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
- 24% Graduate School
- 6% Post-Graduate Service
- 7% Fellowships
- 0% Continuing Education
- 6% 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
- Iowa City, IA
- New York, NY
- St. Louis, MO
- 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 |
|---|---|
| Boston Children's Hospital | research assistant |
| Deloitte | analyst |
| Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles | client intake paralegal |
| McLean Hospital | school counselor |
| New York Communities for Change | bilingual community organizer |
| Teach for America | elementary teacher |
Sociology
Employment Data
| Employer | Position | Location |
|---|---|---|
| AcademyHealth | research assistant | Washington, DC |
| American Business Bank | human resources coordinator | Los Angeles, CA |
| BlackRock | software engineering analyst | Atlanta, GA |
| BlueDot Wellness | business developer | Los Angeles, CA |
| BlueTickSocial | digital marketing strategist | remote |
| Boston Children's Hospital | research assistant | Boston, MA |
| Circle Logistics | sales development representative | Chicago, IL |
| Crowd Cow | head of local marketing | Chapel Hill, NC |
| Davidson College | admission counselor | Davidson, NC |
| Deloitte | analyst | Arlington, VA |
| Dovetail Partners | project director | Minneapolis, MN |
| Edna Brewer Middle School | teacher | Oakland, CA |
| Finsbury Glover Hering | associate | Washington, DC |
| Flourishing Lives Counseling | marketing coordinator | Naperville, IL |
| Galena Public Library | clerk | Galena, IL |
| GlobalFoundries | tax planning & transfer pricing analyst | Austin, TX |
| Government Accountability Office | analyst | Washington, DC |
| Grinnell College | admission counselor | Grinnell, IA |
| Grinnell College | counselor of admission marketing | Grinnell, IA |
| Grinnell College Museum of Art | outreach assistant | Grinnell, IA |
| Hexter for House | campaign manager | Grinnell, IA |
| Hy-Vee | barista | Marion, IA |
| Insight Global | recruiter | San Francisco, CA |
| International Business Initiatives (IBI) | business analyst associate | Arlington, VA |
| International Institute of St. Louis | anti-trafficking intern | St. Louis, MO |
| KOTRA | business consultant | Detroit, MI |
| Ladue Pharmacy | pharmacy clerk | St. Louis, MO |
| LEEP Dual Language Academy | associate teacher | Brooklyn, NY |
| Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles | client intake paralegal | Los Angeles, CA |
| LINK | program leader | Grinnell, IA |
| Maricé Morales for County Council | deputy campaign manager | Rockville, MD |
| Mayer Brown | litigation paralegal | New York, NY |
| McLean Hospital | school counselor | Arlington, MA |
| New York Communities for Change | bilingual community organizer | New York, NY |
| North American language & Culture Assistants Program | English conversation assistant | Arcos de la Frontera, Spain |
| North American Language & Culture Assistants Program | language & culture assistant | A Pontenova, Spain |
| Rangoon Brooklyn | server/bartender | New York, NY |
| Self-Help Credit Union | commercial lending intern | Durham, NC |
| Shanti Bhavan Children's Project | social media coordinator | remote |
| The Society of Good Friends | conversational English teacher | Kasaoka, Japan |
| Street Roots | correspondent | Portland, OR |
| Sucia Island Marine State Parks | senior park aide | Eastsound, WA |
| SwimSwam | content creator | remote |
| Teach for America | elementary teacher | Boston, MA |
| Teaching Assistant Program in France | teaching assistant | Montbéliard, France |
| Teaching Assistant Program in France | teaching assistant | Nancy-Metz, France |
| U.S. Committee for Refugees & Immigrants | case aide | Des Moines, IA |
| U.S. Department of Energy | grants management specialist | Chicago, IL |
| U.S. Forest Service | natural resource specialist/social scientist | Fort Jones, CA |
| University of Colorado | admissions counselor | Colorado Springs, CO |
| University of Iowa | postbaccalaureate research intern | Iowa City, IA |
| University of Iowa Tippie College of Business | career & outcomes specialist | Iowa City, IA |
| World Relief | virtual reception & placement case specialist | Baltimore, MD |
| Xplore Asia | teacher | Japan |
| YWCA Utah | lead advocate | Salt Lake City, UT |
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!
