Sociology
First Destinations
First Destinations
This graph illustrates the first destinations of recent alumni from the last four graduating classes. Details for each of these categories can be found below.
- 57% Employment
- 16% Graduate School
- 16% Post-Graduate Service
- 2% Fellowships
- 1% Continuing Education
- 8% Other
Top Locations
Top Locations
These are among the top locations of graduates in this major. Whether working, studying, or volunteering, you'll find Grinnellians all over the world.
- Chicago, IL
- Los Angeles, CA
- Madrid, Spain
- Minneapolis & St. Paul, MN
- Seattle, WA
- Washington, DC
Employment
Employment
There is no typical path of a Grinnell graduate. As this list illustrates, Grinnellians work across all types of industries working with a rich array of employers.
| Employer | Position |
|---|---|
| CASA of Cook County | development & marketing coordinator |
| Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute | public policy fellow |
| Education Advisory Board | research associate |
| Habitat for Humanity | family services coordinator |
| Mid Iowa Community Action | food insecurity & COVID-19 response leader |
| Rally Health | associate project manager |
| Teach for America | recruitment associate |
| University of Minnesota | clinical research coordinator |
Sociology
Employment Data
| Employer | Position | Location |
|---|---|---|
| Amazon | senior human resources assistant | Riverside, CA |
| Austin Frerick for US Congress | video creator | Des Moines, IA |
| Bank of America | Java developer | Chicago, IL |
| Beloit College | area hall director and BeloitADE coordinator | Beloit, WI |
| Boys and Girls Club | education specialist | St. Paul, MN |
| CASA of Cook County | development & marketing coordinator | Chicago, IL |
| Catholic Charities | senior companion program coordinator | Crest Hill, IL |
| Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute | public policy fellow | Washington, DC |
| Council on International Educational Exchange | auxiliar de conversación | Madrid, Spain |
| Coyote Logistics | sales operations coordinator | Chicago, IL |
| CSL Plasma | plasma processing technician | Gilbert, AZ |
| ECONorthwest | administrative and project assistant | Seattle, WA |
| Education Advisory Board | research associate | Washington, DC |
| First Position Dance Studio | dance teacher | Milwaukee, WI |
| Fraser | clinical program assistant | Minneapolis, MN |
| GE Gallery | location manager | Mexico City, Mexico |
| Goodwill-Easter Seals Minnesota | career specialist | Minneapolis, MN |
| Habitat for Humanity | family services coordinator | Des Moines, IA |
| HEAPS Magazine | project assistant | Tokyo, Japan |
| Hitachi Consulting | associate | Tokyo, Japan |
| Iowa Legal Aid | intake paralegal | Iowa City, IA |
| JP Morgan Chase & Co. | software engineer | Chicago, IL |
| Latin American Women's Aid | counsellor | London, UK |
| Los Angeles Center for Law and Justice | administrative assistant | Los Angeles, CA |
| Mears Law Office | legal assistant | Iowa City, IA |
| Mid Iowa Community Action | food insecurity & COVID-19 response leader | Grinnell, IA |
| Morningstar | Morningstar Development Program | Chicago, IL |
| NARAL Pro-Choice Washington | political canvasser | Seattle, WA |
| Phenovista Biosciences | research associate | San Diego, CA |
| private family | au pair | Madrid, Spain |
| Rally Health | associate project manager | Chicago, IL |
| Rathod Mohamedbhai LLC | paralegal | Denver, CO |
| School District 159 | substitute teacher | Matteson, IL |
| self-employed | freelance photographer | Portland, OR |
| self-employed | music producer & recording engineer | Chicago, IL |
| SexEdVA, James Madison University | Disability-Inclusive Sexual Health Network strategic communications & dissemination coordinator | Harrisonburg, VA |
| Smithsonian Institution | intern | Washington, DC |
| Social Burger | operations manager | Vienna, VA |
| Spanish Ministry of Education | assistant English teacher | Madrid, Spain |
| Teach for America | recruitment associate | Los Angeles, CA |
| Teach for America | teacher | Las Vegas, NV |
| Teach for America | teacher | South Dakota |
| The Handbuilt City | social innovation intern | Detroit, MI |
| The People's Lobby | Chicago Student Action lead organizer | Chicago, IL |
| Total Quality Logistics | logistical sales representative | Chicago, IL |
| Tuscany at Your Table | worker | Atlanta, GA |
| University of Minnesota | clinical research coordinator | Minneapolis, MN |
| University Prep | after school supervisor | Seattle, WA |
| Washington University in St. Louis | neuropathology research technician | St Louis, MO |
Positions Related to Career Goals
Positions Related to Career Goals
This graph illustrates the extent to which our graduates' first job is aligned with their career goals. It's one thing to find a job; it's an entirely different thing to land the job you want!
