by our College Data Analytics TeamIn the latest year, 4 U.S. colleges awarded 49 degrees and certificates in Rural Sociology. Bachelor’s degrees are the most popular award, at 59% of graduates. College Factual ranks 3 schools in its 2027 Best Rural Sociology Schools ranking and compares their cost in a Best Value ranking. Graduates earn a median $34,601 one year after completing, rising to $53,653 after four years.
Source: IPEDS 2025; College Scorecard July 2026; BLS; O*NET; College Factual rankings 2027. Data as of: July 2026.
Nationwide, rural sociology draws strong interest, with 49 degrees awarded annually. 4 colleges award rural sociology degrees, an average of 12 graduates per school; the largest program awarded 17.
By level, the 49 awards include 29 bachelor’s degrees, 9 master’s degrees and 11 doctorates.
Women earned 80% of rural sociology degrees and certificates in the latest year (39 of 49). The largest groups of graduates by race and ethnicity are White (30) and Black or African American (6), and international students earned 5.
College Factual ranks 3 schools in its 2027 Best Rural Sociology Schools ranking, including 2 for bachelor’s degrees. It also ranks rural sociology schools within 1 state. In all, 4 colleges offer rural sociology programs; compare them by degree level below or in the Best Value Rural Sociology Colleges ranking, which weighs quality against cost.
The most common rural sociology credential is the bachelor’s degree: 29 of the 49 awarded in the latest year. Jobs related to rural sociology call most for Speaking, Reading Comprehension and Active Listening, and for knowledge of English Language, Education and Training and Law and Government, according to O*NET. The most important abilities are Oral Expression, Oral Comprehension and Written Expression.
Top skills, rated 0–5:
Top knowledge areas, rated 0–5:
How long a rural sociology degree takes:
| Degree | Typical Program Length | Graduates Annually |
|---|---|---|
| Bachelor’s Degree | 4 years | 29 |
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 9 |
| Doctorate | At least 4 years | 11 |
Bachelor’s degree is the most common level of education among workers in jobs related to rural sociology, at 35.8%.
| 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% |
Source: O*NET Online.
10 occupations are related to Rural Sociology, with an average median salary of $102,413; the strongest outlook belongs to Compliance Managers, at 13.0% projected job growth. Typical job titles include Lecturer, Social Science Professor, Survey Research Teacher and Family Consumer Science Teacher.
The occupation related to rural sociology with the most projected jobs is Social Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary, All Other, at 1,421,275.
| 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% |
Rural Sociology graduates earn a median $34,601 one year after completing their program, $53,653 after four years and $52,387 after five years, according to the U.S. Department of Education’s College Scorecard.
| Years Out | Median Earnings |
|---|---|
| 1 year | $34,601 |
| 4 years | $53,653 |
| 5 years | $52,387 |
Source: College Scorecard.
The highest-paying occupation related to rural sociology is Wind Energy Development Managers, with a median salary of $169,952.
| 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 |
Rural Sociology has 3 similar majors in the Social Sciences field, which together award 30,767 degrees a year; the largest are Sociology, General (30,632), Applied/Public Sociology (126) and Sociology, Other (9). Browse all Social Sciences majors or the full list of college majors.
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Sociology, General | 30,632 |
| Applied/Public Sociology | 126 |
| Sociology, Other | 9 |
More about our data sources and methodologies.
