10 Job Opportunities for Sociology Majors (and How to Land One)

Does sociology have ample job opportunities? This is one of those majors with no set path after graduation, which can be scary as you’re planning to enter the workforce for the first time. The trade-off is that, yes, you’ll actually have a lot of flexibility in what you do with your degree and you can take your career in so many different directions.

“I was a first-generation college student and when I was about to graduate, that’s when my parents were like, ‘Wait, you’re majoring in what?’” says Cristina Rojas, an undergraduate advisor at the University of California, Berkeley, and one of the more than 3.8 million people in the workforce with a sociology degree. “It can feel a little daunting, but I think that if a student gives themselves permission to explore a major that they would enjoy and can excel at, there are a lot of skills that they’re going to gain in the process.”

While some sociology majors may go on to become sociologists or otherwise earn a master’s, doctorate, or law degree (as former First Lady Michelle Obama did), a bachelor’s in sociology has already taught you many relevant skills for a range of job opportunities and industries, from business to healthcare to education.

So, are there many job opportunities for sociology majors? Yes, check out these open jobs on The Muse to find the right one for you »

Sociology students study human behavior, social interaction, and the structures and groups (from individual families to religious communities to entire demographics) that make up society. In the process, they develop soft skills, which say more about how you think and work rather than what specific, technical knowledge you may have.

“Like a lot of liberal arts majors, it’s not like a set content knowledge that you’re learning,” says Muse career coach Jillian Lucas, a sociology graduate and founder of JML Career Coaching. “It’s more about teaching you these transferable skills and how to think and how to learn and there are so many applications for that.”

Sociology graduates usually have great interpersonal skills—such as teamwork, collaboration, and empathy—and an understanding of diversity and social dynamics because so much of their curriculum involves group work and learning about different contexts and cultures, Lucas says. Employers in almost any field appreciate candidates who can work well with others, whether it’s with your coworkers, clients, customers, or patients.

The major helps students gain written and verbal communication skills from writing reports, presenting findings, and making arguments in class. Students also learn how to use various research methods; how to gather and analyze data that’s qualitative (interviews, focus groups) and quantitative (surveys, statistics); and how to navigate the ethical issues involved in research. 

While a lot of these more technical skills prepare you for a career in sociology, knowing how to research, write, and present information is crucial in so many other jobs as well. This course of study “teaches you to read and synthesize information, to solve problems, and to see the bigger picture of the things that you’re working on,” says Erynn Masi de Casanova, director of research, professional development, and academic affairs at the American Sociological Association.

Here are 10 jobs for sociology majors you might consider pursuing—many of which don’t require any graduate-level education. Salary information comes from the compensation resource Payscale.