What is the Employment Outlook for Social Science Teachers?

Social science teachers are needed in middle schools, high schools and postsecondary schools to educate students about topics such as sociology, psychology, anthropology, economics, law, history, geography and political science. If any of these topics interest you, perhaps you’re wondering whether it would be worthwhile to invest your time and resources in gaining the credentials necessary for teaching the social sciences professionally. Will social sciences teachers be in high demand in the future? Read on for a discussion of the future employment outlook for social science teachers in the USA.

The Future Employment Outlook for College-Level Social Sciences Teachers

If you want to teach social sciences, both your paychecks and your job prospects are likeliest to be best if you seek employment as a professor teaching classes at the college level. Analysts at the US Bureau of Labor Statistics are predicting an increase in the number of postsecondary social sciences teaching jobs that will become available by the year 2024. The rate of predicted growth depends on which topic you’re interested in teaching. A few of the fastest-growing topics are as follows:

  • Law — 22 percent growth; median annual pay of $111,210
  • Social sciences — 17 percent growth; median annual pay of $70,740
  • Psychology — 16 percent growth; median annual pay of $73,140
  • Sociology — 15 percent growth; median annual pay of $71,840
  • Anthropology — 15 percent growth; median annual pay of $81,350

They note that prospects for part-time employment are likely to be favorable and that competition will be high for the few available openings for tenure-track employment in this niche.

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The Future Job Outlook for High School Social Sciences Teachers

Overall, analysts at the Bureau of Labor Statistics predict about a 6 percent rate of growth in new jobs for high school teachers. The outlook specifically for social sciences teachers is less certain at the high school level than it is at the college level, and it can vary greatly depending on location and other factors. There are some locations where a glut of social sciences teachers exists; in other locations, there are shortages of qualified teachers.

US States Where There Are Shortages of High School Social Sciences Teachers or Social Studies Teachers for the 2017-2018 School Year:

The state of California maintains a list of both high needs and important academic subjects. They include social sciences on their list of important subjects, indicating that the future employment outlook is likely to be favorable for social sciences teachers in California.

The Future Employment Outlook for Middle School Social Sciences Teachers

Analysts at the Bureau of Labor Statistics forecast a 6 percent increase in the numbers of middle school teaching jobs that will become available by the year 2024. They predict that significant numbers of experienced teachers will retire during this time period, leading to excellent opportunities for new teachers to enter the work force.

There are definitely new jobs opening up for talented, well-educated teachers in the field of social science. It’s a good time for new social science teachers to be entering the job market, as opportunities currently exist for teaching a variety of social science topics to middle schoolers, high schoolers and college students.