by our College Data Analytics TeamStudying Applied Demography involves the study of A Program Of Study That Focuses On The Practical Application Of Demographic Methods And Materials For Decision-Making In Business, Education, Health, And Government. Includes Instruction In Statistics, Research Methods, Geographic Information Systems, And Demographic Methods And Techniques. Continue reading for the important information every applied demography student should know — including career paths, salary data, the skills you will develop, and the best colleges offering applied demography programs.
Our 2026 Best Applied Demography Schools ranking analyzes these 1 schools to determine the best overall colleges for applied demography students. Continue reading to check out one of our many unbiased rankings of applied demography programs later in this article.
Studies in Applied Demography develop a specific mix of skills, knowledge, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in the occupations applied demography graduates commonly enter.
Skills built by a applied demography program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:
Per O*NET surveys, a applied demography major emphasizes the following knowledge areas:
People currently working in careers related to applied demography tend to have obtained the following education levels.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Bachelor’s degree | 36.2% |
| Doctoral degree | 30.7% |
| Master’s degree | 15.7% |
| Associate’s degree (or other 2-year) | 5.6% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 4.2% |
| Postsecondary certificate | 2.7% |
| Some college courses | 2.1% |
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | 1.7% |
| Post-doctoral training | 0.7% |
| Post-master’s certificate | 0.4% |
See the chart below to get an idea of what level of education most of those in applied demography careers hold.
Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*
Studying applied demography prepares you for numerous career paths. These are some of the most common occupations related to applied demography.
The following options are some of the most in-demand careers related to applied demography.
| Occupation | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Sociology Teachers, Postsecondary | 730,797 | 12.0% |
| Managers, All Other | 468,025 | 6.2% |
| Compliance Managers | 310,203 | 13.0% |
| Loss Prevention Managers | 265,210 | 2.2% |
| Regulatory Affairs Managers | 206,415 | 9.9% |
| Sociologists | 143,776 | 3.0% |
| Wind Energy Operations Managers | 128,884 | 5.2% |
| Wind Energy Development Managers | 107,541 | 10.1% |
Salaries for applied demography graduates vary widely by occupation. The following table shows the top highest-paying careers applied demography grads often go into.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Wind Energy Development Managers | $169,952 |
| Loss Prevention Managers | $165,723 |
| Wind Energy Operations Managers | $122,567 |
| Compliance Managers | $117,178 |
| Brownfield Redevelopment Specialists and Site Managers | $99,321 |
| Managers, All Other | $95,684 |
| Regulatory Affairs Managers | $77,828 |
| Sociologists | $74,866 |
With 1 different applied demography programs to choose from, finding the best fit can be a challenge. We have analyzed these schools to produce unbiased applied demography school rankings to help you.
If you are interested in applied demography, you may also want to explore other closely related fields of study within the same broad area.
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Demography and Population Studies | 112 |
More about our data sources and methodologies.
