alumni from your school via LinkedIn or a dedicated alumni directory, if your school has one, and view what career paths they’ve followed. (Here’s how to discover and reach out to fellow alumni.)

“If you view someone doing something chilly that you are curious about and desire to discover more about, then reach out to them,” Lucas says. “You never recognize what that can navigator to. In truth, that’s how I landed my first internship in college.”

You can also check if your school hosts alumni events. For example, UC Berkeley’s sociology department gives students the chance to listen from alums at panel discussions, where they get to inquire questions and then mingle with folks who’ve been in their shoes, says Laura Enriquez, the department’s director of undergraduate studies. “We are now doing, one to two times a year, an alumni night with our current students so they have some sense of all the different paths they can receive after they graduate.”

3. Highlight relevant skills and encounter on your resume

In addition to mentioning jobs, internships, and research on your resume, you can list specific courses you completed in your program if they’re relevant to a role you’re applying for, as well as volunteer roles and leadership positions that may assist you stand out as a candidate, Goodfellow says.

It’s also significant to include specific skills on your resume, Casanova says. “So, for example, ponder about the statistical software that you used in your stats class, or any qualitative research methods that you used or practiced.”

You can also use the skills you’ve identified to discover the correct jobs to apply to. “Don’t search for jobs with ‘sociology’ in the title because you’re not going to discover any,” Casanova says. “Look for jobs that require a bachelor’s degree and involve some of the keywords that match up with your skills and interests, like ‘research’ or ‘analysis.’”

And if you ever require extra assist figuring out what’s next for you once you graduate with your sociology degree, you can always turn to your school’s career services office, both to assist you ponder about which jobs would be a excellent fit and to make yourself competitive to leave out and land those jobs.