Social scientist demographics and statistics in the US
Social scientist demographics research summary. Zippia estimates social scientist demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our social scientist estimates are verified against BLS, Census, and current job openings data for accuracy. Zippia's data science team found the following key facts about social scientists after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 13,911 social scientists currently employed in the United States.
- 38.1% of all social scientists are women, while 61.9% are men.
- The average social scientist age is 41 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of social scientists is White (63.9%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (13.9%), Asian (7.8%) and Black or African American (6.8%).
- In 2022, women earned 99% of what men earned.
- 11% of all social scientists are LGBT.
- Social scientists are 46% more likely to work at private companies in comparison to government companies.
On this page
Social scientist demographics by:
Social scientist gender statistics
38.1% of social scientists are women and 61.9% of social scientists are men.
- Male, 61.9%
- Female, 38.1%
Social scientist gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Male | 61.9% |
| Female | 38.1% |
Social scientist gender pay gap
Women earn 99¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$70,298
Female income
$69,914
Social scientist gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in social scientist positions over time. Currently, 38.1% of social scientists are female.
Social scientist gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 52.56% | 47.44% |
| 2011 | 54.92% | 45.08% |
| 2012 | 51.14% | 48.86% |
| 2013 | 50.48% | 49.52% |
| 2014 | 53.02% | 46.98% |
| 2015 | 61.43% | 38.57% |
| 2016 | 57.59% | 42.41% |
| 2017 | 53.92% | 46.08% |
| 2018 | 55.18% | 44.82% |
| 2019 | 57.24% | 42.76% |
| 2020 | 62.45% | 37.55% |
| 2021 | 61.93% | 38.07% |
Social scientist related jobs gender ratio
We compared social scientists with similar job titles to see how gender ratios vary. As you can see, econometrician and political advisor have the biggest gender ratio gaps.
| Job title | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Home Economist | 4% | 96% |
| Educational Diagnostician | 11% | 89% |
| Senior Behavioral Scientist | 15% | 85% |
| Social Scientist | 62% | 38% |
| Agricultural Economist | 75% | 25% |
| Political Advisor | 76% | 24% |
| Econometrician | 77% | 23% |
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
Social scientist demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among social scientists is White, which makes up 63.9% of all social scientists. Comparatively, 13.9% of social scientists are Hispanic or Latino and 7.8% of social scientists are Asian.
- White, 63.9%
- Hispanic or Latino, 13.9%
- Asian, 7.8%
- Black or African American, 6.8%
- Unknown, 6.4%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.2%
Social scientist race
| Social scientist race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 63.9% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 13.9% |
| Asian | 7.8% |
| Black or African American | 6.8% |
| Unknown | 6.4% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 1.2% |
Social scientist race and ethnicity over time
See how social scientist racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Social scientist race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 69.34% | 11.28% | 6.49% | 9.60% |
| 2011 | 71.23% | 8.41% | 6.51% | 9.07% |
| 2012 | 69.00% | 7.58% | 6.92% | 11.28% |
| 2013 | 67.61% | 9.13% | 6.68% | 12.07% |
| 2014 | 63.08% | 10.45% | 8.07% | 12.23% |
| 2015 | 71.03% | 8.58% | 8.20% | 9.19% |
| 2016 | 69.01% | 8.58% | 7.39% | 10.80% |
| 2017 | 64.70% | 7.04% | 7.29% | 15.45% |
| 2018 | 71.20% | 7.77% | 7.14% | 10.72% |
| 2019 | 68.68% | 7.10% | 8.33% | 11.69% |
| 2020 | 62.87% | 7.90% | 9.17% | 12.02% |
| 2021 | 63.87% | 6.81% | 7.84% | 13.95% |
Social scientist wage gap by race
According to our data, black or african american social scientists have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Hispanic or latino social scientists have the lowest average salary at $67,808.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $71,163 |
| White | $70,606 |
| Black or African American | $71,340 |
| Asian | $70,631 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $67,808 |
Average social scientist age
See how the average age of social scientists varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Social scientist age by race and gender
| Race | Male age | Female age |
|---|---|---|
| Unknown | 46 | 37.5 |
| White | 40.5 | 39 |
| Asian | 40 | 41 |
| Hispanic or Latino | 39 | 36 |
Social scientist age breakdown
The average age of social scientists is 40+ years years old, representing 53% of the social scientist population.
