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Adjunct sociology professor education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become an adjunct sociology professor. Adjunct sociology professors usually study sociology, social work, or criminal justice. 46% of adjunct sociology professors hold a bachelor's degree, and 43% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 328 real adjunct sociology professor resumes to see exactly what adjunct sociology professor education sections show.

The most common colleges for adjunct sociology professors are the Prairie View A & M University and the Prairie View A & M University.

There are also many online adjunct sociology professor courses to help get the education required to be an adjunct sociology professor.

What education do you need to become an adjunct sociology professor?

What degree do you need to be an adjunct sociology professor?

The most common degree for adjunct sociology professors is bachelor's degree, with 46% of adjunct sociology professors earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are master's degree degree at 43% and master's degree degree at 6%.
  • Bachelor's, 46%
  • Master's, 43%
  • Doctorate, 6%
  • Associate, 6%
  • Other Degrees, -1%

What should I major in to become an adjunct sociology professor?

You should major in sociology to become an adjunct sociology professor. 42% of adjunct sociology professors major in sociology. Other common majors for an adjunct sociology professor include social work and criminal justice.

Most common colleges for adjunct sociology professors

Adjunct sociology professors often get their degrees at Prairie View A & M University, Pennsylvania State University, and Fordham University. Here are the most common colleges for adjunct sociology professors in the US based on their resumes.
Adjunct sociology professor common collegePercentages
Prairie View A & M University8.77%
Pennsylvania State University7.02%
Fordham University7.02%
DePaul University7.02%
Morehead State University5.26%

Best majors for adjunct sociology professors

RankMajorPercentages
1Sociology42.3%
2Social Work13.0%
3Criminal Justice5.0%
4Psychology4.2%
5Anthropology3.8%

Best colleges for adjunct sociology professors

The best colleges for adjunct sociology professors are University of Pennsylvania, Washington University in St Louis, and Columbia University in the City of New York.

An adjunct sociology professor with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for adjunct sociology professors. We based this list on several metrics: admissions rate, retention rate, mean earnings of graduates, the ratio of working vs. non-working students ten years after admission, the average cost of attendance, and median debt for graduates who become adjunct sociology professors.

1. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$55,584

Enrollment

10,764

2. Florida State University

Tallahassee, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$5,656

Enrollment

32,072

3. SUNY at Albany

Albany, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$10,011

Enrollment

13,434

4. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

Ann Arbor, MI • Private

In-state tuition

$15,262

Enrollment

30,079

5. Columbia University in the City of New York

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$59,430

Enrollment

8,216

6. University of California, Berkeley

Berkeley, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$14,184

Enrollment

30,845

7. University of Chicago

Chicago, IL • Private

In-state tuition

$58,230

Enrollment

6,600

8. Pennsylvania State University

University Park, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$18,454

Enrollment

40,108

9. Washington University in St Louis

Saint Louis, MO • Private

In-state tuition

$53,399

Enrollment

7,356

10. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$56,225

Enrollment

19,548

20 best online courses for adjunct sociology professors

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1. Classical Sociological Theory

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This Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) will offer the participants an introduction into the most important classical sociological readings between the 18th and 20th century. Highly influential social science scholars, such as Karl Marx, Max Weber and Emile Durkheim, will be discussed during 8 sessions. Combined with small tests, based on the video’s and recommended readings, the participants will be encouraged to dive deeply into the complex texts and get familiar with classical sociological...

2. Social and Economic Networks: Models and Analysis

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Learn how to model social and economic networks and their impact on human behavior. How do networks form, why do they exhibit certain patterns, and how does their structure impact diffusion, learning, and other behaviors? We will bring together models and techniques from economics, sociology, math, physics, statistics and computer science to answer these questions. The course begins with some empirical background on social and economic networks, and an overview of concepts used to describe and...

3. Introduction to Criminology: Explaining Crime

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Learn to Speak About Criminal Psychology and the Sociology of Crime Like an Expert...

4. Social Media Marketing & Management ⎢Certificate Course 2023

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Startup Beginners Course with Certificate: Social Media Marketing, Facebook, You Tube, Tik Tok, Email, SEO, Medium, Reddit...

5. Studying Cities: Social Science Methods for Urban Research

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Welcome! Are you looking to learn more about how to conduct scientific research, specifically in an urban or local context? Then you have found the right course: Studying Cities: Social Science Methods for Urban Research by the Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS), Erasmus University Rotterdam. During the course you will gain more insight in the different steps of the research cycle, and build a firm foundation for your own future research endeavors. Before any (urban)...

6. Social Science Approaches to the Study of Chinese Society Part 1

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This course seeks to turn learners into informed consumers of social science research. It introduces concepts, standards, and principles of social science research to the interested non-expert. Learners who complete the course will be able to assess evidence and critically evaluate claims about important social phenomena. It reviews the origins and development of social science, describes the process of discovery in contemporary social science research, and explains how contemporary social...

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9. Performance Assessment in the Virtual Classroom

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Welcome to Performance Assessment in the Virtual Classroom! This course will help you effectively assess student performance virtually, including compliance issues, feedback models, online grade book functions, and data analysis. We will discuss why effective measures of performance and assessment are a crucial component of any virtual program, and the importance of teachers and administrators understanding both the myths and challenges of assessing performance virtually, administering...

