How is a sociology degree treated in the states?
Posted by Particular-v1q@reddit | AskAnAmerican | View on Reddit | 201 comments
Hello! Im from italy and wanted to study sociology but unfortunately, the country doesent have job opportunities and most degrees that arent purely about economic&business arent valued here, so was wondering how's a sociology degree treated in your countries? has it any value or not? ill be moving istantly after getting the degree ( if not before since most of the times years w exams done can be ""transferred" to other universities outside of the country ) would a sociology degree make immigrating to the US easier?
Diligent_Squash_7521@reddit
I was the psychology, major with an interest in sociology, but both psychology and social psychology degree at the bachelors level are basically worthless. After I graduated, I was accepted into a masters of social work, a doctorate in social psychology program and law school so I took law school.
AdLiving1435@reddit
My HVAC tech school got me a job an15 years removed and killing it.
Awkward-Motor3287@reddit
It's certainly interesting, but it's not very useful. Outside of jobs that just require any college degree at all, it won't help you much.
My sister has a degree in sociology degree and never used it.
Particular-v1q@reddit (OP)
Thanks for the heads up haha, i find it extremely interesting and with many use cases but i guess its not like that
Awkward-Motor3287@reddit
I am very glad you are researching if the degree you want is useful. There are so many unemployed graduates with degrees in "underwater basket weaving" to use the cliche.
Particular-v1q@reddit (OP)
Thanks đ€ , heard lots of stories about poor souls getting a degree and not even finding a job regarding the degree they studied and paid for, also i dont really have that many options so ig imma roll w it đ
Awkward-Motor3287@reddit
You could get a job as a professor. That is possible.
cornflower4@reddit
Colleges and universities here in the US are hurting now. Many are making huge budget cuts and closing whole departments. Many small schools are closing. Finding a job in higher education ainât happening with this administration.
MoonieNine@reddit
Nope. Not unless he has a Masters, or preferably, a doctorate.
Awkward-Motor3287@reddit
The OP didnt state what level of degree they were interested in, did they?
MoonieNine@reddit
Honestly, even with a doctorate in sociology, he's going to have trouble finding a job in the field. He'll be competing with others also seeking work for the few jobs available. I'm not being mean. Just stating facts. See my other posts here based on my own and spouse's experience.
Particular-v1q@reddit (OP)
Yeah while its an actual bummer for me, knowing, that most likely will do something else id rather know it now than after finishing 3 years haha
Particular-v1q@reddit (OP)
yeah i could but at the same i doubt id survive 5 more years in this country, i wanted to do one year here get the exams done trough erasmus ( exchange programs ) for a country with a more fair system and get the actual certificates from here, what i was planning initially was doing 3 years here then move out and continue in the other country ( obviously id have to ""exchange"" the degrees but i was planning of doing it in english language so its "stronger"
moxie-maniac@reddit
You mean getting a work visa like H1B? No, those go to people with degrees in engineering or computer science.
Particular-v1q@reddit (OP)
đ©
PurpleLilyEsq@reddit
People with other degrees can get those too, but it is a lot harder because you are competing against Americans with the same degrees who donât need sponsorship.
Why do you want to come and work here right now?
Particular-v1q@reddit (OP)
because its one of the best countries if you want to retire early, by far, not even counting the benefits from an US citizenship and the QoL, sure there is a huge gap between rich and poor, comparable if not even more than here in italy, but here you will most likely will stay poor till you die, atleast in the US you have some slimmer of hope of making it to retirement before 70
Inspi@reddit
Retire early? Here? Most people I know 40 and under assume that will never be able to retire.Â
Particular-v1q@reddit (OP)
i mean, its a possibility, sure most people wont ever retire early and most likely i wont do either, but atleast knowing that there's a change would give me more incentive to live, if i were to get the degree id end up at minimum 67 ( by far the best case but very unlikely since the government wants to extend the retirement age till 71 ) and altough you could technically get rich and retire here by sheer luck or by family business i dont have that, so i either stay here working till im 71 ( most likely ) for 1k a month or id just try balling in the US
InevitableRhubarb232@reddit
People are not retiring at 40 or 50 or even 65 here. There are tons of people who might retire their main job but theyâre still driving a school bus or working the cafeteria or Walmart or something to have enough income to live on
Pensions arenât really a thing
cornflower4@reddit
Yes, almost 70 here and still working as a nurse; 49 years!
Particular-v1q@reddit (OP)
i mean tbh id want to open a business and eventually if it goes as planned sell it and retire early and live in a cabin in the woods just chilling, nothing fancy or extravagant
InevitableRhubarb232@reddit
And why do you think thatâs easy?
Particular-v1q@reddit (OP)
Never mentioned it would be easy, but its something i hope id be able to achieve, its purely hope and some cope but as someone that has lost hope for a long time i want to wish a peaceful life might be feasible
InevitableRhubarb232@reddit
Prob best to put that hope and effort into making things work / better where you are
You have an idealized fantasy of life here and think you will come and have the thing that not even many Americans achieve
Many_Pea_9117@reddit
Sociology majors dont prepare you for a job that pays well. You won't be a desireable candidate for an H1B program, and you won't make enough to buy a home here and likely not enough to retire well.
Particular-v1q@reddit (OP)
I mean, my goal was finding a job and then opening a business, i wont retire early by working for others lol, thanks tough
AdamOnFirst@reddit
This makes a sociology degree even more useless
Particular-v1q@reddit (OP)
i dont expect to use it that long, i was thinking about a way to to the US by studying something i might enjoy but guess ill have to go a different route
Brave-Side-8945@reddit
For just opening a business in the US you can have a look at E-2 visa, but you should have good savings in advance
Many_Pea_9117@reddit
I have several friends who retired in their 30s, and all did it by working for others, and they all worked in different fields such as cyber, cloud computing, LLMs, fin-tech, biomed, and ediscovery. They found jobs that rewarded their skills, which they developed in jobs they landed via their connections they made in school. Most had degrees relevant to their fields, but some skipped college entirely.
