# Sociology Teachers, Postsecondary

> Teach courses in sociology. Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of teaching and research.

- Edition: Data verified Nov 2026 · CollegesRef 2026–27 edition
- Page: https://www.collegesref.com/careers/sociology-teachers-postsecondary
- SOC code: 25-1067.00
- Career family: Education
- Median annual pay: $84,290 (10th percentile $49,930, 90th percentile $160,140)
- Projected growth: As fast as average, +2.2%
- Openings a year: 1,000
- Typical entry education: Doctoral or professional degree
- Bright outlook: no
- Data years: BLS 2025 wages · 2025–35 projections

## Interest profile (code SIA)

| Interest area | Score (0–100) |
| --- | ---: |
| Realistic (R) | 26 |
| Investigative (I) | 79 |
| Artistic (A) | 43 |
| Social (S) | 95 |
| Enterprising (E) | 25 |
| Conventional (C) | 38 |

## What you'd do

- Processing Information (importance 95/100)
- Analyzing Data or Information (importance 92/100)
- Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others (importance 90/100)
- Training and Teaching Others (importance 87/100)
- Thinking Creatively (importance 87/100)
- Working with Computers (importance 87/100)
- Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events (importance 86/100)
- Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge (importance 85/100)
- Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships (importance 82/100)
- Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates (importance 81/100)

## Skills

Speaking, Active Listening, Instructing, Learning Strategies, Reading Comprehension, Writing, Critical Thinking, Monitoring, Active Learning, Social Perceptiveness

## Knowledge

English Language, Sociology and Anthropology, Education and Training, Computers and Electronics, History and Archeology, Psychology, Philosophy and Theology, Law and Government, Mathematics, Communications and Media

## Also called

Adjunct Instructor, Adjunct Professor, Adjunct Sociology Professor, Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, College Faculty Member, College Professor, Comparative Sociology Professor, Faculty Member, Instructor

## Majors that lead here (NCES CIP–SOC crosswalk, 4-digit CIP)

- [Sociology](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/4511) (CIP 4511, 1,168 colleges)
- [Social Sciences, General](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/4501) (CIP 4501, 547 colleges)
- [Sociology and Anthropology](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/4513) (CIP 4513, 65 colleges)
- Demography (CIP 4505, 22 colleges)

## Colleges with strong outcomes (College Scorecard, 2025)

| College | Program | Earnings 1 yr | Earnings 4 yrs | Median debt |
| --- | --- | ---: | ---: | ---: |
| [Vanderbilt University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/vanderbilt-university-3113) | Social Sciences, General | $74,534 | $103,229 | $15,000 |
| [Columbia University in the City of New York](https://www.collegesref.com/college/columbia-university-in-the-city-of-new-york-656) | Sociology | $59,638 | $101,536 | $20,750 |
| [New York University NYU](https://www.collegesref.com/college/new-york-university-nyu-1866) | Social Sciences, General | $51,431 | $91,917 | $21,125 |
| [William & Mary](https://www.collegesref.com/college/william-mary-3270) | Sociology | $38,559 | $87,655 | $15,000 |
| [Dartmouth College](https://www.collegesref.com/college/dartmouth-college-769) | Sociology | $67,796 | $81,722 | $10,911 |
| [Harvard University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/harvard-university-1157) | Social Sciences, General | $55,717 | $78,996 | $25,000 |
| [George Washington University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/george-washington-university-1066) | Sociology | $58,458 | $78,857 | not reported |
| [Barnard College](https://www.collegesref.com/college/barnard-college-181) | Sociology | not reported | $77,821 | not reported |

## Related careers

- [Anthropology and Archeology Teachers, Postsecondary](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/anthropology-and-archeology-teachers-postsecondary): $99,650 median pay
- [Psychology Teachers, Postsecondary](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/psychology-teachers-postsecondary): $80,340 median pay
- [Political Science Teachers, Postsecondary](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/political-science-teachers-postsecondary): $98,070 median pay
- [Area, Ethnic, and Cultural Studies Teachers, Postsecondary](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/area-ethnic-and-cultural-studies-teachers-postsecondary): $85,020 median pay
- [Social Work Teachers, Postsecondary](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/social-work-teachers-postsecondary): $77,570 median pay
- [Philosophy and Religion Teachers, Postsecondary](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/philosophy-and-religion-teachers-postsecondary): $80,260 median pay

## Sources

- [O*NET Database](https://www.onetcenter.org/database.html), version 31.0 (CC BY 4.0)
- [BLS Employment Projections](https://www.bls.gov/emp/tables.htm), version 2025-35, data year 2025 (Public domain (U.S. government work))
- [BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics](https://www.bls.gov/oes/tables.htm), version 2025, data year 2025 (Public domain (U.S. government work))
- [NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk](https://nces.ed.gov/ipeds/cipcode/resources.aspx?y=56), version 2020, data year 2020 (Public domain (U.S. government work))

O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. CollegesRef has modified all or some of this information.