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| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 420 | 0.00% |
| 2020 | 3,866 | 0.00% |
| 2019 | 4,052 | 0.00% |
| 2018 | 2,307 | 0.00% |
| 2017 | 2,314 | 0.00% |
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $33,129 | $15.93 | +2.5% |
| 2024 | $32,320 | $15.54 | +0.3% |
| 2023 | $32,232 | $15.50 | +1.8% |
| 2022 | $31,657 | $15.22 | +1.7% |
| 2021 | $31,120 | $14.96 | +3.7% |
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wyoming | 579,315 | 162 | 28% |
| 2 | Kansas | 2,913,123 | 626 | 21% |
| 3 | Delaware | 961,939 | 170 | 18% |
| 4 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 128 | 18% |
| 5 | Virginia | 8,470,020 | 1,463 | 17% |
| 6 | Minnesota | 5,576,606 | 959 | 17% |
| 7 | Alaska | 739,795 | 123 | 17% |
| 8 | Kentucky | 4,454,189 | 699 | 16% |
| 9 | New Mexico | 2,088,070 | 332 | 16% |
| 10 | Missouri | 6,113,532 | 893 | 15% |
| 11 | Idaho | 1,716,943 | 256 | 15% |
| 12 | Georgia | 10,429,379 | 1,408 | 14% |
| 13 | Colorado | 5,607,154 | 744 | 13% |
| 14 | South Carolina | 5,024,369 | 645 | 13% |
| 15 | Oklahoma | 3,930,864 | 528 | 13% |
| 16 | Pennsylvania | 12,805,537 | 1,586 | 12% |
| 17 | Illinois | 12,802,023 | 1,515 | 12% |
| 18 | Maryland | 6,052,177 | 715 | 12% |
| 19 | Mississippi | 2,984,100 | 352 | 12% |
| 20 | Rhode Island | 1,059,639 | 125 | 12% |
| Rank | City | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Laurel | 2 | 8% | $30,536 |
| 2 | Annapolis | 1 | 3% | $30,537 |
| 3 | Dover | 1 | 3% | $31,244 |
| 4 | Littleton | 1 | 2% | $30,080 |
| 5 | Saint Clair Shores | 1 | 2% | $27,467 |
| 6 | West Orange | 1 | 2% | $35,149 |
| 7 | Saint Petersburg | 2 | 1% | $23,117 |
| 8 | Allen | 1 | 1% | $24,728 |
| 9 | Lansing | 1 | 1% | $27,284 |
| 10 | San Diego | 4 | 0% | $36,867 |
| 11 | Phoenix | 2 | 0% | $26,872 |
| 12 | Boston | 1 | 0% | $36,465 |
| 13 | Denver | 1 | 0% | $30,135 |
College of the Marshall Islands
Mercy College

Franklin and Marshall College
Universty of San Francisco
Southern Oregon University

Texas State University

University of Louisville
Merrimack College
Thomas More University
University of Kansas

College of Saint Benedict
California State University - Fresno

Lafayette College
Seattle Pacific University

California State University - Fresno

Minnesota State University, Mankato
University of Tennessee-Knoxville

Oakland University

Point Loma Nazarene University

Indiana University Kokomo
Alexander Velasquez: My general advice to any graduate beginning their career in their field is to continue to learn and be a student of your craft. Be open to learning new things because you never know how they will improve your skills and qualifications. For example, I am currently learning video editing. I never thought I would bother to learn video editing, but it makes me a more versatile instructor being able to give students the option of doing video projects, combining and editing them, and having a digital record of what students have learned in the classroom. And given the rise of online learning, it's important nowadays to be an effective instructor both in the traditional in-person format and within the digital landscape.
Alexander Velasquez: I think that in the next three to five years the most important skills to have—and I mean this—will be critical thinking and imagination. This may sound a bit outlandish, and maybe even a bit naive, but hear me out: Artificial intelligence is making strides to the point where papers are writing themselves with simple instructions, videos are generating themselves with simple instructions, and software is beginning to write itself; and all this has been happening within the last few years. We may begin to see that in the next three to five years, once coveted programming jobs could become automated. Now, what I'm *not* saying is don't go to school for computer programming; but what I *am* saying is that the nature of work and employment *is* changing. For example, if you and and AI are making a video, and both of you have the same script, same voiceover, and so on, the only thing separating your final product from the AI's is the way you *think and imagine*, the perspective that you have as someone who can think critically about the information and lay it out in a visually appealing manner. AI can't do that—at least not yet—because it simply spits out the information it's given. But critical thought, metalevel thinking about information, is what will be one of the most important assets to have in the coming three to five years.
Alexander Velasquez: I think everyone should look into their career fields and find out what it is that makes you more valuable in that field. Are there any certifications that you can get? What is it that you need to know or learn that companies will find valuable? Much can be learned online, so pick up as many of those skills as you can, and make sure they're on your resume or CV. I believe all those things could maximize salary potential, especially when starting out.
Mercy College
School of Education
Dr. Eric Martone: In the era of COVID, stress management and adaptability are two critical soft skills that educators must have more than ever.
Dr. Eric Martone: Educators who are compassionate, with strong leadership skills, willing to make take chances to make a difference.

