Rural Sociology

2021 Rural Sociology Degree Guide

A major in Rural Sociology will empower you with the ability to improve the quality of life of thousands of people living in rural communities. This major looks at how groups, organizations, and societies are structured in rural areas. The curriculum focuses on the structure and function of rural societies including problems specific to those areas. An important focus is the economics of farm production with a focus in agribusiness and production agriculture.

Rural Sociology can be broken into three different facets: rural issues including social equality, the application of sociology to decision making, and global environmental systems. Some classes you will take are: community development, rural poverty, environmental sociology, and sociology of agriculture.

A Spike in Rural Sociology Degrees

#349 Most Popular Major
36.0 Degrees Awarded
8.3% Increase in Graduates

Rural Sociology was the 349th most popular major in the 2018-2019 school year. Colleges in the United States reported awarding 36 degrees in this year alone. This represents a 8.3% increase in rural sociology degrees awarded over the prior year's total of 33.

There are 2 schools offering degrees in rural sociology in the United States. Explore this or one of our many other custom rural sociology rankings further below.

What Are The Requirements For a Degree in Rural Sociology

First things first, you should have a desire to make meaningful and positive impact to rural communities. It helps to be familiar with the social and economic processes that impact rural America. A career in this field requires a solid understanding of how changes in demographics, health care, education, and business impacts rural populations.

More importantly, you must have analytical skills to think abstractly, analyze situations and data, and make presentations that are sociologically informed. You will be asked to understand issues from an integrated global perspective, so it is important to have a cross-cultural understanding. Other skills needed for a career in Rural Sociology include: interpersonal strengths, the ability to communicate clearly, and leadership qualities.

Getting Accepted Into a Rural Sociology Program

A high school diploma or equivalent is typically required for most rural sociology degree programs and many students will need a minimum GPA and SAT/ACT score depending on the school. Specific rural sociology careers may require a certain level of degree attainment or additional certifications beyond that.

Types of Rural Sociology Degrees

There are many different rural sociology degree levels. Rural Sociology programs offered by schools range from a to a , which is the highest rural sociology degree you can get. Rural Sociology programs can take anywhere between one to four or more years for a full-time student to complete.

Degree Credit Requirements Typical Program Length
Associate Degree 60-70 credits 2 years
Bachelor’s Degree 120 credits 4 years
Master’s Degree 50-70 credits 1-3 years
Doctorate Program required coursework including thesis or dissertation At least 4 years

A bachelor's degree is the most common level of education achieved by those in careers related to rural sociology, with approximately 34.2% of workers getting one. See the the most common levels of education for rural sociology workers below.

Level of Education Percentage of Workers
Bachelor’s Degree 33.4%
Doctoral Degree 33.0%
Master’s Degree 27.2%
Associate’s Degree (or other 2-year degree) 1.7%
High School Diploma 1.6%

60.6% of rural sociology workers have at least a master's. View the chart below to get an idea of what degree level most of those in rural sociology careers have.

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The education level required is different depending on the rural sociology career you are seeking.

Career Opportunities for A Degree In Rural Sociology Graduate

Average Number of Jobs
$27.6k Average Starting Salary
8% Growth Job Outlook 2016-26

An undergraduate degree of Rural Sociology is a practical major with many different career options. Most rural sociologist job requires direct communication with public, with a particular focus on educating community members. Common job titles include: farm manager, community planner, commodity group representative, and youth programmer. A master's degree in Rural Sociology is usually the minimum requirement for a as a rural sociologist.

Growth Projected for Rural Sociology Careers

Want a job when you graduate with your rural sociology degree? Rural Sociology careers are expected to grow 8.0% between 2016 and 2026.

The following options are some of the most in-demand careers related to rural sociology.

Occupation Name Projected Jobs Expected Growth
Managers 1,071,700 8.0%
Sociology Professors 19,600 9.5%
Social Sciences Professors 16,800 9.8%
Sociologists 3,500 0.0%

How Much Money Do People With a Rural Sociology Degree Make?

Recently graduated rural sociology students earned an average of $27,600 in 2017-2018. Earnings can range from as low as $27,600 to as high as $27,600. As you might expect, salaries for rural sociology graduates vary depending on the level of education that was acquired.

Highest Paid Rural Sociology Careers

Salaries for rural sociology graduates can vary widely by the occupation you choose as well. The following table shows the top 5 highest paying careers rural sociology grads often go into.

Occupation Name Median Average Salary
Managers $115,590
Sociologists $90,290
Social Sciences Professors $87,950
Sociology Professors $83,310

Getting Your Rural Sociology Degree

With over 4 different rural sociology degree programs to choose from, finding the best fit for you can be a challenge. Fortunately you have come to the right place. We have analyzed all of these schools to come up with hundreds of unbiased rural sociology school rankings to help you with this.

Study Areas in Rural Sociology

Rural Sociology is one of 13 different types of Social Sciences programs to choose from.

Majors Similar to Rural Sociology

Related Major Annual Graduates
Economics 48,199
Political Science & Government 46,598
Sociology 37,511
General Social Sciences 19,551
International Relations & National Security 14,810

View All Rural Sociology Related Majors >

References

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