Do You Have a Degree in Sociology? These 4 Careers are Perfect for You!

Can you get a job with a sociology degree? If that’s a question that’s been keeping you up at night in between cramming for your finals, then let us put your mind at ease. There are lots of careers you can follow with a sociology degree across many different industries.

1. Market Research

It might not be the most intuitive route, but if you’re looking to optimize for pure income, market research is almost certainly your best option. Qualitative research certainly has its place, and there are jobs that value those skills, but if you’re really wanting to make money, it’s quantitative research that will get you there.

For years now, every company has sought to become more data-driven. They want their choices to be backed up by clear, unquestionable research. Your knowledge of mathematics and statistics makes you an incredibly valuable asset. You’ve got the skills to sort the data.

That said, sociology provides more than just a mathematical grounding for market research. Data is useless without context. As the old saying goes, you can prove anything with statistics. Majoring in sociology will give a first-rate understanding of how to interpret what your numbers mean.

By being an expert in both qualitative and quantitative research, you can provide valuable insights as to where the data might be leading you off course, leading to far more accurate predictions in the long run.

2. Social Worker

With all that said, most people don’t get into sociology for the money. Many study sociology because they want to do some real good in the world, so let’s talk about a career that makes a big difference in people’s everyday lives.

Social work is one of the most popular career options for sociology graduates because it takes everything they’ve learned and puts it into direct action, helping real people with real problems.

As a social worker, you’ll provide vital support to individuals navigating difficult life circumstances. Sometimes you’ll be helping to connect low-income families with housing assistance. Other days you might be protecting vulnerable children or helping patients transition out of hospital care.

Now it’s worth noting that, in the US, formal social work does also require a state license in most cases. This generally requires a master’s degree as well as a bachelor’s. That said, there are some entry-level roles for which a bachelor’s will be enough, although they’re few and far between.

3. Human Resources

Working in human resources requires both interpersonal skills and strong social analysis. You need to be able to recognise structural bias and understand workplace culture while knowing how to communicate both tactfully and effectively. In other words, it’s almost the exact skill set you’ll learn in a sociology degree.

Most early-career roles like HR assistant and recruiting coordinator focus on sourcing candidates and onboarding new employees. There’s also a fair amount of admin involved, so you’ll have to be comfortable spending a few hours each day filling out forms and sending emails.

As with many careers, human resources becomes more specialised as you gain experience. You might become an HR generalist, a DEI specialist, or an operations manager. At the same time, HR provides an excellent background in general, transferable workplace skills. If you decide to change your career path after a few years, your experience is very unlikely to go to waste.

4. Public Relations

PR is an excellent career for a sociology major because it’s all about communicating with and to social groups. The core of PR is about understanding how different demographics consume information, form opinions, and respond to cultural trends. PR specialists build and protect the public reputation of companies/organisations as well as high-profile individuals.

Entry-level roles largely focus on drafting media pitches, monitoring social sentiment, writing press releases, and building relationships with journalists. As you gain more experience, you’ll find yourself working in higher-stakes environments like public controversies and crisis management. It’s generally a good fit for those who really enjoy combining their social knowledge with their creative skills.