- 33% Completely
- 61% Moderately
- 6% Slightly
- 0% Not at All
Graduate Schools
Graduate Schools
Grinnell graduates are particularly well prepared for graduate study. You'll find Grinnellians attend the best graduate and professional school programs around the world.
| Institution | Degree | Field of Study |
|---|---|---|
| Northwestern University | PhD | sociology |
| University of California | PhD | sociology |
| University of Michigan | JD | law |
| University of Minnesota | MPP | public policy |
| University of Pennsylvania | MS | education |
Sociology
Graduate Schools Data
| Institution | Degree | Field of Study | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Academy of Performing Arts | MFA | documentary photography | Prague, Czechia |
| Bowling Green State University | MA | American culture studies | Bowling Green, OH |
| Chicago-Kent College of Law | JD | law | Chicago, IL |
| Drexel University | MSFS | forensic science | Philadelphia, PA |
| Johns Hopkins University | MEd | education | Baltimore, MD |
| Mitchell Hamline School of Law | JD | law | St. Paul, MN |
| Northwestern University | PhD | sociology | Evanston, IL |
| University of California | PhD | sociology | Irvine, CA |
| University of Illinois | JD | law | Champaign, IL |
| University of Iowa | MCA | clinical anatomy | Iowa City, IA |
| University of Michigan | JD | law | Ann Arbor, MI |
| University of Minnesota | JD | law | Minneapolis, MN |
| University of Minnesota | MPP | public policy | Minneapolis, MN |
| University of Pennsylvania | MS | education | Philadelphia, PA |
| University of Southern California | PhD | comparative media & culture | Los Angeles, CA |
Graduate School Acceptance Info
Of those who applied to and were accepted to at least one program, this chart illustrates the percentage of admitted students who were accepted to either their first or second choice program and institution.
58%
58% of students are accepted to their first or second choice graduate institution and program
Service
Service
Each year, Grinnellians advance causes and serve communities around the world as full-time volunteers.
Organization
- AmeriCorps
- City Year
- Jane Addams Senior Caucus
- Peace Corps
- Samuel Huntington Fund
- Shanti Bhavan
Sociology
Service Data
| Organization | Location |
|---|---|
| AmeriCorps | Grinnell, IA |
| AmeriCorps | Sioux Falls, SD |
| City Year | Chicago, IL |
| College Possible | Chicago, IL |
| College Possible | St. Paul, MN |
| Horizons | Savannah, GA |
| Jane Addams Senior Caucus | Chicago, IL |
| Land of Lincoln Legal Aid | Carbondale, IL |
| Peace Corps | Rabat, Morocco |
| Playworks | Chicago, IL |
| Ramsey County Community Corrections | St. Paul, MN |
| Samuel Huntington Fund | Tamale, Ghana |
| Shanti Bhavan | Baliganapalli, India |
| Urban Teachers | Dallas, TX |
Fellowships
Fellowships
Grinnell has a rich history of producing recipients of some of the most prestigious post-graduate fellowships and awards.
