Economists
Median $124,720
Occupation · SOC 19-3041
Sociologists: pay and where the jobs are
What sociologists earn in the U.S., how pay varies across workers and states, and tools to plan around it.
National pay, May 2025
$106,030 median annual wage
- Mean (average) annual wage
- $114,920
- Median hourly wage
- $50.98
- Mean hourly wage
- $55.25
- Employment
- 2,260
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025 (released 2026-05-15), SOC 19-3041.
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See where your pay falls among sociologists nationally and in your state. Nothing you type leaves your browser.
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Use these numbers
How much do sociologists make?
The median annual wage for sociologists was $106,030 in May 2025, so half of workers earned more and half earned less. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $65,160 and the highest-paid 10% more than $172,550. As an hourly rate, the median is $50.98. About 2,260 people work in this occupation nationwide. The highest state medians are in Illinois ($140,770), Kentucky ($136,870) and North Carolina ($126,760). After taxes and local prices, though, a median paycheck goes furthest in Kentucky.
Pay ladder
What each step of the pay range for sociologists looks like per month. Take-home here includes federal tax, Social Security and Medicare for a single filer; add your state in the paycheck calculator.
| Step | Annual | Hourly | Monthly gross | Monthly after federal tax & FICA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $65,160 | $31.33 | $5,430 | $4,545 |
| 25th percentile | $82,300 | $39.57 | $6,858 | $5,561 |
| Median | $106,030 | $50.98 | $8,836 | $6,952 |
| 75th percentile | $137,420 | $66.07 | $11,452 | $8,766 |
| 90th percentile | $172,550 | $82.96 | $14,379 | $10,767 |
Sociologists: pay by state
11 states and territories have a published median, sorted from highest to lowest. The last two columns are our estimates: the median after 2026 federal and state taxes, and that take-home restated in national-average prices.
1
$111,075 take-home in national prices
2
$100,701 take-home in national prices
3
$98,973 take-home in national prices
Where a median sociologist paycheck goes furthest after 2026 taxes and BEA price levels.
| State | Employment | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Median after tax* | In national prices† |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Illinois | Not published | $140,770 | $76,320 | $229,480 | $100,659 | $100,701 |
| Kentucky | 30 | $136,870 | $102,540 | $162,350 | $100,144 | $111,075 |
| North Carolina | 170 | $126,760 | $69,980 | $212,260 | $93,357 | $98,973 |
| California | 590 | $125,770 | $85,030 | $161,710 | $88,143 | $79,609 |
| Alaska | 40 | $108,170 | $65,340 | $152,620 | $84,657 | $82,706 |
| Massachusetts | 250 | $106,530 | $65,400 | $190,440 | $78,177 | $73,922 |
| Maryland | 50 | $100,660 | $67,770 | $162,680 | $75,153 | $71,602 |
| Washington | 130 | $97,170 | $80,640 | $138,000 | $75,841 | $70,871 |
| Michigan | 90 | $88,040 | $52,520 | $158,420 | $67,275 | $69,920 |
| Ohio | 130 | $78,850 | $68,040 | $104,560 | $62,576 | $67,450 |
| Florida | 160 | $46,950 | $39,150 | $171,360 | $39,904 | $38,587 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025 (released 2026-05-15), SOC 19-3041. *Our estimate for a single filer paid biweekly with no pre-tax deductions or local tax, 2026 federal and state rules. †Take-home ÷ BEA Regional Price Parity × 100 (2024 price levels).
Sources
- OEWS May 2025 (oesm25nat.zip) — U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Accessed 2026-10-09.
- OEWS May 2025 (oesm25st.zip) — U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Accessed 2026-10-09.