Particular-v1q@reddit (OP)
Unfortunately most of those connections arent something that really happens here, yeah sure i know some future micro-business ( most business have 1/2 people working ) owners but not really "enough" to finding jobs trough connections
PurpleLilyEsq@reddit
My mom is a primary care physician who still works at 74 and still has a mortgage on the house she bought 40 years ago when things were a lot cheaper. My dadâs retirement was sitting home all day by himself watching TV while my mom continued to work to support them both. She can only think about retiring now that he has passed. I think youâre really glamorizing something you know nothing about. The whole âAmerican dreamâ is not all itâs cracked up to be. My grandparents were off the boat immigrants at Ellis Island. My dadâs dream job was US ambassador to Italy. âThe grass is always greener.â
MechanicalGodzilla@reddit
A common move is to get a degree and work in the US, stash away cash/investments, then move back. One example is marketing research analyst, a potential career path for a Sociology degree. The median salary in the US is ~$75k, while in Italy that same job pays âŹ30k (~$35k). You can work for 10 years in the US and double your income before you move back.
Particular-v1q@reddit (OP)
30k is way way much more than anyone under 40 without a very strong degree and years at big corps will ever do unfortunately, i wish the average was 30k
MechanicalGodzilla@reddit
It is literally the median pay for a market analyst in Italy. For comparison in my field, building engineering, our new hire engineers make $82k annually. In Italy, the median is âŹ35k. We make significantly more for skilled jobs in the US.
Particular-v1q@reddit (OP)
most of the data aint properly calculated, personal anectdote, i have a friend that studied civil engineering, has the degree, works, earns 500 euros after more than one year working, he enjoys the job so he stays, i know americans earn more than us but the 30k is a pretty hefty ammount most people dont earn
Particular-v1q@reddit (OP)
You think that italy is different? i cant even survive if i want to work and live by myself, not just "not saving" but litterally not even surviving, no takeaway cheapest food+caritas and basically not using utilities is barely enough to survive here, my perception of the US is different from yours, your perspective is also different from mine, thanks tough
PurpleLilyEsq@reddit
Have you considered other countries in the EU? Places you can legally work without employers having to shell out a lot of extra money for a special visa? Why USA or bust if you feel you have no future in Italy?
Particular-v1q@reddit (OP)
in italy for me there is no future, i dont inherit any company neither have the strenght to barely survive with basically no hope of actually being able to live in a humane way, i was thinking about germany but at the same time the US in my opinion is the the best option since id like opening a business and there aint many better countries where you can open a business from scratch, atleast in the US id have some hope for a life worth living, here sure its "comfortable" since you already know how you will survive for the next years but at the same its a dreadful feeling and at that point id just rather kill myself
anonymouse278@reddit
I won't argue with you that the pay in the US is better than most other places, and there is potential for economic mobility. But there are things you probably take for granted that Americans either don't get, like many worker protections at all- in much of the US, an employer can fire you at any time for nearly any reason- or that we typically have to pay for ourselves (like healthcare and most of retirement). Our social safety net is more hole than net, and is likely to continue to get worse under the current administration.
Remember that the healthcare system in the US is largely structured around employment. For most people, if you're out of work, you're out of healthcare. And our government just this week voted to gut the public insurance systems that cover the poorest people, which is very likely going to have major negative effects on the healthcare system down the line (those people aren't going to start paying for healthcare out of pocket, they're going to either not get treated at all or get legally mandated emergency care that they then cannot pay for, so the hospital eats the cost). So things for people who do still have coverage are probably going to get more costly.
An entrepreneur in the US needs, among other things, to cover their own health insurance. It is not cheap, and healthcare even with insurance isn't cheap. The leading cause of bankruptcy here is medical debt.
Particular-v1q@reddit (OP)
ill be frank, there arent many worker protections here either, illegal immigrants ( them exepcially ) and young people have a really high incidence of work-death, for example oftentimes there have been illegal immigrants dying in fields or teens dying in fields/construction workplaces, i did work for some time and had to do 8+1 hour since lunch usually isnt accounted as "worktime", while the firing thing is true id eventually would end up being a business owner and altough i disagree with it, it would make life easier, without counting that yes, you have to pay from your own "pocket" healthcare and retirement but you dont understand that WE DO THE SAME, we have around 44% of total tax on earnings, and no not for the billionaires or shit but for the average fucker like me and you, the money from taxes gets spent in mercedes and in a minor part for healthcare wich has been outright "refused" by those that are in need because most of the times you will forget after 2 years of wait for a random check-in, without counting the measly wages with fuckers going to pension at 67/68 and recieving barely above 700 euros, i understand that medical debt sucks but to be fair i could always come back here for anything that isnt istantly urgent and id probably just pay coverage wich would still end up less than taxes and would also have a higher quality than public healthcare
PurpleLilyEsq@reddit
If you want to start a business, why are you majoring in sociology instead of accounting, finance, business administration, etc.? What type of business is your ultimate goal?
I donât know what the health system is like in Italy nor the mental health system, but it seems like what you need more than anything is a good therapist, not to move across the world seeking something that likely doesnât exist here either.
Particular-v1q@reddit (OP)
Therapy atleast in my experience of multiple years has been useless lol, lots and lots of money spent tried and never helped, altough i admit that its not realistic i also would prefer having somewhat of a goal in life instead of trying to survive till im 71, for the business part id honestly roll with whats actually needed the most, id probably for a service kind of business
Elegant_Bluebird_460@reddit
I hate to break it to you, but what you describe here is the overwhelming likelihood you will face in the US. And you won't have the benefit of a lot of vacation time like you get in Italy.
If your goal is to avoid this, then you need to consider a completely different career path. Pretty much the best way to do so is to go into business for yourself, which is possible as an immigrant after a few years of slogging through here. But your best bet is to try to come here as a student, if you can manage it in this climate.
Particular-v1q@reddit (OP)
honestly id like coming as a student but im scared of the loans lol, here i wont even earn enough for one semester by working a whole year and, while yeah, it might be a gamble my goal was managing to get to the us, work and open a business, obviously oversimplying everything but i know i wont retire early by working for someone else
Inspi@reddit
If you are college age then you'll be luck to retire by 80 in the US the way the economy, inflation, and political situation is going. That's also assuming we don't have a massive depression or possible civil war in the next couple decades, both of which are very real possibilities.
