What is the typical salary range for a Sociologist?

Pay typically falls between $85,000 and $142,000 per year depending on experience, location, industry, and organization size.

Sociologist Salary: $119,000 Average

Home › Life, Physical, and Social Science › Sociologist

Average base salary

$119,000 / year

≈ $9,900 per month · $57.21 per hour

LocationOr metro area

25th percentile
$85,000Average
$119,00075th percentile
$142,000

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, aged to 2026 using compounded market movement. State selections show BLS state-level figures where published. Actual pay varies with experience, industry, and organization size.

Sociologist salary by state

Alaska$104,500

California$127,500

Florida$89,500

Illinois$149,000

Kentucky$126,000

Maryland$104,500

Massachusetts$128,000

Michigan$109,000

North Carolina$134,500

Ohio$87,500

Washington$107,000

About this role

Sociologist is a professional role in the Life, Physical, and Social Science job family. Pay for this title reflects both its level and its scope; see our Title Level and Organization Responsibility guides for how WePayFairly defines them.

How this role compares

Sociologist pays 19% above the average across 48 roles in the Life, Physical, and Social Science job family (family average $100,000).

Similar-paying roles in Life, Physical, and Social Science

Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers$120,500

Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists$121,000

Clinical and Counseling Psychologists$116,500

Psychologists, All Other$115,000

Nuclear Technician$112,500

Life Scientists, All Other$111,500

Biological Scientists, All Other$110,000

Hydrologist$107,000

Materials Scientist$130,500

Geographer$106,000

Frequently asked questions

How much does a Sociologist make?

The average base salary for a Sociologist in the United States is $119,000 per year, or about $57.21 per hour.

What is the typical salary range?

Pay typically falls between $85,000 and $142,000 per year (25th to 75th percentile) depending on experience, location, industry, and organization size.

How does this compare with other Life, Physical, and Social Science roles?

The Life, Physical, and Social Science job family averages $100,000 across 48 roles tracked by WePayFairly.

Need a defensible market price for this role?
WePayFairly data is compiled from published survey sources and maintained by compensation professionals.

Explore Market Data Our Methodology