Social scientist age breakdown
| Social Scientist Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 53% |
| 30-40 years | 31% |
| 20-30 years | 16% |
Social scientist educational attainment
The most common degree for social scientists is bachelor's degree, with 55% of social scientists earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are master's degree degree at 26% and master's degree degree at 18%.
- Bachelor's, 55%
- Master's, 26%
- Doctorate, 18%
- Associate, 1%
- Other Degrees, 0%
Social scientists by degree level
| Social scientist degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's | 55% |
| Master's | 26% |
| Doctorate | 18% |
| Associate | 1% |
| Other Degrees | 0% |
Social scientist jobs you might like
Social scientist wage gap by degree level
According to the data, social scientists with a Doctorate degree earn more than those without, at $75,314 annually. With a Master's degree, social scientists earn a median annual income of $73,933 compared to $67,516 for social scientists with an Bachelor's degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $73,933 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $67,516 |
| Doctorate Degree | $75,314 |
Social scientist employment statistics
Most social scientists work for a private in the non profits industry.
Company size where social scientists work
Below, you can see the size of companies where social scientists work.
Social scientist jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 6% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 14% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 33% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 5% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 29% |
| > 10,000 employees | 14% |
Social scientist jobs by company type
Employees with the social scientist job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most social scientists prefer to work at private companies over government companies.
Social scientist jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 22% |
| Public | 8% |
| Private | 46% |
| Government | 24% |
Social scientist jobs by industry
The most common industries for social scientists are non profits, government and education.
Social scientist industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Non Profits | 17% |
| Government | 16% |
| Education | 16% |
| Professional | 13% |
| Technology | 11% |
| Finance | 4% |
| Media | 4% |
| Start-up | 4% |
| Manufacturing | 3% |
| Fortune 500 | 3% |
| Insurance | 3% |
| Internet | 1% |
| Health Care | 1% |
| Construction | 1% |
| Real Estate | 1% |
Social scientist turnover and employment statistics
Social scientist unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for social scientists between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Social scientist unemployment rate by year
| Year | Social scientist unemployment rate |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 6.58% |
| 2011 | 7.95% |
| 2012 | 5.58% |
| 2013 | 5.71% |
| 2014 | 6.50% |
| 2015 | 6.49% |
| 2016 | 3.93% |
| 2017 | 2.24% |
| 2018 | 3.43% |
| 2019 | 2.72% |
| 2020 | 4.85% |
| 2021 | 5.34% |
Average social scientist tenure
The average social scientist stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 233 social scientists resumes in Zippia's database.
Social scientist tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 30% |
| 1-2 years | 42% |
| 3-4 years | 7% |
| 5-7 years | 8% |
| 8-10 years | 8% |
| 11+ years | 5% |
Social scientist LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of social scientists that are members of the LGBT community. You can see how this compares to similar jobs in the chart below.
| Job title | LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Economic Development Internship | 7.51% | 92,622 |
| Social Scientist | 10.82% | - |
| Counseling Psychologist | 11.87% | 12,337 |
| Space Planner | 13.00% | 14,044 |
| Personnel Psychologist | 19.82% | 11,964 |
Similar social scientist jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Economic Development Internship | 7.51% | 92,622 |
| Counseling Psychologist | 11.87% | 12,337 |
| Space Planner | 13.00% | 14,044 |
| Personnel Psychologist | 19.82% | 11,964 |
Foreign languages spoken by social scientists
The most common foreign language among social scientists is Spanish at 21.1%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is French at 15.5% and Arabic is the third-most popular at 14.1%.
- Spanish, 21.1%
- French, 15.5%
- Arabic, 14.1%
- Dari, 9.9%
- Portuguese, 5.6%
- Other, 33.8%
Social scientist languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 21.1% |
| French | 15.5% |
| Arabic | 14.1% |
| Dari | 9.9% |
| Portuguese | 5.6% |
| Other | 33.8% |
