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The national median salary for Sociologists is $106,038 per year ($50.98/hr) according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2025. The middle 50% of earners make between $82,306 and $137,426 annually. Top earners at the 90th percentile reach $172,557 per year. There are approximately 2,260 sociologists employed in the United States.
About This Role
BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018
Study human society and social behavior by examining the groups and social institutions that people form, as well as various social, religious, political, and business organizations. May study the behavior and interaction of groups, trace their origin and growth, and analyze the influence of group activities on individual members.
Career Outlook
BLS Employment Projections · 2024-2034
10-year growth
+3.6%
About as fast as average
Annual openings
300
per year, on avg
Workforce today
3K
as of 2024
Why those openings exist
3% from new growth97% from people leaving the role
Most openings come from replacement, not growth. Retention matters more than recruiting here.
Typical entry requirements
Education
Master's degree
Experience
None
On-the-job training
None
Industry Wage Breakdown
Top 5 industries by employment · median annual wage, sector-specific
Industry
Workforce
Median Pay
Scientific Research and Development Services
NAICS 541700
800
$125,770
State Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation)
NAICS 999200
620
$104,390
Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools
NAICS 611300
610
$87,290
Social Advocacy Organizations
NAICS 813300
50
$135,080
Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation)
NAICS 999300
30
$95,370
Wage range across top 5 industries: $87,290 to $135,080 (55% spread)
Wage Percentiles
Hourly & annualized (2,080 hours)
Percentile
Hourly Rate
Annual Salary
P10
$31.33
$65,166
P25
$39.57
$82,306
P50MEDIAN
$50.98
$106,038
P75
$66.07
$137,426
P90
$82.96
$172,557
Market Context Signal
JOLTS · professional sector
Cooling
Openings Rate
4.2%
Quits Rate
2.0%
Professional & Business Services openings tumbled 318K in March -- the largest single-sector drop in this release. Openings rate fell from 5.5% to 4.2%. Layoffs jumped to 527K (+99K). White-collar demand has cooled abruptly.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average sociologists salary?
The national median salary for Sociologists is $106,038 per year ($50.98/hr) according to BLS OEWS May 2025 data. The middle 50% earn between $82,306 and $137,426 annually.
How much do top-earning sociologists make?
The 90th percentile salary for Sociologists is $172,557 per year ($82.96/hr). The 75th percentile is $137,426 per year.
What is the entry-level salary for sociologists?
Entry-level Sociologists (10th percentile) earn approximately $65,166 per year ($31.33/hr). The 25th percentile is $82,306 per year.
Wage figures on this page come from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2025 release. OEWS surveys roughly 1.1 million establishments annually. It is the most comprehensive employer-reported wage dataset in the United States.
P10 through P90 percentiles represent the wage distribution across all surveyed employers (not self-reported by workers). Geographic adjustments use BLS-derived cost multipliers calibrated from regional wage variation.
Wages are estimates. Individual compensation depends on experience, education, employer size, industry, and negotiation. Use this as benchmark context, not absolute ground truth.
CompSignal is a free labor market intelligence tool built for HR, compensation, and talent acquisition teams. We make BLS data, the same primary source Mercer and Radford cross-reference in their paid surveys, searchable and actionable without an enterprise subscription.
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