Other Empirical Social Sciences

I just got back from Spatial Stats camp at Penn State. The whole experience was fantastic and the teachers were even better. I also realized that there are other empirical social sciences. I'm well aware that poli sci is very empirical at many universities. There are also lots of empirical sociologists. I hadn't realized how empirical good geography-demography too. There are plenty of social science questions to ask that have a spatial component.

I have a project on non-profit rebuilding in New Orleans. There were geographers and sociologists working on similar projects in the rust belt. One woman was looking at the decision to abandon property in Cleveland. Another was looking at the spatial distribution of childhood poverty. I think there are plenty of economists who could find these questions interesting. If you were interested in poverty alleviation, empirical geography would give you the ability to assess different policies.

Naturally all sorts of environmental policy could be done in a geography department.

UNC, Penn State, and Wisconsin all seem to have strong programs.

Peter Boettke was my professor at George Mason and the main thing I took away from his was this idea that people make individual decision but the individuals are often in groups. The group has an influence on the individual's choice. In many econ departments you could say that as long as you said, Spencerian signaling immediately afterwards. Pete's perspective is that sometimes the way you interpret the world is influenced by the group you're in. I don't think a geography department would laugh at you for that.

Geography departments seem more willing to take a student who needs additional math and stats. My impression is also that there is less hazing in geography.

As for salaries, they are lower than economics. Much lower.
http://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes251064.htm

Sociology might be better;
http://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes251064.htm

My impression from talking to people is that the job market for empirical geographers and sociologists is much better than for other geographers and sociologists. If you study social theory and deconstruction your marketability is less than if you study something empirical.

I still think economics is the best field for studying social science, but I understand why people are interested in geography, sociology, demography, and of course political science.