Pay by state · 47 states
Sociology Teacher, Postsecondary Salary by State (2026)
Sociology Teachers, Postsecondary earn the most in California at $127,680 a year and the least in Kentucky at $61,260 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The national median is $84,290. All 47 states and territories with reported data are ranked below, with a cost-of-living adjusted column.
- Highest median
- $127,680California
- National median
- $84,290BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Lowest median
- $61,260Kentucky
- States reporting
- 47of 54 OEWS areas
All states
Sociology Teacher, Postsecondary salary in every state
Sort by any column. Employment is the number of sociology teachers, postsecondary OEWS estimates in that state; blank cells are estimates BLS suppressed because the sample was too small.
| # | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | CACalifornia | $127,680 | $96,530 | $167,290 | 810 | $115,318 |
| 2 | DEDelaware | $123,710 | $77,780 | $160,340 | N/A | $123,948 |
| 3 | NHNew Hampshire | $112,890 | $98,950 | $133,090 | 40 | $108,376 |
| 4 | DCDistrict of Columbia | $103,160 | $87,550 | $141,010 | 70 | $93,866 |
| 5 | MIMichigan | $102,870 | $82,320 | $111,290 | 370 | $106,915 |
| 6 | OROregon | $101,960 | $81,400 | $105,910 | 150 | $98,645 |
| 7 | CTConnecticut | $101,490 | $86,980 | $154,690 | 320 | $97,954 |
| 8 | PAPennsylvania | $99,660 | $70,900 | $120,750 | 440 | $102,140 |
| 9 | UTUtah | $99,350 | $81,530 | $131,110 | 70 | $100,492 |
| 10 | NYNew York | $97,540 | $75,810 | $128,210 | 1,130 | $90,381 |
| 11 | MAMassachusetts | $96,790 | $75,420 | $132,760 | 580 | $91,521 |
| 12 | MDMaryland | $95,980 | $74,810 | $128,480 | 200 | $91,445 |
| 13 | VTVermont | $87,620 | $65,280 | $123,950 | 40 | $89,446 |
| 14 | NVNevada | $87,480 | $87,480 | $103,870 | 100 | $87,498 |
| 15 | MNMinnesota | $87,340 | $75,300 | $103,270 | 240 | $88,561 |
| 16 | WIWisconsin | $84,960 | $75,120 | $121,970 | 450 | $90,292 |
| 17 | GAGeorgia | $84,330 | $66,840 | $106,080 | 230 | $87,576 |
| 18 | IDIdaho | $84,140 | $77,190 | $127,980 | 50 | $88,110 |
| 19 | PRPuerto Rico | $84,090 | $65,700 | $95,120 | 70 | N/A |
| 20 | LALouisiana | $83,700 | $68,930 | $98,760 | 80 | $94,890 |
| 21 | WAWashington | $83,140 | $71,260 | $98,600 | 200 | $77,691 |
| 22 | ILIllinois | $82,610 | $63,770 | $106,490 | 440 | $82,645 |
| 23 | IAIowa | $81,910 | $65,270 | $122,310 | 140 | $93,332 |
| 24 | TXTexas | $81,220 | $61,670 | $101,880 | 1,040 | $83,683 |
| 25 | INIndiana | $79,880 | $66,840 | $107,230 | 290 | $85,590 |
| 26 | OHOhio | $79,690 | $60,430 | $97,450 | 550 | $85,897 |
| 27 | COColorado | $78,630 | $58,860 | $101,590 | 220 | $76,301 |
| 28 | KSKansas | $78,630 | $59,140 | $110,780 | 110 | $87,301 |
| 29 | AZArizona | $78,430 | $65,110 | $108,200 | 230 | $77,903 |
| 30 | SCSouth Carolina | $78,410 | $58,230 | $84,500 | 120 | $83,638 |
| 31 | NJNew Jersey | $78,350 | $32,220 | $108,710 | 550 | $72,010 |
| 32 | VAVirginia | $78,120 | $60,320 | $97,580 | 400 | $77,267 |
| 33 | MOMissouri | $77,800 | $61,050 | $106,920 | 100 | $85,667 |
| 34 | NMNew Mexico | $77,740 | $70,080 | $108,300 | 50 | $84,306 |
| 35 | WVWest Virginia | $77,380 | $58,130 | $93,910 | 60 | $86,461 |
| 36 | TNTennessee | $77,370 | $61,510 | $101,200 | 190 | $84,217 |
| 37 | NCNorth Carolina | $76,430 | $57,100 | $87,890 | 550 | $81,028 |
| 38 | NENebraska | $76,230 | $67,230 | $82,180 | 70 | $84,603 |
| 39 | MEMaine | $76,010 | $61,700 | $106,440 | 80 | $78,320 |
| 40 | MTMontana | $75,880 | $64,050 | $77,710 | 30 | $80,173 |
| 41 | ALAlabama | $73,670 | $61,050 | $92,280 | 210 | $82,940 |
| 42 | MSMississippi | $70,860 | $56,310 | $98,550 | 90 | $81,492 |
| 43 | OKOklahoma | $64,900 | $39,320 | $82,710 | 120 | $73,882 |
| 44 | SDSouth Dakota | $64,210 | $58,380 | $78,870 | 40 | $72,483 |
| 45 | FLFlorida | $63,470 | $58,710 | $88,820 | 230 | $61,375 |
| 46 | ARArkansas | $62,390 | $59,980 | $93,400 | 30 | $71,765 |
| 47 | KYKentucky | $61,260 | $49,050 | $96,670 | 150 | $67,947 |
Method
How the cost-of-living adjustment works
The adjusted column divides each state median by that state's BEA Regional Price Parity (RPP) and multiplies by 100. RPPs measure how much a fixed basket of goods, services and rents costs in one state relative to the national average, so the result restates local pay in national-average dollars.
For Sociology Teachers, Postsecondary, that changes the ranking: California leads on raw pay at $127,680, while Delaware leads once prices are taken into account at $123,948.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities by State, 2024 (public domain). The adjustment is NueCareer's calculation, not a BLS or BEA published statistic.
Questions
Sociology Teacher, Postsecondary pay by state: FAQ
Which state pays Sociology Teachers, Postsecondary the most?
California reports the highest median wage for Sociology Teachers, Postsecondary at $127,680 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025), followed by Delaware ($123,710) and New Hampshire ($112,890).
Which state pays Sociology Teachers, Postsecondary the least?
Kentucky reports the lowest median for Sociology Teachers, Postsecondary at $61,260 a year, $66,420 below the highest-paying state (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Where do Sociology Teachers, Postsecondary earn the most after cost of living?
Dividing each state median by that state's BEA Regional Price Parity puts Delaware first at $123,948 in national-average dollars, from a raw median of $123,710. BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.