Organization
- Thomas J. Watson Foundation
Sociology
Fellowships Data
| Organization | Location |
|---|---|
| Grinnell College | Grinnell, IA |
| Thomas J. Watson Foundation | Hungary, India, South Africa |
Experiential Learning
Experiential Learning
Participation in high-impact experiences is a hallmark of a Grinnell education. The following graphs illustrate the percentage of graduates who completed internships, research experiences (both on- and off-campus), service, and/or off-campus study prior to graduating from Grinnell.
Internships
76%
Sociology
Internships Data
| Organization | Field | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 3311 Productions, Inc. | creative/performing arts | Los Angeles, CA |
| All Stars Project of Dallas | creative/performing arts | Dallas, TX |
| AmeriCorps | education | Grinnell, IA |
| ArtiCulture | creative/performing arts | Minneapolis, MN |
| Belen Educa | education | Santiago, Chile |
| Benach Collopy LLP | law/legal services | Washington, DC |
| Blank Park Zoo | research/science | Des Moines, IA |
| Bread and Puppet Theater | creative/performing arts | Glover, VT |
| Bread for the World | government/public policy | Washington, DC |
| Breakthrough New York | education | New York, NY |
| Capital and Main | communications/media | Los Angeles, CA |
| Carver College of Medicine | healthcare | Iowa City, IA |
| Center for Constitutional Rights | law/legal services | New York, NY |
| Challenging Heights | social services | Winneba, Ghana |
| Chloe Smith MP, House of Commons | government/public policy | London, UK |
| City of Madison | computing/technology | Madison, WI |
| Classick Studios LLC | creative/performing arts | Chicago, IL |
| Coppola Enterprises | sales/marketing | Des Moines, IA |
| Crisis Intervention Services | social services | Ottumwa, IA |
| D4DR Inc. | computing/technology | Tokyo, Japan |
| Deloitte Tohmatsu Venture Support | communications/media | Tokyo, Japan |
| Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance | healthcare | Chicago, IL |
| DoSomething.org | social services | New York, NY |
| Dr. Laura Ferguson | healthcare | Grinnell, IA |
| Equal Employment Opportunity Commission | law/legal services | Chicago, IL |
| ExtraHop Networks | sales/marketing | Seattle, WA |
| First Stage Theater Academy | education | Milwaukee, WI |
| Gender Dynamix | social services | Cape Town, South Africa |
| Gender Justice | law/legal services | St. Paul, MN |
| Girls Inc | education | Washington, DC |
| Grinnell Area Arts Council | creative/performing arts | Grinnell, IA |
| Grinnell Area Chamber of Commerce | communications | Grinnell, IA |
| Grinnell College | education | Grinnell, IA |
| Grinnell College Office of Development & Alumni Relations | education | Grinnell, IA |
| Grinnell Community Daycare and Preschool | education | Grinnell, IA |
| Grinnell Disability Resources | social services | Grinnell IA, IA |
| Grinnell Historical Museum | education | Grinnell, IA |
| Harlem RBI | education | New York, NY |
| Hunch Media | creative/performing arts | London, UK |
| Immigrant Allies of Marshalltown | law/legal services | Marshalltown, IA |
| Inside Out Project | creative/performing arts | New York, NY |
| Iowa Center for Economic Success | social services | Des Moines, IA |
| Iowa Senate Democrats Policy Research Staff | government/public policy | Des Moines, IA |
| John Lewis Constituent Services Office | government/public policy | Atlanta, GA |
| Kaiser Permanente | communications/media | Portland, OR |
| KIPP New Orleans | education | New Orleans, LA |
| Law Office of Jillian Kong-Sivert | law/legal services | Phoenix, AZ |
| Loeb Enterprises | computing/technology | New York, NY |
| Loyola Law School | law/legal services | Los Angeles, CA |
| Maricopa Medical Examiner's Office | healthcare | Phoenix, AZ |