M. Alison Kibler Ph.D.: The key for today's graduate is to come ready with relevant skills and experience. A college degree without relevant skills and experience will just not be as sufficient as in previous years to land that first, post-graduate role.
Creativity, proactivity along with strong communication skills and intellectual grit to anticipate and respond proactively to the unexpected are the competencies most prized in today's labor market. Showing that one worked through the pandemic, and even pursued additional skills and experiences relevant to a role or field, will make a graduate stand out from among their less prepared and proactive peers.
In the last class of American Studies graduates (class of 2020), I saw some students take a new path to a job. For example, one student had an internship where she worked remotely for a digital marketing firm. This then became a full-time job after graduation. Another student had worked on legal research (also remote) over the summer and in her senior seminar, and then got a job as a legal assistant in the New York DA's office. She hopes to ultimately go to law school. This is a job that other AMS alumni have secured in the past. Other students got jobs as community organizers, teachers, museum curators and entry-level business positions. These paths seemed largely the same as in the past. All built on course work and/or internships where they developed skills and deepened interest in topics. The student that went to work as a community organizer, for example, had done a senior research project on homelessness.
Elliot Neaman Ph.D.: In the corporate world, companies are now having to shift from a physical workspace to working at home, so that means young people entering the workforce have an advantage since they are usually more tech savvy than older people, although that is not always the case. There will be new opportunities in companies that see a lot of demand because of the pandemic. Think about at-home exercise companies like Peleton. Obviously a lot of businesses are suffering or disappearing, like retail and restaurants, so you'll see a shift away from that, but service industries are going to become even more important, especially those that fill the niche of providing services at home.
Elliot Neaman Ph.D.: Again, good tech training is a central requirement. I would learn to code if I were a young person. I would use the gap year to do a lot of reading and perhaps learn a language.
Southern Oregon University
Educational Administration And Supervision
Amy Belcastro Ph.D.: I would refer you to my first email and add what many are saying, the genie is not going gently back into the bottle. Working from a distance is not going away. That said, the ripple effect will shift how we educate, communicate, and employ people. The ability to thrive within ambiguity, communicate effectively via technology and with cultural humility, and be innovative within and outside of the box will be in high demand.

Dr. Yasmine Beale-Rivaya Ph.D.: This is a difficult question as we don't know what permanent changes the pandemic will produce. However, current literature on jobs and consumer interest has to do with providing a customized experience. Customers are no longer satisfied being treated as a number. They want to consume products and services that they can identify with, that make them feel as if they were produced or created with them in mind. To this point, customers want to be talked to and marketed to in their preferred language. I believe that the most successful companies will be those that can market and communicate with their customers on their level. They will want to employ people who can address multiple markets. In a highly-competitive globalized market, the higher-level language skills one has, the more versatile and valuable one becomes to an employer.

