Sociology Career Center

Sociology careers can include a diverse range of occupations that sociology degree holders are well positioned to pursue after graduation. The wide choice of careers that are available to sociology degree holders can be a benefit for those who have a lot of interests and like a lot of options. One of the most common careers for graduates of a sociology degree program is in the field of social work. Other common career paths include working in the fields of business, criminal justice, health, education, or government. Sociology graduates are good candidates for jobs that require strong research skills, analytical thinking, and an understanding of the factors that influence group behavior.

Career Outlook

Due to the wide range of potential career paths that sociology graduates pursue, the outlook is highly varied and dependent on the economy and job demand in certain career fields. Social worker hiring is projected to be faster than average with 16 percent growth between 2008 and 2018. Due to government budget reductions job demand in government, education, and law enforcement may be temporarily slow but opportunities still exist and a degree can give you a strong edge in the job market compared to those without a degree. Healthcare jobs are expected to grow the fastest of any industry between 2008-2018 with a projected 3.2 million new jobs according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Additional Resources about Sociology Careers

Sociologists Career Profile at Bureau of Labor Statistics

Social Worker Jobs Board – Find job opportunities in social work in your state with our jobs board that is updated daily.

Social Worker Career Interviews – Read our career interviews with 9 social workers.

USAJOBS – The official jobs site of the federal government.

American Sociological Association – The national organization for sociologists.

National Association of Social Workers – The largest organization for social workers in the world.

Page edited by Charles Sipe.