Sociology

Career Potential

Among 2020-2021 Hofstra graduates who majored in the social sciences, 96% of survey respondents reported that they were employed and/or attending or planning to attend graduate school within one year of graduation. Among graduates who majored in the social sciences and reported salary, the mean annual self-reported salary was $49,000.

A degree in sociology from Hofstra University provides students with the opportunity to pursue a wide variety of jobs in sectors such as business and marketing, the health professions, the criminal justice and legal systems, social services and the private, nonprofit sector, and politics and government.

Recent graduates in the social sciences have reported working at the Alzheimer's Association, Amazon, Columbia University, the Department of Justice, the Family Service League, Northwell Health, Queens Law Associates, Sanctuary For Families, and Success Academy Charter School.

Some other examples of places our alumni are working or have worked include:

  • Adelphi University, Director of Undergraduate Social Work Programs
  • Coaches Across Continents
  • Columbia University Medical Center
  • DeVries Public Relations
  • ECD, Chief Creative Officer
  • Estée Lauder Companies Inc., Human Resources Employee Services
  • Extera Communications (TX), Executive Research Assistant
  • GEICO
  • Great Neck Public Schools, Principal
  • Harmonia Media, CEO
  • Holocaust Memorial & Tolerance Center of Long Island
  • Judy Henderson Casting (Fox21), Casting Assistant
  • Luxottica Group, Human Resources Manager
  • Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, Research Assistant
  • Neighborhood House, of Auburn, NY, Executive Director
  • Nassau County Department of Probation
  • NYC Department of Education
  • New York University, Clinical Aide
  • Omnicom Media Group, Digital/Creative Specialist
  • Planned Parenthood of Nassau County
  • Prime Publishers, Associate Editor
  • Publishers Clearing House, Copywriter
  • Rubenstein Associates, Senior Account Executive
  • Scribe America Inc.
  • Stony Brook University, Assistant Director of Government Relations
  • Suffolk County Legislature, Legislative Aide
  • Taskforce on State Budget Crisis, a privately funded initiative led by former government officials (NY), Research Assistant
  • Tyco Integrated Security
  • Unite Here, Community/Political Organizer
  • U.S. Pretrial Services
  • Vanguard Group Inc.
  • White House Task Force on 21st Century Policing
  • Zagwear, Branding Account Manager

According to the Occupational Outlook Handbook published by the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median annual wage for sociologists was $92,910. Jobs in sociology are expected to grow by 5% from 2021 to 2031.

Some examples of the distinguished institutions where our most recent alumni are pursuing graduate studies:

  • Columbia Law School
  • CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice
  • George Mason University
  • New York Law School
  • New York University
  • Pepperdine University
  • Syracuse University
  • Teachers College, Columbia University
  • University of Chicago
  • University of Southern California
  • University of Washington, Seattle

Alumni outcomes data is based on the results of Hofstra’s annual Alumni Outcomes Survey and other reliable sources. Of the 1,429 undergraduate students who graduated between August 2020 and May 2021, data was collected via surveys and other reliable sources resulting in knowledge about the outcomes for 67% of the 2020-2021 undergraduate alumni. Salary data is self-reported voluntarily by students and is based upon a 47% response rate for full-time employed undergraduate survey respondents. Salary figures include only annual base salary. They do not include bonus, commission, or any other guaranteed compensation.

See alumni outcome reports in their entirety.