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Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics

Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2018

19-3041 Sociologists

Study human society and social behavior by examining the groups and social institutions that people form, as well as various social, religious, political, and business organizations. May study the behavior and interaction of groups, trace their origin and growth, and analyze the influence of group activities on individual members.


National estimates for this occupation
Industry profile for this occupation
Geographic profile for this occupation

National estimates for this occupation: Top

Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for this occupation:

Employment (1) Employment
RSE (3)
Mean hourly
wage
Mean annual
wage (2)
Wage RSE (3)
2,710 6.2 % $43.41 $90,290 2.1 %

Percentile wage estimates for this occupation:

Percentile 10% 25% 50%
(Median)
75% 90%
Hourly Wage $22.20 $30.58 $39.45 $53.21 $67.52
Annual Wage (2) $46,170 $63,610 $82,050 $110,680 $140,430


Industry profile for this occupation: Top

Industries with the highest published employment and wages for this occupation are provided. For a list of all industries with employment in this occupation, see the Create Customized Tables function.

Industries with the highest levels of employment in this occupation:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Scientific Research and Development Services 1,290 0.19 $48.46 $100,800
State Government, excluding schools and hospitals (OES Designation) 400 0.02 $42.09 $87,550
Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools 390 0.01 $37.22 $77,420
Individual and Family Services 110 0.00 $30.19 $62,790
Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services 90 0.01 $38.82 $80,740

Industries with the highest concentration of employment in this occupation:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Scientific Research and Development Services 1,290 0.19 $48.46 $100,800
State Government, excluding schools and hospitals (OES Designation) 400 0.02 $42.09 $87,550
Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools 390 0.01 $37.22 $77,420
Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services 90 0.01 $38.82 $80,740
Local Government, excluding schools and hospitals (OES Designation) 80 0.00 $35.19 $73,200

Top paying industries for this occupation:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Scientific Research and Development Services 1,290 0.19 $48.46 $100,800
State Government, excluding schools and hospitals (OES Designation) 400 0.02 $42.09 $87,550
Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services 90 0.01 $38.82 $80,740
Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools 390 0.01 $37.22 $77,420
Local Government, excluding schools and hospitals (OES Designation) 80 (7) $35.19 $73,200


Geographic profile for this occupation: Top

States and areas with the highest published employment, location quotients, and wages for this occupation are provided. For a list of all areas with employment in this occupation, see the Create Customized Tables function.





States with the highest employment level in this occupation:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
California 1,070 0.06 3.37 $47.39 $98,560
Illinois 350 0.06 3.13 $41.48 $86,280
New York 190 0.02 1.08 $36.44 $75,800
Massachusetts 120 0.03 1.80 $53.38 $111,020
Michigan 110 0.03 1.40 $42.39 $88,180




States with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in this occupation:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
South Dakota 30 0.07 3.85 $20.71 $43,080
Illinois 350 0.06 3.13 $41.48 $86,280
California 1,070 0.06 3.37 $47.39 $98,560
Utah 60 0.04 2.23 $34.89 $72,570
Michigan 110 0.03 1.40 $42.39 $88,180




Top paying States for this occupation:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Pennsylvania 60 0.01 0.57 $58.40 $121,470
Massachusetts 120 0.03 1.80 $53.38 $111,020
New Jersey 40 0.01 0.58 $51.19 $106,470
California 1,070 0.06 3.37 $47.39 $98,560
North Carolina 70 0.02 0.83 $45.80 $95,260





Metropolitan areas with the highest employment level in this occupation:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI 360 0.08 4.11 $41.07 $85,420
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 350 0.06 3.08 $49.27 $102,470
San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA 330 0.14 7.34 $47.76 $99,350
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA 170 0.02 0.94 $38.25 $79,560
Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH 120 0.04 2.26 $53.90 $112,110
Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA 110 0.11 6.06 $41.68 $86,700
Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI 100 0.05 2.65 $44.28 $92,110
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV 80 0.02 1.32 $46.15 $95,990
Columbus, OH 70 0.07 3.63 $32.75 $68,130
Durham-Chapel Hill, NC 50 0.17 9.13 $42.51 $88,430




Metropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in this occupation:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Durham-Chapel Hill, NC 50 0.17 9.13 $42.51 $88,430
San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA 330 0.14 7.34 $47.76 $99,350
Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA 110 0.11 6.06 $41.68 $86,700
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI 360 0.08 4.11 $41.07 $85,420
Columbus, OH 70 0.07 3.63 $32.75 $68,130
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 350 0.06 3.08 $49.27 $102,470
Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI 100 0.05 2.65 $44.28 $92,110
Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH 120 0.04 2.26 $53.90 $112,110
Salt Lake City, UT 30 0.04 2.30 $33.75 $70,200
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA 40 0.03 1.83 $51.29 $106,680




Top paying metropolitan areas for this occupation:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD 40 0.01 0.75 $55.79 $116,050
Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH 120 0.04 2.26 $53.90 $112,110
San Diego-Carlsbad, CA (8) (8) (8) $52.20 $108,580
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA 40 0.03 1.83 $51.29 $106,680
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 350 0.06 3.08 $49.27 $102,470
San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA 330 0.14 7.34 $47.76 $99,350
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV 80 0.02 1.32 $46.15 $95,990
Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI 100 0.05 2.65 $44.28 $92,110
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA (8) (8) (8) $42.77 $88,960
Durham-Chapel Hill, NC 50 0.17 9.13 $42.51 $88,430


About May 2018 National, State, Metropolitan, and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

These estimates are calculated with data collected from employers in all industry sectors, all metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas, and all states and the District of Columbia. The top employment and wage figures are provided above. The complete list is available in the downloadable XLS files.

The percentile wage estimate is the value of a wage below which a certain percent of workers fall. The median wage is the 50th percentile wage estimate--50 percent of workers earn less than the median and 50 percent of workers earn more than the median. More about percentile wages.


(1) Estimates for detailed occupations do not sum to the totals because the totals include occupations not shown separately. Estimates do not include self-employed workers.

(2) Annual wages have been calculated by multiplying the hourly mean wage by a "year-round, full-time" hours figure of 2,080 hours; for those occupations where there is not an hourly wage published, the annual wage has been directly calculated from the reported survey data.

(3) The relative standard error (RSE) is a measure of the reliability of a survey statistic. The smaller the relative standard error, the more precise the estimate.

(7) The value is less than .005 percent of industry employment.

(8) Estimate not released.

(9) The location quotient is the ratio of the area concentration of occupational employment to the national average concentration. A location quotient greater than one indicates the occupation has a higher share of employment than average, and a location quotient less than one indicates the occupation is less prevalent in the area than average.


Other OES estimates and related information:

May 2018 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2018 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2018 Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2018 National Industry-Specific Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2018 Occupation Profiles

Technical Notes

 

Last Modified Date: March 29, 2019