The invention discloses a method for detecting sulfur stable isotope in an atmospheric sample by SO+, which comprises the following steps: filtering and collecting the atmospheric sample, carrying out ultrasonic extraction, precipitating, firing, filling in a tin cup, wrapping, and detecting the sample to be detected by using an element analyzer-stable isotope mass spectrometer. The ion source parameters are optimized, the secondary ionization effect of high-energy electron flow on SO2+ is achieved by tuning the filament and the ion source lens voltage, sulfur isotope detection is conducted in the form of SO+ ions, and therefore accurate detection of the sulfur isotope ratio of an atmospheric sample is achieved, and the method is high in result accuracy, good in repeatability, easy and convenient to operate and high in efficiency.