People like to look at historical trends and try to predict how things will change, but they often overlook how the country is basically going through the same motions politically as it did in the 20-30 years before the Civil War and economically as it did in the 1930s before the Great Depression hit in the 30s.
Particular-v1q@reddit (OP)
I mean tbh atleast altough its disgusting to say, after the civil war the US ended up as by far the richest country on earth and gained so much trough such an unfortunate event
Inspi@reddit
The world wars did that. Late 1800s we went through 2 major recessions, and the south's economy didn't start to recover until the mid/late 1900s.
MechanicalGodzilla@reddit
We tend to vastly underestimate how much we as Americans make in salary as compared to even other western developed nations. Our Canadian branch office in Toronto pays our engineers 35% less than our Washington DC office. In many fields, European college grads can work for say 10 years and earn the equivalent of 15 yearsâ salary at home.
Jobs in the US pay extremely well compared to European salaries, especially the more specialized your field is. For low paying jobs, Europe tends to be more competitive.
Suppafly@reddit
Only if you ignore all the things that they have to pay for out of pocket in the US. What you're saying is only really true for the top end of STEM jobs, not 'normal' jobs that 'normal' people can get.
PurpleLilyEsq@reddit
Yes, but we also pay for our college, for our health care, our child care, we have no guaranteed paid leave, at will employment, etc. Things start to even out once you take that into account.
MechanicalGodzilla@reddit
I onow, thatâs why young people want to come here, make bank, then re-patriate to their home country. We do it too, with civil service employees. They take undesirable posts for he hazard pay for a few years, and come back with a great deal of wealth as a result.
seatownquilt-N-plant@reddit
if you're the kind of person who wants Financial Independence Retiring Early-- r/Fire you defienetly will not be going after a sociology degree
Particular-v1q@reddit (OP)
The degree is mostly a way to get to the US and get started, i know that i wont retire early by working for others
cornflower4@reddit
That degree is going to get you absolutely no where.
new_will_delete@reddit
I work with a lot of H1B holders and the you honestly have the best chance if you get an engineering or CS degree in the US. Preferably if you get a masterâs degree in the US.
Your second best option is to be an engineer of some sort in your home country and have several years of experience and transfer through your company.
A sociology degree from a foreign college is not going to help. If you havenât started you college education yet, please change plans accordingly.
AdamOnFirst@reddit
If thatâs your goal, get a much more lucrative degreeÂ
InevitableRhubarb232@reddit
lol not retiring early as a sociologist.
Particular-v1q@reddit (OP)
i didnt mean working for someone, but having a fallback & a way to immigrate to the us
Prize_Consequence568@reddit
Hahaha good luck with that!
Particular-v1q@reddit (OP)
Thanksđ€ đŠ
Spiritual-Hour7271@reddit
Wut? Brother our social security Max benefits are at 70. And even then, a.lot of seniors without nest eggs (most of them) aren't really truly retired.Â
moxie-maniac@reddit
Plus, let's assume the OP continues to an MSW. Who hires those? Non-profits, which seldom have the 10 or 20 thousand dollars "extra" to go and sponsor an H1B and pay the associated legal costs.
Suppafly@reddit
On the other hand nonprofits are the only ones that are willing to make decisions that don't always make financial sense.
Suppafly@reddit
You are in STEM fields too, but the hiring companies have managed to rig the system to pretend that there isn't enough local talent so they can push down wages.
Appropriate-Food1757@reddit
I canât think of anything anyone could DJ with a soc degree
AdamOnFirst@reddit
This degree provides a poor career path relative to other degrees and generally wouldnât be recommended. It will not help you immigrate here.
Quenzayne@reddit
Degrees here have mattered less and less over the last 20 or so years. Everybody has them, a lot of people have multiple ones. Nobody cares.
Getting a job in America is about two things:
Does the person doing the hiring like you? If you're foreign, then you'll probably be able to endear yourself to the interviewer in ways that a native could not. They could be looking for some diversity on their team. The might just want to have you around because they think you're cool. This will help you immensely. It's like 75% of the battle. Being attractive doesn't hurt either. If you get a woman interviewer, turn on the accent and use that Italian charm.
Experience. When it comes to qualifications, experience is the only thing that matters. Nobody cares about your degree. They care about how fast you can come in, start solving problems, and knocking out tasks. The only thing that will make them believe you can do that is if you've already done it.
tl;dr: Getting hired in America is about being popular and having a proven track record of success. Do that and you win Capitalism.
Ok-Car-5115@reddit
Degrees in the soft sciences donât get you much without masters or (more likely) doctoral degrees. Unless youâre going for research or teaching, sociology isnât going to be highly regarded. Kind of, âThatâs cool, what are you going to do with that?â
Particular-v1q@reddit (OP)
Yeah thats why i asked, i personally believe sociology is by far the most useful and applicable softscience but ig nothing i can do, thanks thođ€
Brother_To_Coyotes@reddit
You believe wrong.
You can look at job postings in the U.S. on websites like indeed. Most sociology jobs will be government related. State level. Municipalities.
Youâre entering a field overflowing with applicants that wonât pay much.
NoGuarantee3961@reddit
It will be treated as any general, random degree....which means it has value, in that it allows you to apply to jobs that just require a degree, and there are still a lot of jobs like that out there, but there aren't specific jobs lining up to hire people with a sociology degree.
PurpleLilyEsq@reddit
A bachelors degree in sociology is not going to be looked at as anything special in terms of getting a job. Many job listings require you to have a college degree, and a BA in sociology will tick off that box. But youâre not going to be using any particularly sociology skills at your job as an administrative assistant or whatever.
Most people who get degrees like that and want to use them more directly will be to get a masters degree and PhD in the field and go in to university level teaching and research. Others will take their sociology degree to law school (which is a 3 year JD here, done after a 4 year bachelors degree) , or maybe the k-12 education fields after getting the required teaching licenses.
languagelover17@reddit
People get a masters in social work with it too.
loner-phases@reddit
Most social work MAs in the US require a social.work BA.
But an MA in Applied Sociology might get OP a good job offer from a US company.