Janet Kelly Ph.D.: Evidence that the candidate can work effectively in teams and can meet deadlines. Employers tell me our graduates are plenty capable, but sometimes are deficient in the soft skills associated with teamwork and may struggle with organizing their work schedule to meet project deadlines (translate: they procrastinate).
Deborah Margolis Ph.D.: COVID has taught us many things about education in the U.S., for example, that we were woefully underprepared to deal with a pandemic. But it has also taught us that some of the most important characteristics needed for young graduates looking to enter the field are flexibility, resilience, and perseverance.
We have always wanted to be sure that graduates of education programs are prepared to teach the students in their classrooms as well as the content, but what we have learned is that we can't plan for all possible scenarios and that while we might try and we might get better at planning for the unexpected, good teachers need to be flexible in their thinking and in their ability to shift gears and do things differently. Good teachers need to be resilient in the face of adversity so that they can recognize risk factors and manage them without alarm and panic because panicky adults signal alarm to students.
For many years we have known that perseverance is one of the most important characteristics involved in student success and we have learned that the same is true for teachers. Changes in modality have been challenging for most if not all teachers and those who have been able to persevere in the face of the changes have been more successful. Graduates also need to have familiarity and comfort with educational technology platforms. Finally and perhaps most importantly, graduates need to have knowledge of and willingness to support the social-emotional development of students. This is true in any teaching setting but is critical during times of unusual, chronic, and unrelenting stress.
Thomas More University
History Department
Dr. Jodie Mader Ph.D.: There is will the obvious social and economic impacts. Jobs will change and graduates need to be cognizant of where jobs will be located and adapt their skills to them. Graduates need to be aware of the new and old skills required of employers, and a key one will be their command of technology and their ability to use it.
University of Kansas
Department of History
Luis Corteguera: The pandemic and the economic crisis has only highlighted the value of a university education. People with a BA/BS continue to do better economically than those without, and the difference will increase. The specific area of study will be less important than having the degree in hand. Rather than seeking an education that offers professional training - which are hard to predict and employers usually provide - a liberal arts education will actually prove more valuable in the long-run, since employers consider such graduates to have a greater variety of intellectual and analytical skills that will enable them to adapt and be trained to solve the complex problems of the future.
Luis Corteguera: Make a plan for the future that outlines short-, medium-, and long-term goals. Discuss these plans with a variety of people (family, friends, acquaintances, professionals in areas of interst), and if available, with career planning professionals at the university, many of which continue to offer support even after graduation. Request "informational interviews" with all kinds of people in professions that may be of interest, even if you don't know them personally. Not only are these helpul to ask questions about career paths, but these interviews can also help to build professional networks.

College of Saint Benedict
Department of Peace Studies
Jeffrey Anderson Ph.D.: People are still at the center of many of these jobs, so people skills remain important. Similarly, fluency in a second language also appears to be a huge asset, as these efforts are undertaken to reach communities that are especially hard hit. Finally, organizations hiring for positions that involve an element of research are also pleased to see data analytics capabilities.
California State University - Fresno
Department of Philosophy
Negin Tahvildary Ph.D.: Beyond our central role of educating the next generation of graduates, we must also prepare them to be career-ready, to begin contributing to our nation's success as the next generation of leaders. As a former lawyer and UN officer, I think effective teaching in my field means providing my students with as much exposure to hands-on experience. Therefore, I value students who seek opportunities beyond their normal academic settings and participate in extracurricular activities. I personally have developed a program called the Mediator Mentors as a service-learning initiative which promotes problem-solving skills through cross-age mentorship. At the same time, jobs are becoming more hybrid and therefore we should encourage students to choose between various minors and certificate programs also available on our campuses. For instance, at Fresno State Philosophy Department, apart from traditional philosophy courses, we offer several minors and certificates within the Pre-Law, Peace and Conflict Studies, Religious Studies, and Middle East Studies programs as well as Social Justice and Social Change.

Eric Ziolkowski Ph.D.: The unnatural experiences, over a protracted period, of enforced quarantine, masking, "social distancing," working "remotely," deprivation of normal group activities (clubs, sports competitions, etc.) - all such experiences are likely to produce a generation of students with an increased appreciation of the human need for social connectedness complementing a deepened awareness of the limitless resources of one's private inner life.
Seattle Pacific University
Music Department
Christopher Hanson: I think we will see an amplified debate on school choice and school funding, which will directly affect the hiring and sustainability of school administrators, leaders, and teachers. The pandemic has exposed already obvious inequities to school access and the quality of education in different arenas, e.g., homeschool, charter school, private school, public school, etc. Students and schools in more affluent communities have the infrastructure (or the means to establish the infrastructure) to support online learning and have arguably not experienced any real setbacks in the progress of their learning (specifically in terms of content, whereas I believe everyone has been affected in terms of social and emotional learning).
Many private schools have offered in-person or hybrid instruction before the states have recommended since they are not dependent on tax dollars and not required to adhere to the same guidelines as the public and some charter schools that depend on government funding. With all of this, I believe we will see a somewhat superficial, and what I believe is misguided, shift to technology. This is reactionary rather than responsive. Many districts have already begun to hire staff, faculty, and administration that are more comfortable or experienced with Title IV funding and programming and the use of technology in teaching and learning (in school and at home).
"One-to-one" initiatives have been pushed to the top of budgetary requirements and instructional expectations and overshadowed other needs. This is not to say that technology isn't important, particularly in the extraordinary time we are living through. However, if we do not build and redesign all of our systems, conflating only one aspect of education will create a severe imbalance and perpetuate problems of equity, access, retention, and sustainability.
Christopher Hanson: Keep asking questions and look for opportunities to engage in teaching and learning wherever you can. Connect with peers and future colleagues. Do not just wait. Now is the time to create and sustain dialog on educational change. Although there are endless numbers of variables to how, when, what, and with whom we learn, our genuine curiosity and sincere desire to engage others in the educative process is our greatest hope to see education in a better place than it was before the pandemic.
We must heed the call of innovation and encourage a transition from our current state of triage and survival. You, as a recent graduate, are the future of what education will be. Ask yourself, what will the world look like that you will help create? Is this a world that you and others can learn in? What more can you do to secure the possibilities and promise of education for all? These are the questions that will fuel change and secure growth through the inevitable vicissitudes of education.