- 35% Completely
- 50% Moderately
- 12% Slightly
- 4% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Georgetown University | MPP | government/public policy |
| Harvard University | JD | law |
| London School of Economics & Political Science | MSc | sociology |
| University of Michigan | JD | law |
| University of Oxford | MSc | sociology |
| Washington University in St. Louis | PhD | sociology |
Sociology
Graduate Schools Data
| Institution | Degree | Field of Study | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Georgetown University | MPP | government/public policy | Washington, DC |
| Georgia Institute of Technology | MS | human-computer interaction | Atlanta, GA |
| Harvard University | JD | law | Cambridge, MA |
| Lewis & Clark College | MSL | environmental, natural resource & energy law | Portland, OR |
| London School of Economics & Political Science | MSc | sociology | London, UK |
| Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center at El Paso Paul Foster School of Medicine | MD | medicine | El Paso, TX |
| University of California | MS | computational social science | San Diego, CA |
| University of Central Missouri | MA | communications | Warrensburg, MO |
| University of Chicago | MA | sociology | Chicago, IL |
| University of Illinois | JD | law | Chicago, IL |
| University of Illinois | MS | management | Urbana-Champaign, IL |
| University of Iowa | JD | law | Iowa City, IA |
| University of Iowa | MPH | epidemiology | Iowa City, IA |
| University of Iowa | PhD | sociology | Iowa City, IA |
| University of Michigan | JD | law | Ann Arbor, MI |
| University of Michigan | MSW | social work/sports psychology | Ann Arbor, MI |
| University of Oxford | MPhil | comparative social policy | Oxford, UK |
| University of Oxford | MSc | sociology | Oxford, UK |
| University of Pennsylvania | JD | law | Philadelphia, PA |
| Washington University in St. Louis | PhD | sociology | St. Louis, MO |
| Yale University | PhD | sociology | New Haven, CT |
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.
84%
84% 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
- Avodah
- Conservation Corps
- La Puente Home
Sociology
Service Data
| Organization | Location |
|---|---|
| AmeriCorps | Iowa City, IA |
| AmeriCorps | Trenton, NJ |
| Avodah | New York, NY |
| Conservation Corps | Minneapolis, MN |
| Conservation Corps Iowa | Des Moines, IA |
| La Puente Home | Alamosa, CO |
Fellowships
Fellowships
Grinnell has a rich history of producing recipients of some of the most prestigious post-graduate fellowships and awards.
Organization
- Cleveland Foundation Public Service Fellowship
- Coro Fellowship in Public Affairs
- National Institutes of Health
Sociology
Fellowships Data
| Organization | Location |
|---|---|
| Cleveland Foundation Public Service Fellowship | Cleveland, OH |
| Coro Fellowship in Public Affairs | St. Louis, MO |
| The Fulbright Program | Luodong, Taiwan |
| The Fulbright Program | Ostrava, Czechia |
| Jesse M. Unruh Assembly Fellowship | Sacramento, CA |
| National Institutes of Health | Bethesda, MD |
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
70%
Sociology
Internships Data
| Organization | Field | Location |
|---|---|---|
| AgCertain Industries | business administration/management | Ames, IA |
| American Chemical Society | education | remote |
| American for the Arts Action | creative/performing arts | Washington, DC |
| American Institutes for Research | government/public policy | Rockville, MD |
| AmeriCorps | education | Grinnell, IA |
| AmeriCorps | education | Minneapolis, MN |
| AmeriCorps VISTA | education | Grinnell, IA |
| Antieviction Mapping Project | communications/media | San Francisco, CA |
| ANYAR | education | Panama City, Panama |
| Barnes Foundation | creative/performing arts | Philadelphia, PA |
| BioXFEL NSF Science & Technology Center | research/science | Buffalo, NY |
| BlackRock | computing/technology | remote |
| BlueTickSocial | sales/marketing | remote |
| Bohannon for Congress | government/public policy | Iowa City, IA |
| Boys & Girls Club of Topeka Teen Center | education | Topeka, KS |
| Breakthrough Twin Cities | education | Minneapolis, MN |
| Cambridge Women's Center | social services | Cambridge, MA |
| Camp Thunderbird | education | Bemidji, MN |
| Canopy NWA | social services | Fayetteville, AR |
| Center for Constitutional Rights | law/legal services | New York, NY |
| Center for Human-Environmental Research | environment/sustainability | remote |
| Challenging Heights | social services | Winneba, Ghana |
| City Council | government/public policy | Los Angeles, CA |
| City of Grinnell | government/public policy | Grinnell, IA |
| City of Minneapolis | government/public policy | Minneapolis, MN |
| City Year | education | Los Angeles, CA |
| Cocoa Creatives | communications/media | Des Moines, IA |
| Community Homestead | social services | Osceola, WI |
| Compulse | sales/marketing | Los Angeles, CA |
| Cox-Smith Funeral & Cremation Service of Grinnell | social services | Grinnell, IA |
| Cre8Lab | communications/media | remote |
| Crisis Intervention Services | social services | Oskaloosa, IA |
| Dallas Museum of Art | creative/performing arts | Dallas, TX |
| Delaware Museum of Nature & Science | education | Wilmington, DE |
