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As of October 2025, the average salary for an Assistant Professor of Sociology in the United States is $66,596 annually. This amount reflects a typical hourly wage of $32. Salaries for this position can differ significantly based on various factors, including geographic location, years of service, and the type of institution (public vs. private).
For instance, states like California and New York often offer higher salaries due to their cost of living and demand for sociology professionals. The highest paying states for this role include:
In addition to competitive salaries, many institutions provide benefits such as research funding, health insurance, and retirement plans. Assistant Professors often contribute to curriculum development, publish research, and engage in community outreach, enhancing their career prospects in academia.
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The average assistant professor of sociology salary in New York, Rhode Island, and California are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average assistant professor of sociology salary states are Texas, Florida, and Georgia.
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York | $97,737 | $46.99 |
| 2 | Utah | $88,004 | $42.31 |
| 3 | Alaska | $81,178 | $39.03 |
| 4 | Rhode Island | $90,618 | $43.57 |
| 5 | District of Columbia | $84,355 | $40.56 |
| 6 | Vermont | $78,030 | $37.51 |
| 7 | Massachusetts | $80,911 | $38.90 |
| 8 | New Jersey | $81,072 | $38.98 |
| 9 | Pennsylvania | $74,870 | $36.00 |
| 10 | California | $89,664 | $43.11 |
| 11 | Michigan | $74,214 | $35.68 |
| 12 | North Dakota | $84,103 | $40.43 |
| 13 | New Hampshire | $80,437 | $38.67 |
| 14 | Connecticut | $79,955 | $38.44 |
| 15 | Maine | $73,875 | $35.52 |
| 16 | Oregon | $70,317 | $33.81 |
| 17 | Nevada | $75,345 | $36.22 |
| 18 | West Virginia | $65,497 | $31.49 |
| 19 | Nebraska | $66,569 | $32.00 |
| 20 | Mississippi | $65,429 | $31.46 |
| 21 | Virginia | $72,578 | $34.89 |
| 22 | Idaho | $71,192 | $34.23 |
| 23 | Alabama | $65,990 | $31.73 |
| 24 | Iowa | $66,371 | $31.91 |
| 25 | Arizona | $69,997 | $33.65 |
| 26 | Delaware | $76,743 | $36.90 |
| 27 | Wyoming | $69,480 | $33.40 |
| 28 | Montana | $65,387 | $31.44 |
| 29 | Washington | $72,459 | $34.84 |
| 30 | Minnesota | $68,579 | $32.97 |
| 31 | North Carolina | $68,098 | $32.74 |
| 32 | South Dakota | $64,027 | $30.78 |
| 33 | Wisconsin | $65,122 | $31.31 |
| 34 | Kentucky | $62,462 | $30.03 |
| 35 | Missouri | $65,811 | $31.64 |
| 36 | Kansas | $64,642 | $31.08 |
| 37 | Ohio | $65,568 | $31.52 |
| 38 | Colorado | $64,092 | $30.81 |
| 39 | Indiana | $64,473 | $31.00 |
| 40 | Louisiana | $63,002 | $30.29 |
| 41 | Illinois | $66,120 | $31.79 |
| 42 | Maryland | $69,376 | $33.35 |
| 43 | Texas | $60,615 | $29.14 |
| 44 | New Mexico | $61,983 | $29.80 |
| 45 | Hawaii | $58,354 | $28.05 |
| 46 | South Carolina | $61,316 | $29.48 |
| 47 | Oklahoma | $61,365 | $29.50 |
| 48 | Florida | $60,343 | $29.01 |
| 49 | Arkansas | $59,828 | $28.76 |
| 50 | Georgia | $60,006 | $28.85 |
| 51 | Tennessee | $46,654 | $22.43 |
The highest-paying cities for assistant professors of sociology are New York, NY, Camarillo, CA, and Cedar City, UT.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York, NY | $97,853 | $47.04 |
| 2 | Camarillo, CA | $88,632 | $42.61 |
| 3 | Cedar City, UT | $88,245 | $42.43 |
| 4 | Washington, DC | $84,438 | $40.60 |
| 5 | Bridgewater, MA | $81,118 | $39.00 |
| 6 | Haverford, PA | $75,206 | $36.16 |
| 7 | Grand Rapids, MI | $73,145 | $35.17 |
| 8 | Seattle, WA | $72,796 | $35.00 |
| 9 | Greensboro, NC | $68,685 | $33.02 |
| 10 | Cedar Falls, IA | $66,543 | $31.99 |
| 11 | Jackson, MS | $65,532 | $31.51 |
| 12 | Muncie, IN | $64,810 | $31.16 |
| 13 | Denver, CO | $64,099 | $30.82 |
| 14 | New Orleans, LA | $62,999 | $30.29 |
| 15 | Huntsville, TX | $60,510 | $29.09 |
| 16 | Valdosta, GA | $60,242 | $28.96 |
| 17 | Clarksville, TN | $46,688 | $22.45 |
An assistant professor of sociology's salary ranges from $45,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $98,000 at the 90th percentile.

| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $98,000 | $8,167 | $47 |
| 75th Percentile | $81,000 | $6,750 | $39 |
| Average | $66,596 | $5,550 | $32 |
| 25th Percentile | $54,000 | $4,500 | $26 |
| 10th Percentile | $45,000 | $3,750 | $22 |
The highest paying types of assistant professors of sociology are professor, humanities professor, and sociology professor.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Social Sciences Lecturer | $66,896 | $5,575 | $32.16 | 28,331 |
| Professor | $157,570 | $13,131 | $75.75 | 21,861 |
How would you rate the starting salaries for Assistant professors of sociology, as well as the prospects for salary advancement?
David McMahan Ph.D.
Charles A. Dana Professor of Religious Studies, Franklin and Marshall College
Top companies hiring assistant professors of sociology now:
Assistant professor of sociology salaries at The George Washington University and Princeton University are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average assistant professor of sociology salary at companies like Univ Of Colorado-Colorado Spgs and The City University of New York are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The George Washington University | $118,168 | $56.81 |
| 2 | Princeton University | $110,649 | $53.20 |
| 3 | Univ Of Colorado-Colorado Spgs | $97,842 | $47.04 |
| 4 | The City University of New York | $93,562 | $44.98 |
| 5 | Creighton University | $86,982 | $41.82 |
| 6 | Mount Holyoke College | $82,001 | $39.42 |
| 7 | Amherst College | $81,386 | $39.13 |
| 8 | St. John's University | $81,151 | $39.01 |
| 9 | Rutgers University | $80,731 | $38.81 |
| 10 | University of Colorado Boulder | $80,507 | $38.71 |
| 11 | Florida International University | $80,502 | $38.70 |
| 12 | University of Mississippi | $80,286 | $38.60 |
| 13 | Chapman University | $79,667 | $38.30 |
| 14 | Smith College | $78,492 | $37.74 |
| 15 | Bristol Community College | $78,321 | $37.65 |
| 16 | North Carolina A&T State University | $77,834 | $37.42 |
| 17 | University Of South Dakota Foundation | $76,876 | $36.96 |
| 18 | Occidental College | $76,256 | $36.66 |
| 19 | Western Washington University | $76,227 | $36.65 |
| 20 | California State University, Monterey Bay | $75,025 | $36.07 |
The average assistant professor of sociology salary has risen by $8,244 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average assistant professor of sociology earned $58,352 annually, but today, they earn $66,596 a year. That works out to a 5% change in pay for assistant professors of sociology over the last decade.
Compare assistant professor of sociology salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Compare assistant professor of sociology salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $66,600 | $32.02 | +0.4% |
| 2025 | $66,300 | $31.88 | +1.5% |
| 2024 | $65,300 | $31.39 | +1.4% |
| 2023 | $64,400 | $30.95 | +1.7% |
| 2022 | $63,300 | $30.42 | +3.6% |
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Texas at San Antonio | Assistant Professor of Instruction-Department of Sociology and Demography, College for Health, COM | San Antonio, TX | 04/23/2025 | $50,000 |
| San Diego State University | Assistant Professor of Latinx/Latine Sociology | San Diego, CA | 03/17/2025 | $85,000 |
| Illinois Wesleyan University | Assistant Professor of Sociology | Bloomington, IL | 03/12/2025 | $59,000 |
| The Ohio University | Assistant Professor of Instruction, Sociology | Athens, OH | 03/04/2025 | $61,348 |
| Xavier University | Assistant Professor of Sociology | Cincinnati, OH | 02/27/2025 | $69,525 |
| Utica University | Assistant Professor of Sociology & Data Science | Utica, NY | 02/24/2025 | $63,500 |
| Marin Campus | Tenure-Track Assistant Professor of Sociology | Redlands, CA | 02/19/2025 | $68,173 |
| Washington and Lee University | Assistant Professor of Sociology | Lexington, VA | 02/19/2025 | $90,000 |
| San Diego State University | Assistant Professor of Latinx/Latine Sociology | San Diego, CA | 02/17/2025 | $85,000 |
| The Socjourn | Assistant Professor of Latinx/Latine Sociology | San Diego, CA | 02/17/2025 | $85,000 |
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