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Job outlook for sociology research assistants in the United States
Sociology research assistant job and salary trends over time
Sociology research assistant jobs over time
Sociology research assistant job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 19 | 0.00% |
| 2020 | 23 | 0.00% |
| 2019 | 24 | 0.00% |
| 2018 | 23 | 0.00% |
| 2017 | 21 | 0.00% |
Average sociology research assistant salary over time
Sociology research assistant salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $59,218 | $28.47 | +3.6% |
| 2025 | $57,172 | $27.49 | +1.9% |
| 2024 | $56,125 | $26.98 | +1.4% |
| 2023 | $55,355 | $26.61 | +6.5% |
| 2022 | $51,973 | $24.99 | +1.7% |
Sociology research assistant jobs by state
Most common states for sociology research assistants
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vermont | 623,657 | 96 | 15% |
| 2 | Oregon | 4,142,776 | 565 | 14% |
| 3 | Rhode Island | 1,059,639 | 153 | 14% |
| 4 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 95 | 14% |
| 5 | New Hampshire | 1,342,795 | 173 | 13% |
| 6 | Massachusetts | 6,859,819 | 856 | 12% |
| 7 | Minnesota | 5,576,606 | 646 | 12% |
| 8 | Colorado | 5,607,154 | 610 | 11% |
| 9 | South Dakota | 869,666 | 96 | 11% |
| 10 | California | 39,536,653 | 3,774 | 10% |
| 11 | Pennsylvania | 12,805,537 | 1,331 | 10% |
| 12 | Delaware | 961,939 | 101 | 10% |
| 13 | New Jersey | 9,005,644 | 824 | 9% |
| 14 | Virginia | 8,470,020 | 801 | 9% |
| 15 | Utah | 3,101,833 | 282 | 9% |
| 16 | Nebraska | 1,920,076 | 182 | 9% |
| 17 | New Mexico | 2,088,070 | 180 | 9% |
| 18 | Maine | 1,335,907 | 114 | 9% |
| 19 | Wyoming | 579,315 | 53 | 9% |
| 20 | Illinois | 12,802,023 | 999 | 8% |
Sociology Research Assistant job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of sociology research assistant experts
University of Texas at Austin
Seattle University
Adelphi University
Adelphi University
New Mexico State University
University of Wisconsin – La Crosse
Denison University
Eastern Washington University
The University of New Mexico
Adelphi University
Kansas State University
Swarthmore College
North Central College
What Sociology Research Assistant skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Autumn Mathias Ph.D., LCSW: My general advice for undergraduate students majoring in sociology would be to begin thinking
(as early as possible) about how studying sociology might prepare you for different careers.
Explore resources online, including the websites of professional organizations such as the
American Sociological Association and the Society for the Study of Social Problems, and
occupational outlook data provided by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. In addition, I would advise
students to speak with their academic advisors, professors, and their college/university career
services personnel about their specific interests, strengths, and opportunities to further develop
various transferable skills throughout (and beyond) their college career. For some students, this
may mean taking certain electives (such as those geared towards maximizing research skills),
and/or adding a minor or a second major. This can also include internships and other experiential
learning opportunities. In addition, students should think about which subfields of sociology
interest them most, and how they see themselves applying their knowledge in a specific field.
Some subfields include urban sociology, medical sociology, political sociology, global and
transnational sociology, law and crime, social inequality, collective behavior, economic
sociology, environmental sociology, and the sociology of education. Sociology students develop
knowledge and skills that are valuable to several fields, including education, legal assistance,
business, public relations, human services/social work, government, public health, urban
planning, criminal justice, market and/or user experience research, and administration. Sociology
students learn to apply a historically and theoretically grounded lens to understanding human
behavior, social institutions, and the interactions between various actors in society across
national and cultural contexts. In addition, they develop both qualitative and quantitative
research skills and are uniquely positioned to apply these skills in a variety of roles to find
solutions to social problems. Accordingly, they are encouraged to develop both cultural humility
and cultural competence, which is critical for promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion in any
professional setting. As a result, sociology graduates may pursue jobs including (but not limited
to) the following: research assistant at a non-profit organization, probation officer, community
health worker, residential counselor, case manager, legislative aide, policy analyst, and user
experience researcher for a corporation.
In terms of job searching, I would recommend consulting with professors, advisors, and your
college/university's career services office on the best strategies for highlighting your transferable
skills and tailoring your resume and cover letter to specific job postings. Many organizations
utilize AI to review and narrow down job application materials before they are even reviewed by
human eyes. Also, I would encourage graduates to keep an open mind as they search job postings
as their knowledge and skills can be applied in a variety of settings. Additionally, students may
think about whether or not their long-term career goals require a graduate degree. Some
employers offer tuition reimbursement for graduate education.
