Social Scientists and Related Workers, All Other
Life, Physical, and Social Science
Social-science research that does not fit a more specific occupation still follows a shared set of tasks. The work is studying social phenomena and human behavior: gathering and analyzing data, looking for patterns, and building theories or models that explain how people and groups act. Findings are written for journals or reports, often alongside researchers from other fields. Some of the same people advise organizations or policymakers. Because the label is a catch-all, the setting and subject vary; it suits people who like research, data analysis, and explaining social processes in writing, and who can move across topics rather than stay inside one named specialty.
Annual Median Wage in Field (2025)
$101'110
Median Wage Market Position
$101'110
What you might do
- Research social life and how people behave
- Analyze data to spot patterns in society
- Build theories that explain how societies work
- Publish findings in journals or written reports
- Team up with researchers from other fields
- Advise organizations or policymakers on social questions
Skills that matter
- Researching social behavior and phenomena
- Finding patterns in social data
- Building theories of social processes
- Publishing journal articles and reports
- Collaborating across research disciplines
- Advising organizations and policymakers
AI & the future of this role
Much of this work involves literature review, data analysis, and report writing that software may absorb. Research design, interpretive judgment, and messy real-world context still matter, though analytical demand could thin as tools improve.
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Includes O*NET® 30.3 Database information by USDOL/ETA under CC BY 4.0; modified by LostInCareer. Wage/outlook from BLS. Attribution details