Salary Range & Percentiles
Pay distribution across experience levels
- 10th Percentile — Entry Level$65,160
- 25th Percentile — Junior$82,300
- 50th Percentile — Median$106,030
- 75th Percentile — Senior$137,420
- 90th Percentile — Top Earners$172,550
The top 10% of Sociologists earn $172,550 or more per year. Entry-level professionals can expect to start around $65,160, with significant growth over the first 5 years.
Salary by State
Geographic salary comparison
| State | Avg Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|
| Hawaii (est.) | $178,126 | +55.0% |
| District of Columbia (est.) | $174,678 | +52.0% |
| New York (est.) | $158,590 | +38.0% |
| New Jersey (est.) | $147,098 | +28.0% |
| Illinois | $143,940 | +25.3% |
| Connecticut (est.) | $140,202 | +22.0% |
| Rhode Island (est.) | $132,158 | +15.0% |
| New Hampshire (est.) | $131,009 | +14.0% |
| North Carolina | $129,740 | +12.9% |
| Oregon (est.) | $128,710 | +12.0% |
| Colorado (est.) | $126,412 | +10.0% |
| Virginia (est.) | $126,412 | +10.0% |
| Vermont (est.) | $124,114 | +8.0% |
| Massachusetts | $123,460 | +7.4% |
| California | $123,090 | +7.1% |
| Kentucky | $121,880 | +6.1% |
| Delaware (est.) | $120,666 | +5.0% |
| Maine (est.) | $117,218 | +2.0% |
| Nevada (est.) | $117,218 | +2.0% |
| Minnesota (est.) | $114,920 | +0.0% |
| Utah (est.) | $114,920 | +0.0% |
| Arizona (est.) | $113,771 | -1.0% |
| Pennsylvania (est.) | $113,771 | -1.0% |
| Montana (est.) | $109,174 | -5.0% |
| Texas (est.) | $109,174 | -5.0% |
| Georgia (est.) | $106,876 | -7.0% |
| Idaho (est.) | $106,876 | -7.0% |
| Wyoming (est.) | $106,876 | -7.0% |
| North Dakota (est.) | $105,726 | -8.0% |
| Wisconsin (est.) | $105,726 | -8.0% |
| Michigan | $105,120 | -8.5% |
| Washington | $103,430 | -10.0% |
| Louisiana (est.) | $101,130 | -12.0% |
| Nebraska (est.) | $101,130 | -12.0% |
| New Mexico (est.) | $101,130 | -12.0% |
| South Carolina (est.) | $101,130 | -12.0% |
| Tennessee (est.) | $101,130 | -12.0% |
| Maryland | $100,930 | -12.2% |
| Alaska | $100,910 | -12.2% |
| Alabama (est.) | $99,980 | -13.0% |
| Missouri (est.) | $99,980 | -13.0% |
| South Dakota (est.) | $99,980 | -13.0% |
| Iowa (est.) | $98,831 | -14.0% |
| Indiana (est.) | $97,682 | -15.0% |
| Kansas (est.) | $97,682 | -15.0% |
| Oklahoma (est.) | $96,533 | -16.0% |
| Arkansas (est.) | $95,384 | -17.0% |
| Mississippi (est.) | $91,936 | -20.0% |
| West Virginia (est.) | $89,638 | -22.0% |
| Florida | $86,550 | -24.7% |
| Ohio | $84,440 | -26.5% |
What Factors Affect Sociologists Salary?
Key factors affecting compensation
Pay for Sociologists is influenced by geographic location, years of experience, employer type, and educational background. Location alone is a large factor: Illinois pays an average of $143,940, while Ohio pays $84,440 — a gap of $59,500 per year.
The middle half of Sociologists earn between $82,300 and $137,420 per year. The lowest-paid 10% earn under $65,160, while the top 10% earn more than $172,550.
These figures are the wages employers report to BLS: base pay plus commissions, production bonuses and tips. They exclude overtime pay, shift differentials, year-end bonuses, benefits and self-employed workers, so total compensation can be higher than the numbers shown.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OES) · May 2025
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Related career salary benchmarks
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- Registered Nurses $101,420/yr United States 11.7% vs this role
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Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about this salary
What is the average salary for Sociologists?
The average salary for Sociologists in the United States is $114,920 per year, with a median of $106,030.
What is the starting salary for Sociologists?
Entry-level Sociologists typically earn between $65,160 and $82,300 per year depending on location and employer.
What state pays Sociologists the most?
Illinois pays Sociologists the most at $143,940 per year on average, followed by North Carolina ($129,740) and Massachusetts ($123,460).
How much do Sociologists make per hour?
Based on the average annual salary of $114,920, Sociologists earn approximately $55.25 per hour (based on 2,080 working hours/year).
Is Sociologists a good career in 2026?
BLS counts 2,260 Sociologists jobs in the United States, with a mean annual wage of $114,920 and a median of $106,030 (OEWS May 2025). This site does not publish job-growth projections; the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook covers the outlook for each occupation.
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