What will help Sociology Research Assistants increase their earning potential?
Autumn Mathias Ph.D., LCSW: I think it is important for graduates to look at projections on the Bureau of Labor Statistics
website and to conduct general research on the state of certain industries at the time of
graduation. For instance, the tech industry is currently very saturated; some people who started
positions as user experience researchers just a few years ago were laid off. Individuals who have
years of experience in these positions will then have an advantage in securing new positions.
That being said, I believe that quantitative research skills in particular are advantageous for many
positions. This includes attaining coding skills and learning coding languages such as Python, R,
and Java.
In addition to the tech industry, the higher education market for individuals with a Master's
degree or PhD in sociology for tenure-track, full-time assistant professor positions in sociology
proves to remain highly competitive, as there are far more graduates than full-time positions.
That being said, some Master's programs emphasize an applied focus that prepares students for a
variety of research and evaluation positions.
In relation to research skills focused on data collection and analysis, sociology majors develop
writing and presentation skills that are crucial to success in any field. Also, the major's emphasis
on a critical global perspective along with cultural humility, cultural competence, empathy, and
overall interpersonal skills are sought-after skills in many fields. For instance, the U.S. is
experiencing a serious shortage of mental health professionals. Although some mental health
positions require a bachelor's or Master's degree in social work, others are also open to
individuals with a bachelor's degree in sociology or psychology.
Mary Neuburger
Director, Center for Russian, East European and Eurasian StudiesUniversity of Texas at Austin
Slavic, Baltic And Albanian Languages, Literatures, And Linguistics
What general advice would you give to a Sociology Research Assistant?
Mary Neuburger: Network as much as possible, online (LinkedIn or social media) and at events related to Russian studies or policy. These tend to be open to the public at most large er universities and some smaller. Attend, ask good questions, and introduce yourself to people. Make sure you highlight all of the skills you have gained on your CV-include projects in courses, extracurricular activities, study abroad etc.
What Sociology Research Assistant skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Mary Neuburger: Language skills are always important, as well as research skills, and experience working on team projects. I also think deep interdisciplinary knowledge of Russia and its sphere of influence will continue to be important, as well as teachnical skills and knowledge of the information environment-and especially disinformation. UT Austin has a new Global Disinformation Lab, in which study of Russian disinformation (among other things) is carried out.
Harriet Phinney Ph.D.
Associate ProfessorSeattle University
Department of Anthropology and Sociology
What skills stand out on Sociology Research Assistant resumes?
Harriet Phinney Ph.D.: Understanding human diversity, Difference is viewed not as an obstacle but as an opportunity for generating new ideas, etc.
What soft skills should all Sociology Research Assistants possess?
Harriet Phinney Ph.D.: Understanding human diversity, effective communication (speaking and writing: the ability to convey complex ideas respectfully to a diverse audience) across differences, adept at working in groups, yet also independent thinkers.
What skills will help Sociology Research Assistants earn the most?
Harriet Phinney Ph.D.: Anthropologists are analysts and researchers with sharp thinking skills who have the ability to collect, manage, evaluate, and interpret large volumes of data on human behavior.
Lea Theodore Ph.D.
Director, School PsychologyAdelphi University
School Psychology and Institute for Parenting and Postgraduate Certificates in Infant, Child, & Adolescent Psychotherapy
What soft skills should all Sociology Research Assistants possess?
Lea Theodore Ph.D.: The ability to have respectful communication with people in all roles: directors, supervisors, research participants, peers, and project staff. A 360-degree evaluation would show that everyone agrees that the candidate can be a good fit.
What hard/technical skills are most important for Sociology Research Assistants?
Lea Theodore Ph.D.: Statistical knowledge, assessment skills, knowledge of statistical software (SPSS)
Joaniko Kohchi MPhil, LCSW, IECMH-E®
Director of the Institute for ParentingAdelphi University
School Psychology and Institute for Parenting and Postgraduate Certificates in Infant, Child, & Adolescent Psychotherapy
What skills will help Sociology Research Assistants earn the most?
Joaniko Kohchi MPhil, LCSW, IECMH-E®: Entrepreneurship, creativity, initiative, integrity, perseverance, effective listening skills, good interpersonal skills, adaptability, and flexibility.
Dr. David LoConto Ph.D.
Professor of Sociology, Interim Department HeadNew Mexico State University
Department of Sociology
What skills stand out on Sociology Research Assistant resumes?