10. Social Psychology

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Ever wonder why people do what they do? This course—which includes more than $1,000 of video and reading materials—offers some answers based on the latest research from social psychology. Students taking the course for a Certificate will also receive free membership in Social Psychology Network (SocialPsychology.org). COURSE DESCRIPTION FROM PROFESSOR PLOUS: Each of us is dealt a different hand in life, but we all face similar questions when it comes to human behavior: What leads us to like one...

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Understand How People Think, Feel, and Behave in this Complete Introduction to Social Psychology...

12. Complete Google Classroom Course: Teaching Google Classroom

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Mastering the Art of Teaching with Google Classroom - Teaching Online with Google Classroom - Google Certified Educator...

13. Quantitative Methods

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Discover the principles of solid scientific methods in the behavioral and social sciences. Join us and learn to separate sloppy science from solid research! This course will cover the fundamental principles of science, some history and philosophy of science, research designs, measurement, sampling and ethics. The course is comparable to a university level introductory course on quantitative research methods in the social sciences, but has a strong focus on research integrity. We will use...

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17. Business Strategies for Social Impact

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18. Effectively Managing Employee Performance

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19. Implementing Positive Behaviour Management in the Classroom

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Top 10 most affordable universities for adjunct sociology professors

The most affordable schools for adjunct sociology professors are Florida State University, california state university - los angeles, and minot state university.

If the best universities for adjunct sociology professors are out of your price range, check out these affordable schools. After factoring in in-state tuition and fees, the average cost of attendance, admissions rate, average net price, and mean earnings after six years, we found that these are the most affordable schools for adjunct sociology professors.

1. Florida State University

Tallahassee, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$5,656

Cost of attendance

21,623

2. California State University - Los Angeles

Los Angeles, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,749

Cost of attendance

14,823

3. Minot State University

Minot, ND • Private

In-state tuition

$7,064

Cost of attendance

15,576

4. Hunter College of the City University of New York

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,182

Cost of attendance

13,998

5. University of South Florida

Tampa, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,410

Cost of attendance

20,456

6. Florida Atlantic University

Boca Raton, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$4,831

Cost of attendance

19,559

7. Brigham Young University

Provo, UT • Private

In-state tuition

$5,620

Cost of attendance

18,136

8. University of Central Florida

Orlando, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,368

Cost of attendance

21,034

9. California State University - Sacramento

Sacramento, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$7,310

Cost of attendance

19,807

10. California State University - San Bernardino

San Bernardino, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,922

Cost of attendance

18,522

Top 10 hardest universities to get into for adjunct sociology professors

The hardest universities for adjunct sociology professors to get into are University of Pennsylvania, Washington University in St Louis, and Columbia University in the City of New York.

Some great schools for adjunct sociology professors are hard to get into, but they also set your career up for greater success. The list below shows the most challenging universities to get into for adjunct sociology professors based on an institution's admissions rates, average SAT scores accepted, median ACT scores accepted, and mean earnings of students six years after admission.

1. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

Admissions rate

8%

SAT average

1,492

2. Washington University in St Louis

Saint Louis, MO • Private

Admissions rate

15%

SAT average

1,506

3. Columbia University in the City of New York

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

6%

SAT average

1,512

4. Boston College

Chestnut Hill, MA • Private

Admissions rate

28%

SAT average

1,429

5. University of Chicago

Chicago, IL • Private

Admissions rate

7%

SAT average

1,520

6. Boston University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

22%

SAT average

1,420

7. Emory University

Atlanta, GA • Private

Admissions rate

19%

SAT average

1,449

8. Colgate University

Hamilton, NY • Private

Admissions rate

25%

SAT average

1,443

9. Tulane University

New Orleans, LA • Private

Admissions rate

17%

SAT average

1,428

10. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

Admissions rate

13%

SAT average

1,445

Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for adjunct sociology professors

The easiest schools for adjunct sociology professors to get into are Mount Saint Mary's University, university of houston - downtown, and felician university.

Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as an adjunct sociology professor without much hassle, check out the list of schools where you will be accepted in no time. We compiled admissions rates, average SAT scores, average ACT scores, and average salary of students six years after graduation to uncover which were the easiest schools to get into for adjunct sociology professors.

1. Mount Saint Mary's University

Los Angeles, CA • Private

Admissions rate

84%

SAT average

1,031

2. University of Houston - Downtown

Houston, TX • Private

Admissions rate

83%

SAT average

1,012

3. Felician University

Lodi, NJ • Private

Admissions rate

81%

SAT average

999

4. Barry University

Miami, FL • Private

Admissions rate

91%

SAT average

1,006

5. Nyack College

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

98%

SAT average

999

6. Fresno Pacific University

Fresno, CA • Private

Admissions rate

85%

SAT average

1,053

7. Colorado State University - Pueblo

Pueblo, CO • Private

Admissions rate

95%

SAT average

1,040

8. Texas A&M University - Kingsville

Kingsville, TX • Private

Admissions rate

89%

SAT average

1,035

9. Saint Joseph's College of Maine

Standish, ME • Private

Admissions rate

84%

SAT average

1,069

10. Kean University

Union, NJ • Private

Admissions rate

86%

SAT average

991

Average adjunct sociology professor salary by education level

According to our data, adjunct sociology professors with a Doctorate degree earn the highest average salary, at $105,502 annually. Adjunct sociology professors with a Master's degree earn an average annual salary of $78,527.
Adjunct sociology professor education levelAdjunct sociology professor salary
Master's Degree$78,527
Doctorate Degree$105,502

Adjunct sociology professor education FAQs

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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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