Sociology Teachers, Postsecondary Salaries by State
Mean and median pay, wage percentiles, employment, and top-paying metro areas for sociology teachers, postsecondarys across the U.S. Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 (data.bls.gov OEWS tool /OESServices/combo/table, all-occupation crawl by area).
National mean salary $96,980 ≈ $47/hr
National median salary $84,290
Total employment 11,850 nationwide
Job Outlook, 2024–2034
Source: BLS Employment Projections 2024-2034.
Projected growth +2.1%
About as fast as average
Annual openings 1,100 per year (avg)
Employment 2024→2034 15,400 → 15,700 (+300)
Typical entry education Doctoral or professional degree
Salary Map
Brighter tiles = higher average pay; dashed tiles have no data. Click a state for details.
💰 Top 5 Highest-Paying States
- California$138,470
- Connecticut$121,980
- Delaware$120,960
- District of Columbia$120,640
- New Hampshire$118,270
📉 5 Lowest-Paying States
- Oklahoma$64,640
- South Dakota$71,260
- Montana$72,300
- Mississippi$72,690
- Florida$73,730
State Rankings
| # | State | Mean | Median | Hourly | vs. U.S. | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | $138,470 | $127,680 | $67 | +42.8% | 810 |
| 2 | Connecticut | $121,980 | $101,490 | $59 | +25.8% | 320 |
| 3 | Delaware | $120,960 | $123,710 | $58 | +24.7% | — |
| 4 | District of Columbia | $120,640 | $103,160 | $58 | +24.4% | 70 |
| 5 | New Hampshire | $118,270 | $112,890 | $57 | +22% | 40 |
| 6 | Massachusetts | $109,340 | $96,790 | $53 | +12.7% | 580 |
| 7 | New York | $108,130 | $97,540 | $52 | +11.5% | 1,130 |
| 8 | Maryland | $106,300 | $95,980 | $51 | +9.6% | 200 |
| 9 | Oregon | $106,090 | $101,960 | $51 | +9.4% | 150 |
| 10 | Wisconsin | $105,930 | $84,960 | $51 | +9.2% | 450 |
| 11 | Michigan | $104,910 | $102,870 | $50 | +8.2% | 370 |
| 12 | Georgia | $102,250 | $84,330 | $49 | +5.4% | 230 |
| 13 | Utah | $101,830 | $99,350 | $49 | +5% | 70 |
| 14 | Pennsylvania | $97,760 | $99,660 | $47 | +0.8% | 440 |
| 15 | Nevada | $94,230 | $87,480 | $45 | -2.8% | 100 |
| 16 | Minnesota | $94,000 | $87,340 | $45 | -3.1% | 240 |
| 17 | Indiana | $93,760 | $79,880 | $45 | -3.3% | 290 |
| 18 | Idaho | $92,560 | $84,140 | $45 | -4.6% | 50 |
| 19 | Iowa | $92,520 | $81,910 | $44 | -4.6% | 140 |
| 20 | Missouri | $91,990 | $77,800 | $44 | -5.1% | 100 |
| 21 | Kansas | $91,310 | $78,630 | $44 | -5.8% | 110 |
| 22 | Arizona | $90,330 | $78,430 | $43 | -6.9% | 230 |
| 23 | Illinois | $90,030 | $82,610 | $43 | -7.2% | 440 |
| 24 | New Mexico | $89,920 | $77,740 | $43 | -7.3% | 50 |
| 25 | Maine | $89,440 | $76,010 | $43 | -7.8% | 80 |
| 26 | Texas | $89,210 | $81,220 | $43 | -8% | 1,040 |
| 27 | Vermont | $89,170 | $87,620 | $43 | -8.1% | 40 |
| 28 | Louisiana | $88,580 | $83,700 | $43 | -8.7% | 80 |
| 29 | New Jersey | $86,430 | $78,350 | $42 | -10.9% | 550 |
| 30 | Colorado | $86,390 | $78,630 | $42 | -10.9% | 220 |
| 31 | Washington | $86,360 | $83,140 | $42 | -11% | 200 |
| 32 | Virginia | $85,930 | $78,120 | $41 | -11.4% | 400 |
| 33 | North Carolina | $82,130 | $76,430 | $39 | -15.3% | 550 |
| 34 | Tennessee | $81,160 | $77,370 | $39 | -16.3% | 190 |
| 35 | West Virginia | $80,160 | $77,380 | $39 | -17.3% | 60 |
| 36 | Ohio | $79,910 | $79,690 | $38 | -17.6% | 550 |
| 37 | Alabama | $79,890 | $73,670 | $38 | -17.6% | 210 |
| 38 | Arkansas | $79,820 | $62,390 | $38 | -17.7% | 30 |
| 39 | Kentucky | $76,880 | $61,260 | $37 | -20.7% | 150 |