Dr. David LoConto Ph.D.: Typically, especially now, would be proficiency in statistical analyses-specifically carried out in SPSS or R. Students also can develop a survey instrument and interview schedules. They can orchestrate several methodologies, including participant observation, historical analyses, focus groups, and a host of other skills. And they can understand human behavior to contextualize events and frame what is occurring.
What soft skills should all Sociology Research Assistants possess?
Dr. David LoConto Ph.D.: These days in the job market, the abilities, as mentioned previously, to understand human behavior, contextualize events, and frame what is occurring. The problems that STEM students have now are designing products for humans but do not have that training. Our students are trained to understand humans at the state, institutional, organizational, group, and individual levels in sociology. This allows our students to find jobs if they desire to gain employment in STEM fields and data analytics in general.
What hard/technical skills are most important for Sociology Research Assistants?
Dr. David LoConto Ph.D.: Increasingly, we see that the hard skills, due to technology changing so fast, become antiquated quickly. Employees must be retrained yearly or every other year. Therefore, the hard skills have lost some value. We provide our students the opportunity to learn not only statistical packages like SPSS and R, but they have the opportunity to do computational research, textual analysis, and data visualization. This provides our students the opportunity to learn skills they can apply to STEM fields, but our students have the bonus of understanding human behavior. Something that in the workforce is rarely taught.
What skills will help Sociology Research Assistants earn the most?
Dr. David LoConto Ph.D.: The hard skills at this point provide the most earning potential, but we are finding now that the soft skills that are learned in the social sciences, specifically here, Sociology, provide an avenue that has higher earning potential.
What technical skills for a Sociology Research Assistant stand out to employers?
Shelly Lesher: Employers value our graduates for their ability to independently solve complex problems, whether in or out of the lab. This skill has not and will not change regardless of instructional mode.
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Sociology Research Assistants?
Shiri Noy Ph.D.: This is an interesting question to think about, but because I'm not a labor market scholar I don't want to speculate on that aspect. However, I think the pandemic will have an enduring impact on all of us, and our societies. Many students and graduates will have had a very different experience in college than their counterparts in years past. Then there are the economic, familial, social impacts. As a sociologist, this is a time of a lot of social change, not just in terms of the pandemic but politics, social justice, the economy, among others, and it's a lot for everyone to handle. However, I also think that the pandemic has shown the importance of so many competencies: the medical advances and development of vaccines has been wonderful and awe-inspiring. We are also seeing great challenges with logistics of vaccine distribution, promoting preventative and protective behaviors, and issues of equity and access, which require careful consideration and planning. These are things that students trained in Sociology and the social sciences are well-equipped to engage with: the social and institutional challenges. Further, these graduates will already have so much practice and experience in so many skills that employers value: mastery over digital tools, professional communication in online formats, engagement with varied technologies, remote teamwork, and so much more, in that way they are so prepared for the world ahead of them! Particularly at Denison University, where I teach and work, students leave with a well-rounded liberal arts education, that treats them not only as students, but as whole people, and prepares them to meet the world in its full complexity: working across disciplines, skill sets, competencies, and approaches.
What soft skills should all Sociology Research Assistants possess?
Shiri Noy Ph.D.: I am not particularly fond of the term "soft skills" since it's often gendered and I think in a lot of ways is not easily distinguishable from so-called "hard" or technical skills. However, I think that what people mean when they talk about soft skills is deeply important: communication, time management, organization, teamwork, approaches to problem-solving, etc. This affects not just how effectively you can use your "hard" skills, but also about communicating your work and ideas to your peers and supervisors. What good is technical knowledge if you don't know how to approach a problem critically, from diverse vantages, and while being open to feedback and others' ideas when you hit a dead end? In this way, and especially in today's world, I think patience and communication are key. With a liberal arts education our Denison University students are used to having to approach a topic from different lenses and perspectives, and work and learn from diverse peers, Professors, and community members. In this way, they have experience with clearly communicating their ideas but also with different ways of thinking about and approaching both practical and theoretical problems. No one will know every technology, system, and skill they will encounter in their first job, so what's most important is knowing how to learn--this means knowing yourself but also knowing how to ask for help, communicate challenges, and be willing to adapt!
What Sociology Research Assistant skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Terrance MacMullan Ph.D.: I took a gap year after college. When I started undergrad I wanted to be a lawyer. I majored in philosophy (which, contrary to misconceptions, is the single best performing major for graduate school placement tests like the GRE or LSAT and have much higher-than-average employment rates and salaries after 10 years) to prepare me for law school. Then my dad got cancer and died after a terrible 6-month fight. In my last few conversations with him, he told me not to do what everyone else expects me to do and to instead create a life that is meaningful. I sent rejection letters back to the law schools that had accepted me (nearly giving my poor mother a heart-attack!) and then waited tables in D.C. for a year while I researched PhD programs in Philosophy and applied to schools that interested me. Seven years later I got the job that I have grown into over the last 20 years teaching philosophy at a regional state university. I would have made more money as a lawyer. I doubt I would have been as fulfilled. I would not have had the time to readjust my trajectory without that gap year.
