Sociologist demographics and statistics in the US
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Sociologist demographics by:
Sociologist gender statistics
64.4% of sociologists are women and 35.6% of sociologists are men.
- Female, 64.4%
- Male, 35.6%
Sociologist gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Female | 64.4% |
| Male | 35.6% |
Sociologist gender pay gap
Women earn 98¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$46,925
Female income
$46,149
Sociologist gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in sociologist positions over time. Currently, 64.4% of sociologists are female.
Sociologist gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 27.31% | 72.69% |
| 2011 | 29.23% | 70.77% |
| 2012 | 26.20% | 73.80% |
| 2013 | 25.69% | 74.31% |
| 2014 | 27.68% | 72.32% |
| 2015 | 35.07% | 64.93% |
| 2016 | 31.53% | 68.47% |
| 2017 | 28.41% | 71.59% |
| 2018 | 29.45% | 70.55% |
| 2019 | 31.22% | 68.78% |
| 2020 | 36.07% | 63.93% |
| 2021 | 35.56% | 64.44% |
Sociologist related jobs gender ratio
We compared sociologists 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% |
| Sociologist | 36% | 64% |
| Agricultural Economist | 75% | 25% |
| Political Advisor | 76% | 24% |
| Econometrician | 77% | 23% |
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
Sociologist demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among sociologists is White, which makes up 63.5% of all sociologists. Comparatively, 14.0% of sociologists are Hispanic or Latino and 7.9% of sociologists are Asian.
- White, 63.5%
- Hispanic or Latino, 14.0%
- Asian, 7.9%
- Unknown, 6.7%
- Black or African American, 6.6%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.3%
Sociologist race
| Sociologist race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 63.5% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 14.0% |
| Asian | 7.9% |
| Unknown | 6.7% |
| Black or African American | 6.6% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 1.3% |
Sociologist race and ethnicity over time
See how sociologist racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Sociologist race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 69.02% | 11.04% | 6.53% | 9.68% |
| 2011 | 70.91% | 8.17% | 6.55% | 9.14% |
| 2012 | 68.68% | 7.34% | 6.96% | 11.35% |
| 2013 | 67.29% | 8.90% | 6.72% | 12.14% |
| 2014 | 62.76% | 10.21% | 8.11% | 12.31% |
| 2015 | 70.71% | 8.34% | 8.24% | 9.27% |
| 2016 | 68.69% | 8.34% | 7.43% | 10.88% |
| 2017 | 64.37% | 6.80% | 7.33% | 15.53% |
| 2018 | 70.88% | 7.53% | 7.18% | 10.80% |
| 2019 | 68.36% | 6.86% | 8.37% | 11.76% |
| 2020 | 62.55% | 7.66% | 9.21% | 12.09% |
| 2021 | 63.54% | 6.58% | 7.88% | 14.02% |
Sociologist wage gap by race
According to our data, black or african american sociologists have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Hispanic or latino sociologists have the lowest average salary at $41,757.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $49,859 |
| White | $46,386 |
| Black or African American | $49,929 |
| Asian | $47,187 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $41,757 |
Average sociologist age
See how the average age of sociologists varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Sociologist 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 |
Sociologist age breakdown
The average age of sociologists is 40+ years years old, representing 53% of the sociologist population.
Sociologist age breakdown
| Sociologist Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 53% |
| 30-40 years | 31% |
| 20-30 years | 16% |
Sociologist educational attainment
The most common degree for sociologists is bachelor's degree, with 52% of sociologists earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are master's degree degree at 29% and master's degree degree at 6%.
- Bachelor's, 52%
- Master's, 29%
- Associate, 6%
- High School Diploma, 6%
- Other Degrees, 7%
Sociologists by degree level
| Sociologist degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's | 52% |
| Master's | 29% |
| Associate | 6% |
| High School Diploma | 6% |
| Other Degrees | 7% |
Sociologist jobs you might like
Sociologist wage gap by degree level
According to the data, sociologists with a Doctorate degree earn more than those without, at $59,888 annually. With a Master's degree, sociologists earn a median annual income of $55,649 compared to $46,702 for sociologists with an Bachelor's degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $55,649 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $46,702 |
| Doctorate Degree | $59,888 |
Sociologist employment statistics
Company size where sociologists work
Below, you can see the size of companies where sociologists work.
Sociologist jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 13% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 22% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 17% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 48% |
Sociologist jobs by industry
The most common industries for sociologists are education, non profits and professional.
Sociologist industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 33% |
| Non Profits | 21% |
| Professional | 13% |
| Start-up | 8% |
| Internet | 8% |
| Government | 4% |
| Media | 4% |
| Health Care | 4% |
| Technology | 4% |
Sociologist turnover and employment statistics
Sociologist unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for sociologists between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Sociologist unemployment rate by year
| Year | Sociologist 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 sociologist tenure
The average sociologist stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 107 sociologists resumes in Zippia's database.
Sociologist tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 17% |
| 1-2 years | 39% |
| 3-4 years | 15% |
| 5-7 years | 13% |
| 8-10 years | 8% |
| 11+ years | 8% |
Sociologist LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of sociologists 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 Adviser | 7.51% | 11,974 |
| Sociologist | 10.82% | - |
| Bilingual School Psychologist | 11.87% | 27,193 |
| Housing Grant Analyst | 13.00% | 3,715 |
| Testing Projects Administrator | 19.82% | 52,262 |
Similar sociologist jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Economic Adviser | 7.51% | 11,974 |
| Bilingual School Psychologist | 11.87% | 27,193 |
| Housing Grant Analyst | 13.00% | 3,715 |
| Testing Projects Administrator | 19.82% | 52,262 |
Foreign languages spoken by sociologists
The most common foreign language among sociologists is Spanish at 29.4%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is German at 11.8% and Amharic is the third-most popular at 11.8%.
- Spanish, 29.4%
- German, 11.8%
- Amharic, 11.8%
- Russian, 11.8%
- Swedish, 5.9%
- Other, 29.3%
Sociologist languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 29.4% |
| German | 11.8% |
| Amharic | 11.8% |
| Russian | 11.8% |
| Swedish | 5.9% |
| Other | 29.3% |