Suppafly@reddit
I seriously doubt that. It's not my field, but every field I've ever looked at commonly had people where their bachelors didn't match their masters program. It sometimes gives you a leg up if they match, but only because it might save you from a few classes. Most masters programs have some catch-up classes for people coming from other majors.
anneofgraygardens@reddit
not true at all.
callmegranola98@reddit
I have an MSW, and I can say none of the programs I looked at required a BSW. Now, a BSW gave you advanced placement is some, but it wasn't a requirement.
loner-phases@reddit
Interesting. I got a BA in sociology, but I only saw MSW programs with SW credit prereqs. Similar to therapy/health grad programs.. So I ended up with MA in tech writing.
OP, just look into grad programs. An MA is kind of the minimum for job security these days, unless you get lucky or do your own business or something.
Careless-Ability-748@reddit
Very few schools even have social work BAs. I've had 3 roommates from 2 different schools get MSWs and none of them had social work undergrad. One was a political science major and I don't remember what the other two majored in.
malheather@reddit
As an MSW with a BS in psych, no.
PurpleLilyEsq@reddit
Yes but I consider that to be part of the psychology field rather than sociology.,But Iâm happy to be corrected.
lionhearted318@reddit
Sociology is more applicable to social work than psychology imo. It's basically focusing on the "nurture" element rather than the "nature" element, and seeks to answer how your environment impacts you, which is extremely applicable to social work.
eyetracker@reddit
Depends on the social worker. Some work in social services, some are purely therapists. MSW is just a general degree, LCSW is an additional therapy specialty.
KimBrrr1975@reddit
Yes, this. A lot of schools offer a program where you can do the BA and Master's in SW together in a slightly shorter timeframe as well (I want to say 5 years instead of 6 if you do them separately).
Particular-v1q@reddit (OP)
Where i am there arent any unfortunately, either take the 3+2 years or getting fucked, and honestly i can't stay in this place willingly for so long lol, thanks tough
Particular-v1q@reddit (OP)
That sucks but ig not mich i can do, thanks tough
lionhearted318@reddit
I have a sociology degree. It's not really specific to any industry, but any sort of social sciences degree is fine if your plan is law school, which is what I did. If law school is not your plan, then it can work for anything like recruiting, human resources, social work, etc., I think it's mainly a good degree for industries where you will need to know how to interact with many different kinds of people.
My first pre-law school job was at a law firm and I partially got it because of my degree, but that was because my boss was also a sociology major and liked how I was one too. So sometimes you just get lucky like that rather than it having anything really to do specifically with your job.
If your question is will your life be easier with a sociology degree in the US than in Italy, my answer is probably not though, and people don't look at it as a particularly good major either.
MoonBasic@reddit
This is a great point. A lot of people don't know that they don't have to work exactly in the field that the major is in. They'll see liberal arts degrees and only think about the professions that are directly connotated with them. English -> Author, Psychology -> Psychologist, Philosophy -> Philosopher, yadda yadda.
Specifically with sociology, I've worked with a fair number of people in the corporate world that had a sociology major/minor. The reading, writing, and analysis skills alone are useful as you learn the actual job. However it might be considered lower on the resume scanning bot/recruiter totem pole than some others.
lionhearted318@reddit
That is mainly why it bothers me when people act like any degree that isn't obviously practical is "useless." Like yeah, a sociology degree is different from a business degree or an engineering degree or anything like that, but not every degree is meant to transfer to a career in that way. A lot of people in the corporate world have random degrees that taught them more about soft skills than actual content from the major, clearly they weren't useless.
Particular-v1q@reddit (OP)
Yeah thats what my main goal was, while i hate interacting with people i am good at it and wanted to pursue something that would enable me at doing it better, im not even sure if studying US law from italy even could happen / would make any sense, yeah sometimes you can get lucky and id guess sociology is more of a nichĂš degree to have, originally i asked here because my end goal is to end up in the US but honestly most countries would be an upgrade compared to here in my perspective, just wanted to know if it would make sense getting a somewhat "nichĂš" degree since i find it very interesting but i guess the job market thinks differently, thanks tough
lionhearted318@reddit
If you want my advice, stay in the EU. The US is not what you see on TV and itâs very hard to succeed here, especially if youâre only coming with a sociology degree. You donât have to stay in Italy, but your odds will be much better in the EU.
Particular-v1q@reddit (OP)
Honestly i believe the US is better for now, yes as it is right now its going down and spiralling negatively but i assure you that EUropean countries are doing aswell unfortunately, also like its not as if i do not have a backup plan, i will still keep my passport and obviously worst case i can ask either to family or friends, obviously thats something i wish i will never have to ever ask but its just something thats more of a protection, yeah from what i've understood sociology isnt really as sought as i tought and altough it sucks im afraid ill do something different thanks tough for the detail and ill ask in person at my uni if they truly dont have any IT relatef courses otherwise either i try with radiology class, since i've heard lots of good stuff regarding it or will try IT in germany, thanks again for a proper responseđŠ
lionhearted318@reddit
If you are sure you want to leave the EU (which I again donât recommend), focus on Canada instead of the US. I canât comment on how easy itâll be to get there and find work, but higher quality of life for sure than in the US for the average person.
Particular-v1q@reddit (OP)
Canada is also a very good option but id say still not as good as the US, while yes it has lots of benefits from its "mix" of US and EU politics id prefer the US, but still a very good alternative, id probably avoid australia seems a bit too "closed" and id even say too much useless and actively unhelpful regulation, yes the US,Canada and EU has it aswell but not in the same decree as Australia
lionhearted318@reddit
Iâll tell you the same thing I tell everyone from western Europe interested in moving to the US. Coming here means you will be giving up a lot of things that exist in your country that you may take for granted: healthcare, public transportation, walkable cities, affordable education, etc. If that is all alright with you, then great, but please just make sure you realize how different it is here and how much more expensive it is because of that.