California State University - Fresno
Literacy, Early, Bilingual and Special Education Department
Cheryl McDonald: One of biggest trends in the job market, pandemic or not, is in education. There is real shortage of qualified educators, service providers and educational leaders, despite the incentives, stipends, or bonus monies that districts and universities use to attract candidates to the field. There is a shortage of qualified credentialed teachers in many teaching disciplines across most of the United States. The most severe shortages are in special education, mathematics, science, bilingual/dual immersion, and early childhood education. There is also a need for qualified school administrators, school psychologists, school social workers, school nurses, and school counselors.
All of these areas require specialized knowledge and specialized certification, in addition to a passion and dedication for the discipline. In California, for example, earning a teaching credential requires a Bachelor's degree, fingerprint clearance from local, state and federal law enforcement agencies, completion of the U.S. Constitution, basics skills, subject matter and literacy instruction requirements, typically through costly and rigorous tests, current certification in CPR for infants, children and adults, and completion of a teacher preparation program in the area of the credential. In special education, a candidate would need to complete a teacher preparation program in a specialty area: mild/moderate disabilities, moderate/severe disabilities, physical, visual, or health impairments, deaf and hard of hearing, or speech and language development.
Each day spent with students is unique and exciting. Teachers, service providers and leaders not only need to be qualified, they also need to be compassionate, collaborative, adaptable, flexible, and effective, especially when the unexpected arises. Virtual/online teaching skills are a plus. Teachers and educational leaders also need to be prepared to work with culturally- and linguistically-diverse student and family populations, with students who are gifted and talented, and students experiencing risk factors such as homelessness, poverty, drug or alcohol dependency, frequent absences or bullying.
Cheryl McDonald: After graduation, candidates should begin their search for available education positions, whether teaching or leadership in universities or preschool-12 schools, in populous states like California, Texas and New York or in rural and suburban high-poverty areas. There the needs are greatest and positions are more likely to be available and advertised. I would also ask friends, colleagues and professionals I knew to keep an eye open for available positions. You never know when an unexpected lead will pop up.

