Career Overview
Teach courses in sociology. Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of teaching and research.
Also Known As
- Assistant Professor
- Professor
- Sociology Instructor
- Sociology Professor
Alternate Job Titles
- Adjunct Instructor
- Adjunct Professor
- Adjunct Sociology Professor
- Assistant Professor
- Associate Professor
- College Faculty Member
- College Professor
- Comparative Sociology Professor
- Faculty Member
- Instructor
- Lecturer
- Marriage and Family Teacher
- Professor
- Race Relations Professor
- Social Organization Professor
What You'll Do
In this role, your typical responsibilities include:
- Evaluate and grade students' class work, assignments, and papers.
- Initiate, facilitate, and moderate classroom discussions.
- Compile, administer, and grade examinations, or assign this work to others.
- Prepare and deliver lectures to undergraduate or graduate students on topics such as race and ethnic relations, measurement and data collection, and workplace social relations.
- Prepare course materials, such as syllabi, homework assignments, and handouts.
- Keep abreast of developments in the field by reading current literature, talking with colleagues, and participating in professional conferences.
- Conduct research in a particular field of knowledge and publish findings in professional journals, books, or electronic media.
Emerging Responsibilities
As this field evolves, you may also:
- Give presentations to community groups.
- Review manuscripts.
- Write letters of recommendation for students.
Knowledge You'll Use
You'll need solid knowledge in these areas:
- English Language
- Sociology and Anthropology
- Education and Training
- Computers and Electronics
- History and Archeology
- Psychology
Essential Skills
Success in this career requires strong skills in:
- Speaking
- Reading Comprehension
- Active Listening
- Writing
- Learning Strategies
- Instructing
- Critical Thinking
- Monitoring
- Active Learning
- Social Perceptiveness
Key Abilities
This career requires key abilities in:
- Oral Expression
- Oral Comprehension
- Inductive Reasoning
- Written Comprehension
- Speech Clarity
- Written Expression
- Deductive Reasoning
- Near Vision
- Speech Recognition
- Information Ordering
Work Style
People who excel in this career typically demonstrate:
- Intellectual Curiosity
- Dependability
- Social Orientation
- Achievement Orientation
- Integrity
What Matters in This Career
This career tends to satisfy these work values:
- Achievement
- Independence
- Recognition
- Relationships
- Working Conditions
Education & Preparation
Typical Education: Doctoral Degree
Related Work Experience Needed: Over 2 years, up to and including 4 years
On-the-Job Training: None or short demonstration
Education Details: Most of these occupations require graduate school. For example, they may require a master's degree, and some require a Ph.D., M.D., or J.D. (law degree).
Experience Required: Extensive skill, knowledge, and experience are needed for these occupations. Many require more than five years of experience. For example, surgeons must complete four years of college and an additional five to seven years of specialized medical training to be able to do their job.
Technology You'll Use
Popular Technologies & Software
- Google Docs
- IBM SPSS Statistics
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Office software
- Microsoft Outlook
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- Microsoft Word
- R
- SAS
- The MathWorks MATLAB
Tools & Equipment
- Compact digital cameras
- Compact disk CD players
- Computer data input scanners
- Computer laser printers
- Computer projectors
- Conference telephones
- Desktop computers
- Digital calculators
- Digital video cameras
- Digital video disk DVD players
- Document scanners
- Handheld microphones
- Interactive whiteboard controllers
- Interactive whiteboards
- Laptop computers
Work Environment
- Freedom to Make Decisions
- Determine Tasks, Priorities and Goals
- Indoors, Environmentally Controlled
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
Salary & Job Market
| Salary Percentile | Annual Wage |
|---|---|
| Entry-Level (10th percentile) | $49,330 |
| Median | $82,540 |
| Top Earners (90th percentile) | $167,240 |
Workers Employed Nationally: 12,380
Related Careers
If you're interested in this career, you might also consider:
Anthropology and Archeology Teachers, Postsecondary
Education: Doctoral Degree
Median Salary: $95,770
Psychology Teachers, Postsecondary
Education: Doctoral Degree
Median Salary: $80,330
Political Science Teachers, Postsecondary
Education: Doctoral Degree
Median Salary: $94,680
Area, Ethnic, and Cultural Studies Teachers, Postsecondary
Education: Doctoral Degree
Median Salary: $84,290
Social Work Teachers, Postsecondary
Education: Doctoral Degree
Median Salary: $76,210
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Occupational data sourced from the O*NET OnLine database, developed by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration. Wage data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), 2024.