So to answer your question, I would tell students to feel free to take a gap year if they are anything less than absolutely committed to clear path towards a life that holds meaning for them. If they take a gap year I would encourage them to do whatever they can to not incur pointless debt. I would then encourage them to look at a gap year not so much as a year to develop skills so much as a year to take stock of what they want to become. If that is to work in a particular industry, then find people 5 or 10 years ahead of you in that industry and ask them their advice. Finally, I think we, as a civilization, are returning to older ways of understanding ourselves. The idea that a person is just a vessel for marketable skills and that a human being's purpose is to sell themselves on a labor market is a very, very recent one. It is also unsustainable, both in terms of the environment and the fact that productivity has become detached from wages, so that now the overwhelming majority of people are working more but making less in terms of spending power. Younger people will have to live in a world that is witnessing the shortcomings of globalization's promise that never came to pass and an environment that is crumbling under the weight of a consumer-focused civilization. They will need to figure out new ways to live, not just fit themselves into a waning system. So they should use that gap year to figure out what kind of person they want to be and what kind of world they want to live in and find a way to make it come to pass.
What general advice would you give to a Sociology Research Assistant?
Terrance MacMullan Ph.D.: On the practical level, don't incur meaningless debt! If you start a degree, commit to finishing it no matter what! Even if you don't get a job in that field, studies consistently show that degrees offer a good ROI over time, but only if the debt results in a degree!
On a personal level, realize that not every generation (or person, or race, or gender) has the same opportunities, and Millennials and Gen-Zs pretty much drew the short straw in terms of generations. In the 1950's and 1960's a year's worth of tuition could be covered by flipping burgers for a summer. If you tried that now, you'd have to flip burgers for a decade to save up enough for college! When Boomers were young, they benefited from public spending on services at the highest rate in human history. Wages were so high they could often buy a house after high school! As you know, the world is radically different now. So don't get down on yourself. Don't measure yourself according to older generations. And don't think that your purpose in life is to work for the sake of working for someone else. Money is important, but only as a means to some other end. If you don't know what that end is, you will never be happy. We are meant to work, but in ways and towards purposes that are meaningful. So you aren't starting your career: you are continuing your life. You will be able to work harder and with greater rewards if you find (or make) work that pulls you in, rather than work you need to push yourself to do.
What skills stand out on Sociology Research Assistant resumes?
Emma Trentman Ph.D.: Communication (especially in multilingual settings), innovation, and flexibility--these are often hard to commodify as skills, so it is important for employers and prospective employees to understand the many ways in which they can be demonstrated.
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Sociology Research Assistant job market given the pandemic?
Brian Wygal: For students graduating in the next few years, the pandemic has clearly altered the job market and will further shift research and priorities of companies, governments, and our society. Public health, and similar specializations like medical anthropology, will obviously in high demand. Likewise, we are entering a period of racial reckoning so employers will be looking to create "anti-racist" institutions and workspaces. Students with a background in the social sciences, including anthropology, already know the importance of fostering and supporting cultural and biological diversity. The difficulty will also be translating those skills into a narrative prospective employers understand. They want to know, what will you bring to their table.
Your skills should be useful in HR departments, research and development, state and local governments, and many other sectors of our economy. The secret is, find those entry level positions, volunteer, and network so that you can better learn what types of jobs you qualify for and would enjoy. Remember that most opportunities are not labeled specifically for "anthropologists", so you need to find these spaces and figure out how the employer can benefit from the skills you have. That includes an ability to research, analyze, think critically, and write articulately. Skills that are still in high demand and not easily replaced by robots or computers.
What Sociology Research Assistant skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Brian Wygal: Many things you can do without enrolling in college can improve your chances on the job market. For example, train yourself in the use of ArcGIS or Q. Having Geographic Information Systems (GIS) skills is highly marketable skillset for many sectors that hire graduates in anthropology. You can also learn R or other similar statistical programs that can bolster your research and analyses skills. Of course, anthropology is about people, so projects or volunteer opportunities that facilitate community building are excellent ways to help the people around you and build your experience portfolio. Giving back or studying social processes in a way that can help improve people's lives is a great place to start applying your anthropological knowledge. Whatever you do, do not spend your gap year playing video games in your parent's basement. You really need to work toward a set of goals. That could be writing an article for your local newspaper or a popular website or volunteering at a nearby clinic or shelter. Also remember, there is really no replacement for college credentials so not finishing those degrees will not serve you well in the future market.
