Sociology and Anthropology degree: salary, jobs & colleges
Bachelor's graduates in sociology and anthropology earn a median $48,940 four years after finishing, across 9 U.S. colleges. At ages 25-34, people whose degree is in sociology earn $55,839, $6,210 less than all bachelor's holders. The most common job is social workers, all other (3%).
Median across 9 colleges; middle half $43,982–$50,716.
College Scorecard field of study (graduates who received federal aid)
Middle half $36,661–$78,204. 5,511 survey respondents.
Census ACS 2020-2024 microdata; field "Sociology"; EducationGuide calculation
- All bachelor's, 25-34$62,049
- High school, 25-34$35,638
- This degree vs high school+$20,201/yr
Census ACS 2020-2024 microdata, workers not in school
Median across colleges reporting.
College Scorecard field of study
Jobs sociology and anthropology graduates hold
What employed 25-34-year-olds whose bachelor's is in sociology actually do, with U.S. wages and the outlook for each job. The first column comes from the Census survey; wages and growth from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
| Job | Share of graduates | U.S. median wage | Jobs growth 2025-35 | Typical entry | Interests |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Social Workers, All Other | 3% | $71,900 | +2.3% | Bachelor's degree | — |
| Elementary And Middle School Teachers | 3% | $64,170 | -0.4% | — | — |
| Other Managers | 3% | — | — | — | — |
| Customer Service Representatives | 3% | $44,770 | -5.3% | High school diploma or equivalent | CES |
| Human Resources Workers | 3% | $76,700 | +6.1% | — | — |
| Police Officers | 2% | $76,250 | +3.5% | — | — |
| First-Line Supervisors Of Retail Sales Workers | 2% | $48,520 | -3.7% | High school diploma or equivalent | ECS |
| Secretaries And Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, And Executive | 2% | $47,540 | -6.0% | High school diploma or equivalent | CES |
These 8 jobs account for 20% of employed graduates: people with this degree spread across many kinds of work.
Census ACS 2020-2024 microdata (ages 25-34, bachelor's as highest degree, employed); BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2025; BLS Employment Projections 2025-35; O*NET 31.0 interest codes (R realistic, I investigative, A artistic, S social, E enterprising, C conventional).
Sociology and Anthropology earnings by state
Two views of pay: recent graduates of the state's colleges four years out (College Scorecard), and everyone ages 25-34 living in the state with this field of degree (Census). States show a figure only with at least 3 colleges or 100 survey respondents.
| State | Graduates, 4 yrs (colleges) | Ages 25-34 (respondents) |
|---|---|---|
| California | — | $59,662 (1,444) |
| Colorado | — | $58,094 (147) |
| Florida | — | $53,625 (181) |
| Georgia | — | $52,473 (133) |
| Illinois | — | $50,762 (211) |
| Maryland | — | $61,101 (125) |
| Massachusetts | — | $71,068 (191) |
| New Jersey | — | $57,869 (168) |
| New York | — | $65,628 (445) |
| North Carolina | — | $50,794 (191) |
| Oregon | — | $51,325 (132) |
| Pennsylvania | — | $54,572 (141) |
| Texas | — | $53,808 (302) |
| Virginia | — | $60,855 (168) |
| Washington | — | $68,216 (176) |
College Scorecard field of study (median of each college's graduates); Census ACS 2020-2024 microdata; EducationGuide calculations.
Related degrees
Sociology and Anthropology degree questions
How much do Sociology and Anthropology graduates make?
Sociology and Anthropology graduates earn a median $48,940 four years after finishing, across 9 U.S. colleges that report it (the middle half of colleges: $43,982 to $50,716; College Scorecard, graduates who received federal aid). Among all workers ages 25-34 whose bachelor's degree is in sociology, the median is $55,839 (Census ACS 2020-2024).
Is a Sociology and Anthropology degree worth it?
At ages 25-34, people with a bachelor's in sociology earn a median $55,839: $6,210 less than all bachelor's degree holders ($62,049) and $20,201 more than high school graduates ($35,638). EducationGuide calculation from Census ACS 2020-2024 microdata, workers not in school.
What jobs do Sociology and Anthropology graduates get?
Among employed 25-34-year-olds whose bachelor's is in sociology, the most common jobs are social workers, all other (3%), elementary and middle school teachers (3%), other managers (3%). Social Workers, All Other earn a U.S. median $71,900.
Census field of degree matched to this major by EducationGuide (Sociology and Anthropology (CIP 2020) -> Sociology).
Sources: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard; U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey microdata; Bureau of Labor Statistics; O*NET 31.0 (U.S. Department of Labor, CC BY 4.0). Method
Data: JSON · Markdown · all degrees
Cite this: “Sociology and Anthropology degree: salary, jobs and colleges,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/degrees/sociology-and-anthropology.