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Salary comparison

Sociology Teachers, Postsecondary vs. Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education: Who Earns More?

Sociology Teachers, Postsecondarys out-earn Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Educations by $20K a year at the national median, per BLS OEWS May 2025. Sociology Teachers, Postsecondarys land at $84,290 and Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Educations at $63,970. The education gap is real: sociology teachers, postsecondary programs typically require bachelor's degree, while elementary school teachers, except special education programs require bachelor's degree. Top-paying state for Sociology Teachers, Postsecondarys is California ($127,680); for Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Educations it's Washington ($102,350).

Sociology Teachers, Postsecondary
Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education
Median salary
$84,290
$63,970
Hourly rate
$null/hr
$null/hr
Entry level (10th %)
$49,930
$47,960
Senior level (90th %)
$160,140
$104,340
Education required
Bachelor's degree
Bachelor's degree
U.S. employment
11,850
1,388,390
Job growth (10-year)
N/A
1%
Category
Education
Education
Top-paying state
California
Washington

Pay by state

States where both occupations have BLS data, sorted by Sociology Teachers, Postsecondary median pay.

State
Sociology Teachers, Postsecondary
Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education
California
$127,680
$99,650
Delaware
$123,710
$75,920
District of Columbia
$103,160
$96,580
Oregon
$101,960
$77,130
Connecticut
$101,490
$80,600
Pennsylvania
$99,660
$77,060
Utah
$99,350
$74,810
New York
$97,540
$85,760
Massachusetts
$96,790
$94,000
Maryland
$95,980
$77,680
Minnesota
$87,340
$76,350
Washington
$83,140
$102,350
Illinois
$82,610
$75,320
Ohio
$79,690
$77,370
New Jersey
$78,350
$78,200

Source: BLS OEWS May 2025. Highlighted value is higher in each row.

Common questions

Who earns more, Sociology Teachers, Postsecondarys or Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Educations?

Sociology Teachers, Postsecondarys earn more nationally. The median is $84,290 for Sociology Teachers, Postsecondarys versus $63,970 for Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Educations, a difference of $20K. Per BLS OEWS May 2025.

Which has better job growth, Sociology Teachers, Postsecondary or Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education?

BLS Employment Projections data is not available for one or both occupations. Check the individual career pages for current outlook figures.

Which requires more education, Sociology Teachers, Postsecondary or Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education?

Sociology Teachers, Postsecondary typically requires bachelor's degree. Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education requires bachelor's degree. Education requirements vary by employer and state licensing board.

Where do Sociology Teachers, Postsecondarys get paid the most?

California is the top-paying state for Sociology Teachers, Postsecondarys at $127,680/year, per BLS OEWS May 2025. Major metro areas within that state typically pay even more than the state average.

How does Sociology Teachers, Postsecondary vs. Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education pay differ by state?

The gap varies significantly by state. In California, Sociology Teachers, Postsecondarys earn $127,680 vs. $99,650 for Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Educations. See the state comparison table on this page for the full picture.

Full Sociology Teachers, Postsecondary salary breakdownView →Full Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education salary breakdownView →Best cities for Sociology Teachers, Postsecondarys by take-home payExplore →Best cities for Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Educations by take-home payExplore →How to become a sociology teachers, postsecondaryGuide →How to become a elementary school teachers, except special educationGuide →