| 40 | South Carolina | $76,570 | $78,410 | $37 | -21% | 120 |
| 41 | Nebraska | $75,740 | $76,230 | $36 | -21.9% | 70 |
| 42 | Florida | $73,730 | $63,470 | $35 | -24% | 230 |
| 43 | Mississippi | $72,690 | $70,860 | $35 | -25% | 90 |
| 44 | Montana | $72,300 | $75,880 | $35 | -25.4% | 30 |
| 45 | South Dakota | $71,260 | $64,210 | $34 | -26.5% | 40 |
| 46 | Oklahoma | $64,640 | $64,900 | $31 | -33.3% | 120 |
Top-Paying Metro Areas
Highest median pay among 75 metro areas.
| # | Metro area | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $157,630 | $161,030 | 70 |
| 2 | San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $141,950 | $147,450 | 110 |
| 3 | San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $132,930 | $141,910 | 50 |
| 4 | Madison, WI | $132,640 | $146,900 | 80 |
| 5 | Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $128,010 | $142,360 | 280 |
| 6 | Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $127,480 | $121,540 | 70 |
| 7 | San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $120,570 | $132,970 | 60 |
| 8 | College Station-Bryan, TX | $114,030 | $114,320 | 50 |
| 9 | Lansing-East Lansing, MI | $111,290 | $113,940 | 50 |
| 10 | Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $104,090 | $105,120 | 120 |
Pay by Industry
Highest-paying industries employing sociology teachers, postsecondarys (BLS OEWS, by median).
| # | Industry | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools, Local Government Owned | $105,770 | $132,860 | 450 |
| 2 | Educational Services, Local Government Owned | $96,480 | $103,300 | 2,150 |
| 3 | Local Government, including Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) | $96,480 | $103,300 | 2,150 |
| 4 | Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools | $85,030 | $99,170 | 9,150 |
| 5 | Federal, State, and Local Government, including State and Local Schools and Hospitals and USPS | $84,570 | $96,770 | 8,150 |
| 6 | Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools, State Government Owned | $84,490 | $97,110 | 5,050 |
| 7 | Educational Services | $84,290 | $96,980 | 11,850 |
| 8 | Cross-Industry, Private, Federal, State, and Local | $84,290 | $96,980 | 11,850 |
| 9 | Sector 61 - Educational Services | $84,290 | $96,980 | 11,850 |
| 10 | Junior Colleges, Local Government Owned | $84,050 | $95,480 | 1,690 |
| 11 | Educational Services, State Government Owned | $83,920 | $94,430 | 6,010 |
| 12 | State Government, including Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) | $83,920 | $94,430 | 6,010 |
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do sociology teachers, postsecondary make in the U.S.?
The median sociology teachers, postsecondary salary in the United States is $84,290 per year (mean $96,980), and about 80% earn between $49,930 and $160,140.
How much do sociology teachers, postsecondary make per hour?
Roughly $47 per hour, based on a mean annual wage of $96,980 and 2,080 work hours per year.
Which state pays sociology teachers, postsecondary the most?
California has the highest average pay for sociology teachers, postsecondary at $138,470 per year (median $127,680).
What is the job outlook for sociology teachers, postsecondary?
Employment is projected to change +2.1% from 2024 to 2034 (About as fast as average), with about 1,100 openings per year.
What People Search
Common U.S. search queries related to this occupation.
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