Particular-v1q@reddit (OP)
i mean, ill be completely honest, public healthcare is basically nonexistent unfortunately, the only thing is that atleast wee-wee wagon is free, "public" transport costs a lot, sure its cheap once in a while expecially for trains, but thats all, i haven't used public transport exept trains and even then i havent really used then much because its simply too costly inefficient and often times isnt good if you want to use it for commute unfortunately, yes walkable cities is 100% real and i completely agree, altough usually cities dont really have that much and going to "bigger cities" to find stuff, affordable education is not as true as you might believe because the "free education" comes from higher taxes, and being able to chose if you want to pay 40% with very mediocre benefits or 20% with no benefits id just pay the 20% and get the stuff done, tough i completely agree with the walkable cities and it would be my main issue and hassle since i enjoy walking a lot lol, also yeah i realize its completely a different world, but its not as if ill be burning my italian passport even if id ever get an us citizenship, i could always go back if shit doesent go as planned or simply my "view" of the us right now is delusional, thanks for telling me and tbh the walkable cities is the goddamn fucking worst part đ
New-Position-3845@reddit
You are not getting an H1B with a sociology degree.
Particular-v1q@reddit (OP)
Sucks, rn im trying to find the best path that might actually get me a H1B, outside of nursing & health in general there isnt much else right?
moxie-maniac@reddit
H1B: engineering or computer science.
New-Position-3845@reddit
Not really we have enough problems trying to find Americans work right now.
KimBrrr1975@reddit
I'm not claiming all Americans have amazing jobs, but our unemployment rate is still 4.2% nationally which has been steady back to May 2024. It was slightly less before that. In my state it is 3.3%. I don't know anyone who wants to work, who isn't working. More commonly employers struggle to fill positions (or so they say). Yes, some fields will be oversaturated and things like that. Tech jobs are increasingly seeing layoffs due to "the shifting landscape (ie AI)". But for the most part if you want to work and are able to work, there are jobs available. Social assistance fields are actually one of the ones increasing (as long as it's not in federal govt of course) which would be beneficial for someone in the sociology field, depending on how they structured their education and internships etc.
Particular-v1q@reddit (OP)
Thanks! I live in a small random-ass city in northern italy so im afraid the actual degree by "quality" standards might not be as competitive as others, ill probably research a bit more abt it and decide
seatownquilt-N-plant@reddit
American students usually move away from home to acquire the education they want.
Particular-v1q@reddit (OP)
Yeah, but already being able to move out is something i might not be able to do by myself here, sure i could count on my parents but at the same time id think its not worth atleast imo
PurpleLilyEsq@reddit
How would you get started in America? Even if you magically got a job with an H1B tomorrow, where would you live, how would you buy food etc? Youâd probably need a few months of paychecks to put down a deposit and first months rent on an apartment, get furniture, etc. Even with roommates/flatmates. If your parents can help you, let them help you.
It is worth it to get a better education that is more versatile and transferable around the world. You might find what you are looking for outside of your small city but still in your country , but you need to live somewhere else and give it a chance. Thatâs so much more realistic than this American dream you have right now. Maybe in 10 years, the situation will be different. But in the meantime, make yourself more marketable.
Particular-v1q@reddit (OP)
I already know whats in my country brother, its not the city the main issue but how the entire country is run, there is nothing to be done, tried being somewhat active in politics? have heard shit you cant even imagine i might be a doomer regarding this country but there is no hope of getting better, wich is the main point of the entire post and the main reason id emigrate, id rather have a very very small ammount of hope than not having any, thanks tougn for the tips and ill most likely pursue a different degree, the main thing that is making me value staying with parents is the fact that i dont have to pay rent, wich is not something id have in another city and most likely would end up paying more by staying here than trying an uni in germany wich would be more valued internationally and would also give more opportunities to earn something during part-time
PurpleLilyEsq@reddit
I tried to give realistic suggestions. I hope you find happiness and fulfillment wherever you are.
Particular-v1q@reddit (OP)
Thank you! hope if you aint happy or fulfilled yet to find it aswell, maybe even more than what you might have already, sorry about being a bit rude but reddit mods always have fun ruining interesting discussions ( not this subreddit )
New-Position-3845@reddit
That hasnât been my experience at all or anyone around me. I know a lot of guys out of work for long stretches and layoffs in mass but have slowed a bit To be fair Iâm in engineering it is a hyper saturated field.
Particular-v1q@reddit (OP)
I get that but atleast having the possibility is enough
mickeltee@reddit
Tech is probably your best bet right now.
Particular-v1q@reddit (OP)
Thanks, are there any international-online courses that are accepted in the US? In my city there arent any univerisites that have any tech or IT related courses unfortunately
PurpleLilyEsq@reddit
If youâre willing to move to another continent, why arenât you willing to move to another city in your country (or continent) to go to school?
Particular-v1q@reddit (OP)
because simply, moving to a city in italy with lots of proper universities -> money, jobs here pay usually 500/600 euros for my age or some more if you manage to land in a mcdonalds or burgerking, -> no money, where money? loans ? no thanks i wont be taking loans, parents? Id rather not spend that much money, since rent and everything else costs way too much, also i already mentioned multiple and multiple times both in the post and comments that my goal is to get a marketable degree that might be a fallback for me, my end goal is building up a business and retiring early, obviously id rather go to school in the US or germany because the SCHOOL SYSTEM is mostly luck based, i was asking how marketable would a sociology degree beđ€
KimBrrr1975@reddit
Just curious why you think this? Tech companies are laying people off like crazy right now. But we might be thinking different branches/aspects of the field. Intel, Microsoft, Crowdstrike, and others continue to lay off workers over the last few months.
Cheap_Coffee@reddit
The whole point of layoffs is to clear the space for more H1Bs.
I'm not joking.
New-Position-3845@reddit
You know that that is exceptionally illegal albeit hard to prove.
Cheap_Coffee@reddit
I'm just explaining how offshoring works.
canarinoir@reddit
Isn't offshoring when they send the job away vs the H1B system which imports workers? My understanding was that offshoring was, for example, laying off a team in San Francisco and hiring replacements abroad, or closing a data center stateside and opening/building a new one in a different country where labor is cheaper; whereas the H1B is criticized for importing workers and then exploiting them (because their residency is dependent on that company) and driving local wages down?
Cheap_Coffee@reddit
Right you are. My brainfart.
