The maximum year for Bachelor’s degrees was 1973-74 (35,491) and the minimum was 1984-85 (11,968).
The maximum year for Master’s degrees was 1973-74 (2,196) and the minimum was 1957-58 (397). Later, 1987-88 was low (984).
The maximum year for Doctor’s degrees was 1973-74 (2,196) and the minimum was 1949-50 (98). Later, 1989-90 was low (432).
In 2015-16 the number of Sociology Bachelor’s Degrees was 28,001, Master’s Degrees 1,363 and Doctor’s Degrees 639. This may be a new downward turn after almost three decades of growth. Remember that these are raw numbers and not rates. The large peak in the early 1970s is probably a baby-boom effect and the rise around the turn of the century a second wave effect from the baby-boom.
What other factors might affect the number of sociology graduates?
SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Earned Degrees Conferred, 1949-50 through 1963-64; Higher Education General Information Survey (HEGIS), “Degrees and Other Formal Awards Conferred” surveys, 1965-66 through 1985-86; Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS), “Completions Survey” (IPEDS-C:87-99); and IPEDS Fall 2000 through Fall 2016, Completions component. (This table was prepared November 2017.)