| Mary's Center | healthcare | Washington, DC |
| Mastercard | computing/technology | St. Louis, MO |
| Mayflower | social services | Grinnell, IA |
| Mercy Medical Center | healthcare | Des Moines, IA |
| Meridian Freedom Project | education | Meridian, MS |
| Mid-Iowa Community Action | social services | Grinnell, IA |
| mTheory | creative/performing arts | Nashville, TN |
| MTV | communications | New York, NY |
| multicult.fm weltkulturradio | communications | Berlin, Germany |
| National Coalition for the Homeless | social services | Washington, DC |
| National Council of Jewish Women | social services | Washington, DC |
| National Public Radio | communications | Washington, DC |
| Northwest Film Forum | creative/performing arts | Seattle, WA |
| On Earth Peace | social services | remote |
| Piper Jaffrat | finance | Minneapolis, MN |
| Prairie State Legal Services | law/legal services | Galesburg, IL |
| Prateepsana Ismail Memorial School | education | Nakhon Si Thammarat, Thailand |
| Propeller: A Force for Social Innovation | education | New Orleans, LA |
| Quarter Zero | education | New York, NY |
| Red Hen Press | communications | Pasadena, CA |
| RefugeeOne | social services | Chicago, IL |
| SAFE Alliance | social services | Charlotte, NC |
| Salt IO | data science/analytics | Royersford, PA |
| Seattle Documentary Association | creative/performing arts | Seattle, WA |
| Sesame Workshop | creative/performing arts | Tokyo, Japan |
| Shedd Aquarium | education | Chicago, IL |
| Sisters4Sisters | social services | Cape Town, South Africa |
| Sports Monster | sales/marketing | St. Louis, MO |
| Street Girls Aid | social services | Achimota, Ghana |
| Teach for America | education | Los Angeles, CA |
| Teamster Union 705 | law/legal services | Chicago, IL |
| The Coca-Cola Company | business administration/management | Tokyo, Japan |
| The Posse Foundation | education | Washington, DC |
| Time Out Tokyo | communications | Tokyo, Japan |
| Umkhumbane Schools Project | education | Durban, South Africa |
| Union Avenue Opera | creative/performing arts | St. Louis, MO |
| Unity Point Health | healthcare | Des Moines, IA |
| University of Iowa | research/science | Iowa City, IA |
| Venice Family Clinic | healthcare | Santa Monica, CA |
| Veteran Affairs Central Iowa Healthcare System | social services | Des Moines, IA |
| Viva Tanzania | education | Arusha, Tanzania |
| Volunteer Fox Cities | sales/marketing | Appleton, WI |
| Waypoint Services | social services | Cedar Rapids, IA |
| Wells Fargo | communications/media | Des Moines, IA |
| Wells Fargo | sales/marketing | Des Moines, IA |
| Workers Defense Project | social services | Austin, TX |
| Youth Action Youth Build | social services | New York, NY |
Research
50%
Sociology
Research Data
| Organization | Field | Location |
|---|---|---|
| Grinnell Chamber of Commerce | social & economic sustainability | Grinnell, IA |
| Grinnell College | civic education in India | Bangalore, India |
| Grinnell College | social movement community | New York, NY |
| Hawaii Permanente Medical Group | cultural awareness in prenatal care | Honolulu, HI |
| Princeton University | public policy & international affairs | Princeton, NJ |
| University of California | biomedicine | Los Angeles, CA |
| University of California | placental response to environmental pollution | Los Angeles, CA |
| University of Chicago | educational methods' effects on urban children | Chicago, IL |
| University of Freiburg | organic chemistry | Freiburg, Germany |
| University of Illinois | diagnosing learning disabilities | Chicago, IL |
| University of Illinois | psychology | Chicago, IL |
| University of Southern California | effect of community on youth development | Santa Cruz, CA |
Service
68%
Off-Campus Study
50%