Brave_Speaker_8336@reddit
H1Bs are on the shore
InorganicTyranny@reddit
IT positions simply remain by far the largest component of the H1B visa program while remaining one of the fields with the lowest educational barriers to entry.
Irrespective of the impact of AI, it will be far easier to find a sponsor for an IT position and far easier to get a sufficient education to qualify than almost any other H1B program.
KimBrrr1975@reddit
Makes sense, thanks!
PAXICHEN@reddit
Marry and American?
Particular-v1q@reddit (OP)
Honestly id do that but at the same it should be something more consual and obviously ending up loving eachother would be great, but wont be doing that most likely
MirrorExisting7848@reddit
Your end goal is to permanently stay in America. If things go well for you, you'll probably end up being with an American citizen anyways. It doesnât hurt to try dating while youâre on a visa so that you can eventually marry and put your roots down. Unless you donât want to be in a relationship with anyone.
Particular-v1q@reddit (OP)
honestly i've never had the tought of having a relationship yet, just didnt feel the need but i guess if i met my soulmate then i wouldnt mind
o93mink@reddit
The best path isnât an H1B, itâs to get a job at a company in your country that is headquartered or has an office in the US and then transferring to that office once youâve worked in your country for a couple years.
Prize_Consequence568@reddit
"How is a sociology degree treated in the states?"
"Welcome to McDonald's, may I take your order?"
Particular-v1q@reddit (OP)
đ© thanks for the truthpill
SunBrohemian@reddit
People think youâre a loser.
Particular-v1q@reddit (OP)
I honestly dont give a fuck lmao
SunBrohemian@reddit
You asked, bubba.
Particular-v1q@reddit (OP)
i mean i was mentioning about how its treated workplace related, my bad
SunBrohemian@reddit
Gotcha, just letting you know how most Americans will view that kind of degree and many Employers.
Particular-v1q@reddit (OP)
Thanks for the honesty brother, i was frustrated a bit because of reddit mods ( not here )
SunBrohemian@reddit
Sorry friend. People can be pretty judgmental here. Iâm unemployed atm and when I say that most view me as a parasite whose only worth is their occupation and what kind of income they bring in. Fuck what others think and do you. Thatâs the true American dream.
Particular-v1q@reddit (OP)
Dont worry, i feel most of the times atleast on this sub, the judgement was coming from a good "place" and wanting just the best for a random internet stranger, being told the truth before enrolling for such a degree is honestly way better than discovering its not as "strong" as i tought, would suck way much more and honestly im thankful lol, cheers brother hopefully everything will go well for you aswellđ
SunBrohemian@reddit
Godspeed to you as well. Trust me, if you come in with a good attitude and personality (like what youâve been doing this whole conversation) most people will respect you and whatever it is that you do.
Particular-v1q@reddit (OP)
Thank you! hopefully shit's gonna go well for all of us đŠ
Spiritual-Hour7271@reddit
Humanities and social science degrees have better mileage in Europe than states. Lot of people consider them "useless degrees" over here (despite better long term job outcomes). More applicable if you're interested in social work, NGO, or academia. Not a high demand field that'll assist immigration.
Particular-v1q@reddit (OP)
i mean in europe aswell, psychology social sciences and so on are usually referred as imagination
Spiritual-Hour7271@reddit
That's my point. You're already in the better area. Like we don't have stuff like the Max Plank centers even. Us is stem brained to shit.
kludge6730@reddit
A quick Google search shows that about 50% of recent sociology grads end up in a job that doesnât even require a college degree. Around here that mean barrista, retail, restaurant servers, nanny/day care center workers, pet sitter/dog walker, gig worker and office admin.
DrMindbendersMonocle@reddit
A lot of jobs just want a degree and dont particularly care what kind it is. Being able to get a degree shows you have some aptitude
Particular-v1q@reddit (OP)
Ye but at the same tike having a ""strong"" degree that might let me immigrate legally to the US and having a backdrop in case my business idea doesent go as planned
scuba-turtle@reddit
We have lots of people with soft science degrees. Especially since cutbacks in government jobs.
Particular-v1q@reddit (OP)
That sucks đ©
Ok_Ordinary6694@reddit
As someone with a BA in Sociology, I view it as an âAttendance Awardâ kind of major.
Itâs not particularly academically grueling. If you can write an essay that blames structural racism and Anomie, youâre home free.
Particular-v1q@reddit (OP)
i mean depends on countries, in italy we have some of the hardest exams in the west since they usually rely a lot on luck, and while yes you could theorethically study 300+ pages for an exam by heart it usually doesent end up that well if you wanna live over 25
Capistrano9@reddit
You could get a pretty good HR job, PR for a company or similar things. Or just teach.
Particular-v1q@reddit (OP)
Yeah thats what i tought but at the same time, the "could" is the dangerous part, and also having a way to move legally to the US would be most likely the most important thing about the degree
DCHacker@reddit
A little less than fifty years past, there was a President of Georgetown University who referred to Sociology as "gobbledegook". That is one nice way of saying the English equivalent of the Italian «stronzate». There are still many people who agree with that.
While Sociology majors are not the butts of as many jokes as are Recreation or Hospitality majors, still, they are the butts of more than a few, especially from the Right.
Particular-v1q@reddit (OP)
That sucks since i genuinely find sociology super useful but ig not everyone thinks the same as me so ig ill just roll w something different, thanks tho
Forsythia77@reddit
I have a sociology undergrad. I work as a project controls analyst for the environmental consulting department of a massive fortune 500. I started out as an administrative assistant and for some reason these suckers like me and want me to move up and succeed or something. I also have an MBA. But the MBA didn't help me get the initial job as an admin.
While I found sociology to be interesting, I think here people think it's a bad degree to get unless you want to go into social work or academia.
Particular-v1q@reddit (OP)
Man thats lucky lol, i just wanted to find something that might make me able to immigrate to the us work a couple of years and open a business, i find sociology very interesting but at the same time id prefer having a degree that can be as a backdroop in case the business idea doesent go well
europanative@reddit
I often forget I have a minor in sociology.
emmasdad01@reddit
Itâs fine. Generally better than not having a degree, but not as highly sought after as most.
gorillaboy75@reddit
You're not going to make any big bucks, but it's a worthwhile and honorable degree.