Minnesota State University, Mankato
Sociology Department
Aaron Hoy Ph.D.: At this point, I think it is safe to say that the coronavirus pandemic will have an enduring impact on many different aspects of our society in ways that, yes, will likely be relevant for college graduates, including sociology majors. If nothing else, work may become increasingly remote over the next several years, even once the coronavirus is under control, and this could reshape everything from how prospective employees interview for a job to the day-to-day nature of the work itself. Sociology majors, and others, should pay attention to the economy and the job market to see what changes do unfold and, like any good professional, acquire new skills as they become necessary.
For instance, if work does become increasingly remote, they should figure out how they can stay focused and productive in a non-office setting, or how they can effectively communicate and collaborate with others using technologies like Zoom. I think the coronavirus pandemic may also lead to long-term changes in the types of jobs that are available to sociology majors. For instance, the pandemic has exacerbated many significant social inequalities, especially in terms of race, sex and gender, and socioeconomic status. This has led many to realize that we need to expand the social services we offer in this society, and if we do, that may well lead to more job opportunities in that area, which is already an area where sociology majors tend to thrive.
Aaron Hoy Ph.D.: It is good news for our society and for sociology majors that employers have already put an increased emphasis on hiring and retaining employees who have a solid understanding of issues of diversity and inclusion. This emphasis will likely continue for the foreseeable future, which is a good opportunity for sociology majors who are comfortable working in diverse environments and really understand and appreciate human diversity in terms of race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, sex, gender identity or expression, and sexuality, among others. In fact, right now, diversity-related skills are those that recent sociology graduates say they are most likely to use and benefit from in the workplace, according to a 2015 report from the American Sociological Association.
I would also encourage sociology majors to prioritize rigorous methodological training to the extent that they can within their specific program. There are already many, many jobs available for college graduates with research skills, including in the private sector, and these are likely to grow in the coming years. However, sociology majors sometimes overlook these jobs or opt not to apply for them. As an advisor myself, I suspect that this is often because students do not feel confident in their research skills or because they assume that, say, a psychology or an economics major would be a better fit. But these are good-paying jobs with above-average levels of employee satisfaction, and sociology majors should not take themselves out of the running for them.
Although it may be scary or uncomfortable for some students, taking an extra research design or statistics class might be a good idea. And of course, writing up research results and presenting them in clear, logical ways is a key part of the research process, so as always, students should make a very concerted effort to improve their written and verbal communication skills as best they can. That may mean taking an extra composition or public speaking class if necessary.
Aaron Hoy Ph.D.: Increasingly, I hear employers say that they look to see if recent college graduates, sociology majors included, have relevant "real-world" experience, especially internships. For this reason, many sociology programs (including my own) have recently moved to make internships a required component of the major. Sociology majors who are not required to complete an internship may consider doing one anyway. But given the specific industries that sociology majors typically work in, volunteering should not be discounted altogether.
For instance, the American Sociological Association's data has consistently shown that "Social Services/Counselor" is the job category sociology majors are most likely to work in immediately following graduation. And the specific places they work often include various non-profit organizations like shelters for victims of domestic violence or homeless youth, all of which rely on volunteers. Sociology majors who do volunteer work in college not only benefit their communities; they also show at least some potential employers that they understand why they do the work they do and what it looks like on the ground.
University of Tennessee-Knoxville
Department of English
Lisa King Ph.D.: I'd also remind graduates that careers are rarely set from the get-go, and not to be discouraged; a career can grow from unexpected opportunities and connections and sometimes it just takes time - or outlasting a pandemic. Careers in English and the humanities are just as important as others, even if media narratives frequently devalue them. Take advantage of the flexibility of your degree and training, build on it, and know the value of your skills. If we have learned anything from this pandemic it's that communication is crucial, and this is part of what you've been trained to do. The world needs you.

Oakland University
Department of Organizational Leadership
Dr. Cynthia Carver: Schools are looking for teachers who build strong relationships with their students, as well as teachers who adapt easily to change. The pandemic has highlighted the importance of teachers' skill in using instructional technology; working with families to nurture and engage students learning; and handling unprecedented challenges with flexibility and grace.
Dr. Cynthia Carver: Hone your teaching skills! Schools will continue to need substitute teachers and para-professionals. Child care facilitates and after-school programs will still need teachers. And it's likely that many families will be seeking tutors as their children catch up. To gain experience and build your resume, seek opportunities that mirror the work you do as a classroom teacher.

Dr. Jennifer Lineback Ph.D.: Practical experience working with real learners/students! Whether that experience be through formal academic programs (i.e., through volunteering in a classroom or being hired as an academic tutor or aid), or informal programming (i.e., working with children during after school care, Sunday School, or summer camps), the more experience graduates have with children, the better!
Dr. Jennifer Lineback Ph.D.: Graduates will need to be comfortable adapting to evolving conditions. More than ever, we have collectively learned that situations can change, quickly. To be successful in education during this time and in the coming years, educators will need to be patient, flexible, and willing to modify their approach to teaching/learning when situations change. Having knowledge and understanding of a wide variety of instructional strategies, both for in-person and remote learning, will be critical, as will the ability to know when and how to implement these different strategies. Furthermore, our students will need strategies to support students' socio-emotional learning and cultural competency, in addition to those focused on developing content knowledge.

Indiana University Kokomo
Department of Sociology
Niki Weller Ph.D.: Sure, there is an inextricable link between college graduates and the pandemic that will last for the foreseeable future. There is little doubt that the pandemic has exacerbated trends in economic and social inequality among current and graduating college students. However, students of sociology can contribute to ongoing debates about the best practices for institutions and organizations to help all members of society deal with and prepare for the long-term effects on our social, economic, and government policies and initiatives. Moreover, many jobs in social and community-based services, social science research, and counseling, that were in high demand before the pandemic, will remain. Recent graduates of sociology will be competitive candidates for these entry-level positions.
Niki Weller Ph.D.: Students need to demonstrate that they are versatile communicators, with strong written and oral communication skills. Students should take full advantage of any public speaking opportunities, such as conference presentations, to demonstrate evidence of this skill. Employers want to hire people who are personable, involved, and have potential leadership qualities. Students should be engaged in campus extracurricular activities, including student clubs, experiential learning events, or community engagements. Research skills, like data collection and analysis, are extremely important and can be applied in a variety of professions. Students should hone these skills through social science research.