THE SOCIOLOG

YJOB

SEARCH AND YOU

WHAT IS SOCIOLOGY ABOUT?

Studying human society and social behaviorExamining groups and social institutionsUnderstanding human interaction, lifecycles, populations, and social phenomena

MAJOR INDUSTRIES FOR SOCIOLOGISTSTeaching with an advanced degreeHuman Services/Social WorkHuman Resources ManagementSocial Research & Data AnalysisPublic Employment (Government)Non-profit sectorCriminal Justice

TEACHING WITH AN ADVANCED DEGREE

University and college professorsMedian salary: $62,050 yearly Job outlook: 17% growth by 2020What they do: teach, advise, assess, research, publish, mentor

In 2010, 70 % of professors worked for colleges, universities, and professional schools and 22% worked for junior colleges.

Professors annually hold about 1.8 million jobsMust find a balance between teaching students and doing research and publishing their findings

Most must have a Ph.D. However, a master's degree may be enough for some community colleges.

FOR TEACHING WITH AN ADVANCED DEGREE - JOBS, JOBS, JOBS!• Assistant Professor• Associate Professor• Full Professor• Department Chair• Dean or Associate Dean• Director of Student Life• Director of Testing Services• Curriculum Lead• University Vice

President/Chancellor

TEACHING WITH AN ADVANCED DEGREE

High School TeacherAverage salary: $33,840 yearly ($50K for some Master’s level teachers)

Job outlook: 7% growth by 2020Sociology is taught in more PRIVATE high schools than PUBLIC high schools

Pay can be increased to compensate for advisor, coaching, or other administrative duties

From 2010 to 2020, the student-to-teacher ratio is expected to decline. Must have a B.A. and teacher certification or licensing

• Segmented according to community demographic• Sociology vs. Social Work• Pros: “emotional paycheck”, Cons:

emotionally/physically taxing, low-paying• Earnings: median for social & human service

assistant: $28,200• Potential Employers–Nonprofit, Medical/Health Organizations, Governmental,

Corrections/Rehabilitation• Job Search Strategy: –Determine which social concerns interest you the most– Identify your personal qualifications–Obtain required professional qualifications–Build skills and gain direct experience–Network with professionals working in the field• Outlook: grow by nearly 28% by 2020

Human Services

HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGEMENT

• Functions: hiring & placement, salary/benefits administration, training & development, data management, workplace change, and conflict resolution

• Potential Employers:–Education, Employment agencies, Finance and Insurance, Government, Health care, Manufacturing, Service, corporate• Job search strategy:–Get relevant experience–Be ready to explain the value of your degree–Identify employment settings that fit• Earnings: median for bachelor’s degree: $99,180• Job growth: 13% by 2020• The most human resource managers (14%) come

from GOVERNMENT

HUMAN RESOURCES - JOBS, JOBS, JOBS!

SOCIAL RESEARCH & DATA ANALYSIS

• Research is 2nd in popularity among sociologists with a masters or doctorate

• Purpose: effectively evaluate programs and social problems

• Median Earnings: $72,360 annually• Outlook: grow by 18% by 2020• Typically difficult for bachelor’s degree candidates

– you need a Master’s degree or higher• Job Strategy:–Network with university alumni–Look in unexpected places•marketing, customer relations

–Focus your search on specific issues–Gain relevant experience

SOCIAL RESEARCH & DATA ANALYSIS – JOBS, JOBS, JOBS!Urban and regional planner

City manager

Survey Researcher

Focus Group Moderator

Director of Research

DATA ANALYST

In reality, everyone is a data analyst!These jobs use SPSS or other statistical packages

to analyze all sorts of data from surveys or databases of existing customers, clients, patients, or patrons of an organization.

Median salary for entry level analysts is $53,000 (Bachelor’s degree is usually required). Some experienced analysts can make well over $250K yearly.

Promotion requires a Master’s degree or higher.Job outlook: excellent in government and

marketing (high demand for statisticians and analysts)

Positions available across all kinds of organizations. Search on keywords: SPSS, data analyst, researcher, statistician, evaluator

DATA ANALYST - JOBS, JOBS, JOBS!

Data AnalystCost estimatorResearcherEvaluatorStatisticianPrimary InvestigatorInstitutional Research OfficerGrant Evaluator

PUBLIC EMPLOYMENT

• Large federal agencies that specifically hire sociologists:

–Department of agriculture •personnel management

–Drug enforcement administration • intelligence research specialists

–Environmental protection agency•health protection specialists

–Immigration & customs enforcement –Department of Homeland Security (FBA, FDA)

TONS OF GOVT AGENCIES

NON-PROFIT SECTOR

Social and Community Service Managers2010 Median pay: $57,950, (bachelor’s degree)Job outlook: 27% by 2020 (fastest growth of all

sociology-related fields)Social and community service managers typically do

the following:• Discuss with members of the community what types of

programs and services are needed, design and oversee programs to meet community needs

• Create methods to gather information, such as statistics, about the impact of their programs

• Supervise staff, analyze data to determine the effectiveness of programs, carry out improvements to programs and services

• Develop and manage budgets for programs and organizations

• Get funding for programs though the agency’s budget process or fundraising

CRIMINAL JUSTICEMedian pay: $55,010 annually (police & detectives). Some small jurisdictions

typically offer low salaries, many local departments face high turnover rates. Government spending determines the level of employment for police and detectives.

Job growth: 7% by 2020

Police and detective work can be physically demanding, stressful, and dangerous. Police officers have one of the highest rates of on-the-job injuries and fatalities.

Jobs of some federal agents often require extensive travel, often on short notice, relocations, and work in all kinds of weather.

Education requirements range from a high school diploma to a college or higher degree. Graduate from their agency’s training academy. Candidates must be U.S. citizens, usually at least 21 years old, and meet rigorous physical and personal qualifications.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE - JOBS, JOBS, JOBS!

REFERENCES

US Department of Labor – Bureau of Labor Statistics

US Department of Education

USAJobs.gov

Lambert, Stephen. Great Jobs For Sociology Majors. New York: McGraw-Hill Companies, 2009.

ASA Research and Development Dept.: What Can I Do With a Bachelor’s Degree in Sociology? Wave III