Brave_Speaker_8336@reddit
I mean you totally can, depending on your university and what you do outside of classes to secure a job. I know people making like 30k per year out of school with a sociology degree but also people making like 200k a year
DukeOfMiddlesleeve@reddit
We tend to completely dismiss it if itâs an undergraduate degree. MAYBE you can find some work to do with a masterâs or doctorate in it.
Aaarrrgghh1@reddit
Sociology is a profession in the states where the pay is low
Most turn in to therapists. But still âŠ.
Universities charge big bucks and then the students have big loans
Particular-v1q@reddit (OP)
I wouldnt get a loan for a degree since i have the opportunity to just do it here, altough sure, doing it in the us would give way way more benefits than a random degree from a shitty town in nothern italy but better than nothing and better than a enormous load that just would snowball for years, thanks for the honesty, how are therapists paid and job oppurtunities in the US?
Aaarrrgghh1@reddit
I know my friend is partnered with a company EAp program thing she gets like 100-200 per session.
I know when my wife was thinking about it she was like the money was spotty. A lot of the money is drug treatment and testing people every few days and billing insurance for the drug tests.
PurpleLilyEsq@reddit
Sociology is not social work.
old-town-guy@reddit
If you want to be a sociologist, you need a PhD. A bachelors in the subject would just be treated as a generic university degree here.
Particular-v1q@reddit (OP)
That sucks but ig not much i could do in that case, thanks for the honestyđ€
old-town-guy@reddit
People forget, the US has 340 million people, and almost 3,000 four-year universities, most of them granting degrees in sociology. About 30,000 young adults graduate each year here with sociology bachelors degrees. So... there's just nothing special about it here.
Aggressive_FIamingo@reddit
I have a friend who has a sociology degree - she works at a grocery store.
Particular-v1q@reddit (OP)
Thanks for the honesty tbh
jvc1011@reddit
Most bachelorâs degrees are just a step you have to go through to get pretty much any job. Your major is less important than the fact that you got it, unless itâs in a specific and sought-after field or you intend to go to graduate or professional school.
Particular-v1q@reddit (OP)
in my country usually having it or not having it doesent change much since your job will still be shit no matter what, i do have a "degree" as electrician but at the same time its not something id wish to actually do
jvc1011@reddit
Electricians here can make bank compared to any job that requires a bachelorâs.
Particular-v1q@reddit (OP)
i somewhat know that but at the same time its not something id be doing for multiple years
L6b1@reddit
Have you heard the term "degree inflation"? Essentially, the rate at which Americans get university degrees is significantly higher than in Italy, 35% vs 20%. So while degrees, especially in specific fields like economics, business and education (major cities are scooping up those graduating with materna/primaria qualifications) will get you a job in Italy and over all make you more competitive in Italy's competitive labor market, in the US, with approximately 1/3 of working adults holding a degree is not as beneficial. For most white collar jobs (read office jobs) a uni degree is the bare minimum for consideration and, unlike in Italy where it's very rare to see people who hold a uni degree working retail or as servers, in the US this is much more common.
As for transferring your education, I don't think you've done much research, essentially, as they're different countries and education systems, you can't just transfer your Italian uni classes to the US system and have them be considered towards meeting graduation requirements. There may be exceptions if there are specific agreements between universities (these do exist), but often they require you to apply to that specific program that's going to issue a joint degree. Unforutnately, these tend to be for things like business, international relations, international law, and political science.
If you can somehow get US work authorization, a sociology degree won't help or hurt because, apart from specific fields where licensing and certifications are required- eg lawyer, doctor, nurse, etc- you degree doesn't really matter for most office jobs, instead internships and the uni you attended matter a lot. The US economy is vastly diferent from Italy's where degree field really matters, in the US, uni degrees are generally the bare minimum to be considered to get a good job, but it usually doesn't matter what you did your degree in, just that you have a degree. There is much more flexibility in the academic and job market and you can definitely switch fields, switch careers, switch academic disciplines far more easily than in Italy/EU.
If you want to immigrate to the US, finish your degree and see if advanced education (masters/phd) is an option. Otherwise, recommendations to find a job with a US company and ultimatley get transferred is you best option.
Particular-v1q@reddit (OP)
unfortunately you will still do retail or server even with the best degree, and even IF you find a job you not earn enough to live neither to survive as a human, thats why im asking for a way out, for transferring certificates i've done some research and i found that you can "transfer" the actual "exams" you managed to go trough basically just letting you skip those exams and counting them as native ones, tough perhaps i havent done such an accurate research so that might be true, i've finished school like 4 days ago and didnt even think id make it this far so i didnt have any prior plans, i knew about degrees being valued highly in the US thats why i wanted some guidance regarding the actual "value" of what id study for years and most likely ride or die with, but it kinda sucks since internships here usually are on incredibly small businesses family owned wich usually dont even pay you a wage so there wouldnt much to show, i was thinking about doing 1 year here -> erasmus ( basically exchange program ) and do the exams in a country with a more fair valuating system and perhaps try doing some internships in germany ( or any advanced european country goes aswell ) OR doing one year here to save up some money transfer the exam certificates to another european country ( i've read that basically every european country allows this and its made simpler, obviously it wouldnt be as nearly as easy for the US but honestly i dont know where i could even find the money to stay there pay tuitions and so on ), ill try asking directly in person at my uni if there is any IT programs otherwise i might try doing the same in italy and in case i couldn't be able to get an H1B visa id try getting transferred, thanks for the very detailed responseâ€ïžđ€
L6b1@reddit
Degree inflation significa il livello educativo necessario per ottenere un lavoro. Quindi, la maggioranze di lavori in ufficio non hanno bisogno di laurea, pero negli Stati Uniti, quasi tutti i lavori nei uffici hanno la laurea come requisito minimo. Mentre in Italia per essere receptionist, di solito questo lavoro va a una persona conosciuta con solo la maturitĂ , negli Stati Uniti, tutti i receptionist hanno la laurea. Questo e degree inflation. Il valore della laurea e basata di certo modo perchĂ© e piĂč comune.
