The Average Salary of Jobs With AA Degrees in Sociology

Sociology is a broad field that helps a student understand the relationship between himself and his wider society, how groups interact with each other and the rest of society and how group members interact with each other. An associate degree in sociology prepares students for further studies in the social and behavioral sciences and gives them the foundational knowledge they need to work in entry-level positions in human services fields.

Social Service Assistants

If you have an associate degree in sociology, you have the education needed to launch a career as a social service assistant. You will work as a case manager’s aide or another type of assistant in nonprofits, government agencies or schools. You might work as a youth counselor or a mental health aide.

Average Salary

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics put the average salary of a social service assistant in the United States as of May 2010 at $30,100 per year, or $14.47 per hour. The median salary was $28,200 per year, or $13.56 per hour. The 10th percentile made $18,780 on average each year, or $9.03 per hour, and the 90th percentile made at least $44,910 per year, or $21.59 per hour.

Popular Industries

Residential care facilities paid an average of $25,840 per year, or $12.42 per hour, as of 2010, according to the BLS. Community food and housing, and emergency and other relief services paid an average of $27,110 per year, or $13.04 per hour. Vocational rehabilitation services paid $26,230 per year, or $12.61 per hour.

Other Fields

Associate degree holders in sociology have many other career options as well. Business administration is one option, as are public relations and corrections. Working as a paraprofessional in a school district is another choice. You might also work as a receptionist or secretary in almost any field. The average salary of a paraprofessional in the United States as of May 2010, according to the BLS, was $24,880. The average annual salary of a receptionist was $26,260, and executive administrative assistants earned an average of $45,860.