Career: Sociologists
Socio- comes from the Latin word socius, which means “companion.” As a sociologist, you’ll study people as companions, the ways in which they live, work, and play together.
You’ll also examine the problems, from family arguments at the dinner table to violent crime, that occur within groups. Your research might be used by governments and organizations that help people live and work together better.
Sociologists study people and the behavior within the social groups that they form. They also study social institutions such as religion and law.
Did You Know?
- Sociological research often includes demography. This is the study of populations based on statistics about them, such as age, race, and city of residence.
Are You Ready To...?
- Keep an open mind as you listen to a wide variety of people
- Spend time collecting, organizing, and interpreting facts and numbers
- Produce reports under tight deadlines
- Work with others
It Helps to Be...
Curious, observant, patient, self-motivated, and sensitive to others. Sociologists often do a lot of their research through interviews, so it helps to be a good listener.
Make High School Count
- Work hard in math and consider trying your hand at statistics, economics, and computers. Sociologists use a lot of number-based information in their research.
- Build strong writing and researching skills in English and history.
- Get a taste of a closely related social science by signing up for psychology.
- Work on the school newspaper to sharpen your writing and interviewing skills.
- Become a peer counselor at your school, or volunteer with a homeless shelter or another social service organization.
Did You Know?
- A great place for information about jobs and the latest trends in sociology is the American Sociological Association.
Outlook
Government economists expect jobs for sociologists to grow as fast as the average for all careers through 2016.
Although many professors are expected to retire in the coming years, university faculty jobs will still be very hard to come by -- there is so much competition for these positions. However, sociologists can find jobs in not-for-profit organizations and consulting firms, and in the business world.
Compensation
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates the average salary of sociologists was $75,460 in 2008.