What general advice would you give to a Sociology Research Assistant?
Brian Wygal: For students graduating with a degree in the social sciences the job market is always a bit tricky. Fortunately, anthropology and similar disciplines prepare students with technical and social skills useful for navigating difficult terrain-and these skills do not go out of date. First, if you are interested in pursuing a research or teaching position, then obviously graduate school is the necessary choice. However, many of my students chose to enter the workforce following their undergraduate degree. With an archaeological field school or other technical training (like GIS) under your belt and a willingness to move around, recent graduates can almost always find entry level jobs as a field technicians, conducing survey, or excavation work with private sector consulting firms. This is also true of certain environmental sectors. A better route would be to secure an internship with federal or state government agency to begin building job experience but this strategy is easier as a current student rather than after graduating so keep this in mind during your junior and senior years. Try applying specifically to planning departments or a nearby NGO to use your skills working with maps or conducting research. Clearly, there is a lot of funding right now for public health departments and there may soon be funding for climate change related fields. With recent reductions in work forces and shrinking budgets, look to economies of the future like preparation work related to solar panel or wind farm installations and support sites.
Above all, follow your passion. Eventually a niche you love will open up and you'll find your place. The world needs anthropologists now more than ever before. Remember that anthropology is ultimately about helping people. Find the best way for you to be contribute and eventually a professional path will emerge.
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Sociology Research Assistant job market given the pandemic?
Michael Krysko: Graduate Students: When it comes to graduate education, references to the job market often means the academic job market. Here, I believe the pandemic accelerated existing trends: severe budgetary pressures, especially at state institutions, contributed to a decline in the number of tenure-track positions with many programs choosing to rely more heavily on more poorly compensated adjunct and term instructors, who often teach more for less pay and benefits. The pandemic, of course, has compounded and intensified the existing and already severe fiscal woes at so many colleges and universities (including at my own institution), and I would only expect a continuation and acceleration of that trend. Indeed, given that the pandemic has also had the effect of depressing enrollments, I would assume that even as tenure-track positions are eliminated there will also be fewer adjunct and term instructor positions to be filled as well. None of this is specific to those focusing on topics with an international relations element, though, but certainly applies to such students.
Undergraduates: I am not really in a position to speak about trends in the job market given the pandemic as it pertains to our undergraduates for two reasons. 1) Our undergraduates are not separated out by interest in international relations vs other areas of interest; 2) undergraduate history majors are not necessarily pigeon-holed into select markets. The advice I give to incoming students is that the history degree is not just one for teaching history/social studies and that the skillset of critical thinking, analytical writing, and argumentation based on evidence are skills that apply to any number of jobs and professions. I often point them to a piece published by the American Historical Association in 2017 called "History is not a Useless Major" (Historians!), which shows the wide array of positions and professions history majors get after graduation in which teaching positions are not necessarily the dominant landing spot, but that history majors have great success in landing positions in business, management, and the law (to name a few). Once again, this is not specific to undergraduates who might be interested in international relations type topics. Positions for historians/analysts in the State Department, Defense Department or Central Intelligence Agency are also options I have long suggested to students, and would continue to do so going forward in our pandemic world. To the extent that reports of career officers in these agencies have been demoralized and left their jobs during the previous presidential administration are valid, one might speculate that such positions could become available offer viable landing spot for recent graduates as a new administration takes over (pure speculation on my part, as I have no numbers on hand about how many people left and what effect that might have on filling new entry level positions).
What general advice would you give to a Sociology Research Assistant?
Hansjakob Werlen Ph.D.: If your degree is not in a particular high-demand field, such as computer science or organic chemistry, consider positions that, while not exactly matching the field of your degree (e.g. in management, health care), provide job opportunities where strong language and writing skills are in demand while the specifics of the position can be learned. Make full use of the advantage your fluency in a foreign language gives you. Even a cursory look at job advertisements by German international companies shows that verbal and written knowledge of German is a prerequisite for being hired.
What skills stand out on Sociology Research Assistant resumes?
Dr. Jelena Sanchez Ph.D.: Currently, multilingual skills shine bright in resumes. Finally, the pandemic reality will validate the global currency of languages.
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for Sociology Research Assistants to find work opportunities?
Dr. Jelena Sanchez Ph.D.: The pandemic has blurred geographical boundaries. A successful bilingual graduate today will find access to the global employment from their computer at home anywhere in the world.