| Design Museum Foundation | communications/media | Boston, MA |
| Dovetail Partners | environment/sustainability | Minneapolis, MN |
| Drink Local Drink Tap | environment/sustainability | Cleveland, OH |
| EchoAce | communications/media | San Francisco, CA |
| El Proyecto Corazon | law/legal services | Matamoros, Mexico |
| ELOP | social services | London, UK |
| Equal Employment Opportunity Commission | law/legal services | Chicago, IL |
| Externat des Enfants Nantais | education | Nantes, France |
| Fair | communications/media | New York, NY |
| Flow Media | creative/performing arts | Cedar Rapids, IA |
| Gathr Now | sales/marketing | San Francisco, CA |
| The GenderCool Project | social services | remote |
| Georgia Innocence Project | law/legal services | Atlanta, GA |
| Global Nomads Group | government/public policy | New York, NY |
| Global Nomads Group | government/public policy | New York, NY |
| GlobalFoundries | business administration/management | Austin, TX |
| Government Accountability Office | government/public policy | Washington, DC |
| Grinnell College | sales/marketing | Grinnell, IA |
| Grinnell College Office of Admissions | education | Grinnell, IA |
| Grinnell United Church of Christ | social services | Grinnell, IA |
| Habitat for Humanity Orange County | social services | Chapel Hill, NC |
| Hillcrest Ministries | social services | Liberty, MO |
| Hotel Trades Council | business administration/management | New York, NY |
| Howard University Medical School | healthcare | remote |
| Interfaith Center for Sustainable Development | communications/media | remote |
| International Rescue Committee | law/legal services | Baltimore, MD |
| International Rescue Committee | social services | Des Moines, IA |
| Iowa Civil Rights Commission | government/public policy | Des Moines, IA |
| Laboratoria | social services | remote |
| Last Cut Project | communications/media | Los Angeles, CA |
| Life Moves | social services | Palo Alto, CA |
| LINK Grinnell | social services | Grinnell, IA |
| Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office | law/legal services | Los Angeles, CA |
| Matthew 25 | communications/media | Cedar Rapids , IA |
| Midwest Conference | business administration/management | Grinnell, IA |
| Monsoon Asian & Pacific Islanders in Solidarity | social services | Des Moines, IA |
| mPulse Mobile | computing/technology | Los Angeles, CA |
| National Endowment for Democracy | government/public policy | Washington, DC |
| Ninjitsu Technologies | computing/technology | remote |
| North Carolina General Assembly | government/public policy | Raleigh, NC |
| One Refugee | social services | Chicago, IL |
| Outsider | communications/media | Nashville, TN |
| Philanthropy in Motion | business administration/management | Beijing, China |
| Philip Morris International | business administration/management | Lausanne, Switzerland, Switzerland |
| Pittsburgh Post-Gazette | communications/media | Pittsburgh, PA |
| Public Defense Office | law/legal services | Iowa City, IA |
| Refugees Welcome Stockholm | social services | Stockholm, Sweden |
| Restorative Justice Project of Midcoast Maine | law/legal services | Belfast, ME |
| Revolution Tailors | business administration/management | Chicago, IL |
| Rogers & Rosewater | social services | San Francisco, CA |
| Scripps Research | research/science | San Diego, CA |
| Shahid Buttar for Congress | communications/media | San Francisco, CA |
| Shalom Bayit | social services | San Francisco, CA |
| SIT Abroad | education | remote |
| Sitka Conservation Society | environment/sustainability | Sitka, AK |
| SLAM | sales/marketing | New York, NY |
| Sustainable Outcomes | consulting | New Delhi, India |
| TechStyleOS | business administration/management | El Segundo, CA |
| Truth Media | communications/media | Brooklyn, NY |
| U.S. Census Bureau | government/public policy | Little Rock, AR |
| U.S. Foreign Service | government/public policy | Washington, DC |
| U.S. House of Representatives | government/public policy | Washington, DC |
| United Action for Youth | social services | Iowa City, IA |
| University of Chicago | government/public policy | Chicago , IL |
| University of Iowa | healthcare | Iowa City, IA |
| University of Michigan | government/public policy | Ann Arbor, MI |
| USDC of the Eastern District of California | law/legal services | Sacramento, CA |
| Virtual Student Federal Service | government/public policy | remote |
| VMLY&R Commerce | communications/media | Chicago, IL |
| Vote Smart | government/public policy | Des Moines, IA |
| ZÖe Center for Pediatrics & Adolescent Health | healthcare | Thomaston, GA |
Research
48%
Sociology
Research Data
| Organization | Field | Location |
|---|---|---|
| Baylor College of Medicine | T cells and COPD | Houston, TX |
| Harvard University | sociology | Cambridge, MA |
| Mayo Clinic | biomedicine | Rochester, MN |
| Mellon Mays Undergraduate Fellowship | asylum seekers' navigation of immigration system | Matamoros, Mexico |
| School for Field Studies | Himalayan environment & society in transition | Paro, Bhutan |
| Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital | genome editing | Guangzhou, China |
| University of Maryland | algorithm robusticity | remote |
Service
92%
Off-Campus Study
46%