by our College Data Analytics TeamDiscover the key facts every rural sociology. major should know — including career paths, salary data, the skills you will develop, and the best colleges offering rural sociology. programs.
Nationwide, rural sociology. draws strong interest, with 61 degrees awarded annually.
Our 2026 Best Rural Sociology. Schools ranking analyzes these 5 schools to determine the best overall colleges for rural sociology. students. Continue reading to check out one of our many unbiased rankings of rural sociology. programs later in this article.
Coursework for Rural Sociology. build a specific mix of skills, knowledge, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in the occupations rural sociology. graduates commonly enter.
Skills developed in a rural sociology. program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:
Per O*NET surveys, a rural sociology. major emphasizes the following knowledge areas:
There are several rural sociology. degree levels. The table below shows the typical length of the most common levels, and how many graduates earn each one.
| Degree | Typical Program Length | Graduates Annually |
|---|---|---|
| Bachelor’s Degree | 4 years | 51 |
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 7 |
| Doctorate | At least 4 years | 3 |
People currently working in careers related to rural sociology. tend to have obtained the following education levels.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Bachelor’s degree | 35.8% |
| Doctoral degree | 31.4% |
| Master’s degree | 15.0% |
| Associate’s degree (or other 2-year) | 5.7% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 4.2% |
| Postsecondary certificate | 2.8% |
| Some college courses | 2.1% |
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | 1.8% |
| Post-doctoral training | 0.8% |
| Post-master’s certificate | 0.4% |
View the chart below to get an idea of what level of education most of those in rural sociology. careers hold.
Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*
Majoring in rural sociology. opens doors to many career paths. These are some of the most common occupations related to rural sociology..
The following options are some of the most in-demand careers related to rural sociology..
| Occupation | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Social Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary, All Other | 1,421,275 | 11.1% |
| 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% |
The U.S. Department of Education tracks median earnings of rural sociology. graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. These numbers tend to grow as graduates gain experience.
| Years Out | Median Earnings |
|---|---|
| 1 year | $34,618 |
| 4 years | $45,375 |
| 5 years | $52,385 |
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.
Salaries for rural sociology. graduates vary widely by occupation. The following table shows the top highest-paying careers rural sociology. 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 5 different rural sociology. programs to choose from, finding the best fit can be a challenge. We have analyzed these schools to produce unbiased rural sociology. school rankings to help you.
If you are interested in rural sociology., you may also want to explore other closely related fields of study within the same broad area.
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Sociology, General | 31,211 |
| Applied/Public Sociology | 105 |
| Sociology, Other | 3 |
More about our data sources and methodologies.