Per l'educazione, si e trasferibile dentro de UE per motivo del tratto di Bologna. Ma il sistema negli Stati Uniti e completamente diversa, le classe non sono basati in esami comprensivi al finale dell'anno che ha che superiore come qua in Italia. In vece, hai che fare la classe, presente la maggioritĂ del tempo, facendo un misto di tempo in classe, lavoro scritti, progetti, presentazione, ecc. Il sistema American e piĂč basata nell'idea che l'universitĂ se prepara per il lavoro e il metodo di "esame" e piĂč basato in forma frequentemente visto nel mondo lavorativo. Questo significa che no ci sono "esami comprensivi" che puĂČ fare per superare la classe permettendoti a evitare facendo la classe di nuovo.
Le stagi negli Stati Uniti quasi mai sono pagati, in realta un stage fatto con impresa piccola serve perche e quasi impossible ottenere un posto senza esperienza, ma e dificilismo ottenere questo esperienza. Quindi, e molto comune che gente fanno stago non pagato o qualsiasi tipo di lavoro voluntario per ottenere la minima di espserienza necessario per un posto entry level, di solito due anni ma puo essere tanti alto come 5 anni.
Si, pagano migliore negli Stati Uniti, ma ci sono costi la che non sono costi qua in Italia e se bassa tantisimo la qualita da vita. Quindi, penso che tu idea di provare Germania o altro paese europea per un po', se una buona idea fare Erasmus, e eccelente. In bocca di lupo!
Particular-v1q@reddit (OP)
Grazie! Puntavo agli USA oerchĂš perlimeno c'e un minimo di speranza, la quale in italia manca đ©, grazie perĂČ apprezzoâ€ïž
League-Ill@reddit
My boss and I actually use our sociology degrees, but we're the only two people I know who do outside of academia.
Particular-v1q@reddit (OP)
That sucks, wanted to study since i find it very very interesting but i guess i wont be able to ball with it, thanks
League-Ill@reddit
I mean, it depends on why you want to come here and where you are coming from. This is a fucked up place right now.
I don't want to discourage you from pursuing an academic field you care about. University is miserable if you don't love what you're learning.
Particular-v1q@reddit (OP)
to be honest, after surviving the italian schoolsystem id not break for anything, everything here ONLY relies on luck no meritocracy whatsoever pure sheer luck and not really being able to do much regarding it is frustrating, i understand that the US currently is going downwards, but atleast from my perspective atleast it can also go uphills eventually, a slow and dreaded decline that leaves possibility to actually go uphill eventually in the foreseable future, as harsh and as priviledged as it might sound italy is also going downwards and honestly there isnt much i could do, politics will get you murdered if you try doing the right thing and therefore have always been in a continous cycle of corruption and honestly i dont thin i could step up, expecially since here ( but for you aswell ) corrupt people become politicians and not the other way around, id like to retire early or atleast enjoy some mundane things that i will never be able to experience in my county, altough i have been somewhat lucky and had many more possibilities to grow compared to others its not enough, i dont wish to stay with my parents till im 40 or 50 till they die not having any kind of change just living uncomfortably but knowing that it will be always like that, id just rather try with the US and see how it goes
MoonieNine@reddit
It's a useless degree, to be honest. My spouse has an English degree, which is also useless. Decades ago, a degree in general meant something. Times have changed. Nowadays, employers seek specialized degrees.
MoonieNine@reddit
Quick story: Years ago, I was between (real) jobs and worked as a server in the dining hall of a retirement home. My parents visited, and I pointed out the place I worked to my 80 year old dad. He scoffed and said, "You should have applied to run the place!!" I had to explain that the current director had a Masters in that field, with an emphasis in geriatrics. So yeah, degrees are pretty specialized nowadays, and you're competing with THAT.
Particular-v1q@reddit (OP)
i mean, atleast imo most jobs are useful, maybe nichĂš yeah but most jobs do have a market otherwise they would exist, but yeah i guess ill have to roll with something different đ©
MoonieNine@reddit
Downvoted, but I'm in my 50s and have witnessed the changing times. The downvoters are trying to be "nice" but are simply unrealistic.
Particular-v1q@reddit (OP)
Thanks, honestly its better this way, better knowing it earlier than after staying here for 3 more years and ending up with a non-marketable degree, it sucks since i really do find sociology and psychology/anthropology very interesting but i guess not much can be done outside of rolling with a different degree haha
Particular-v1q@reddit (OP)
Thanks foe the honesty đ better knowing it before actually enrolling than knowing it after finishing school, i guess ill probably try asking in person if there is any IT related stuff that might be useful or ig ill have to go to germany, also do you perhaps know any online course that gives you a proper certification?
Meilingcrusader@reddit
It's useful for the jobs that just require a degree in general, but not so useful otherwise
Particular-v1q@reddit (OP)
That sucks, thanks tho
Particular-v1q@reddit (OP)
Thanks
NoKindnessIsWasted@reddit
Sociology is one of those degrees that it will matter where you go to school.
That degree at a really well respected school can be a fine path.
I have 2 close family members that have one of those degrees. One is 24 and one is in their 50s. The younger makes like 70k a year but she's only been out of school a couple years and the other makes more than 200k.
It's not a degree most employers are seeking out so it's not a good degree to try to get into the country.
Particular-v1q@reddit (OP)
Aw that sucks, its not a good university since its from a random nameless university in a small city in italy
NoKindnessIsWasted@reddit
I think what will be attractive to the US are medical and stem.
Particular-v1q@reddit (OP)
Thats tough since in my uni there isnt any IT related courses and the medical ones mostly require already a bachelors ( 3y degree ) to actually do the course, would you know any online course thats "valued" in the US ? not necessarily a degree but a certification
quizzicalturnip@reddit
They absolutely as useless as a degree in communication.
ProtozoaPatriot@reddit
Not really marketable unless you teach it. And that may require grad school.
PurpleLilyEsq@reddit
Not may, does. The only professor I ever had with only a BA was the retired editor of a major newspaper who taught undergrad journalism classes. That was 15 years ago. Everyone else had a PhD or JD.
colliedad@reddit
Would you like fries with that?