Explore national salary, projected growth, education requirements, and career opportunities across the United States.
A concise view of this occupation’s national scale, compensation, and projected demand.
National median annual wage for this occupation.
Estimated jobs currently supported nationwide.
Projected employment change through 2034.
Estimated openings created each year.
The typical education, prior experience, and on-the-job training associated with entry into this career.
High school diploma or equivalent
None
Short-term on-the-job training
These are the highest-rated capabilities associated with success in this occupation. Scores are derived from occupational skill analysis and are measured on a 100-point scale.
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Understand the salary, outlook, education, and geographic opportunities shaping this career.
Social and human service assistants support people who need help navigating services and resources. Nationally, this occupation employs about 450,000 workers, indicating a sizable field with many types of roles and work settings. The national median annual salary is $45,120, offering a stable income foundation. Projected employment growth of 6.4% and an estimated 51,000 annual openings suggest consistent demand for new workers over time. This combination of a large existing workforce, ongoing openings, and positive growth indicates a career with broad entry points across the country. The work draws heavily on interpersonal, customer service, and speaking and listening skills, supported by abilities in writing, reading, and critical and analytical thinking. For people who value communication, adaptability, and helping others navigate systems, social and human service assisting can be a solid option. Related paths include community and social service specialists, residential advisors, educational and career counselors, and social workers in other categories.
The national median annual salary for social and human service assistants is $45,120. Earnings vary by location, with several states and metro areas offering higher median pay. Among the highlighted states, Washington reports a median salary of $54,770, followed by California at $51,090 and Colorado at $47,690. Massachusetts and New York are close together at $47,130 and $47,190. At the metro level, San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA stands out with a median of $60,650, and San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA shows $57,580. The New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ metro reports $47,860, while Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV and Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH offer $48,370 and $47,530 respectively. These differences show that location choices can significantly influence earning potential, and that some urban areas and certain states provide notably higher median salaries than the national figure.
Social and human service assistants have national employment of about 450,000, indicating a well-established occupation. Projected employment growth is 6.4%, which points to expansion in the number of positions over the forecast period. In addition, there are an estimated 51,000 annual openings. Those openings reflect both new jobs from growth and the need to replace workers who change roles or leave the occupation. Together, these numbers suggest a labor market where opportunities regularly become available across many settings. The combination of a large current workforce, measurable growth, and steady openings can be attractive for students, career changers, and experienced workers seeking stability and access to positions over time. For people exploring related options, similar occupations include community and social service specialists, residential advisors, various types of counselors, and other social workers, which may offer additional pathways in the broader community and social service field.
Location can make a noticeable difference for social and human service assistants, both in salary and in the scale of the job market. Among states highlighted for opportunity, California has the largest employment at 58,730 and a median salary of $51,090, with an opportunity score of 67.38. New York also has a large workforce of 40,970 and a median salary of $47,190. Washington stands out for a higher median salary of $54,770, while Massachusetts and Colorado are in the upper $40,000s. All of these states share the same 6.4% growth rate but differ in employment size and median pay. At the metro level, San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA combines a median salary of $60,650 with the highest listed opportunity score of 77.42. The New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ metro has very high employment at 35,540 and an opportunity score of 77.27. San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA, Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV, and Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH offer varied mixes of salary, employment, and opportunity scores, giving candidates several strong regional options.
The typical education requirement for social and human service assistants is a high school diploma or equivalent, which can make this occupation accessible to a wide range of candidates. Although postsecondary education is not listed as typical, success in this field draws on a broad set of skills. Core abilities include interpersonal and customer service skills, along with strong speaking and listening, which support daily interaction with people. Writing and reading skills are also important, as is critical and analytical thinking. The occupation additionally benefits from computers and information technology skills, adaptability, and project management capabilities. Creativity and innovation, as well as leadership, round out the profile, indicating that both people-focused and organizational skills matter. For students and career changers, developing these competencies—through school, work experience, or training—can strengthen readiness for this role and support advancement into related paths such as other community, counseling, or social work occupations listed as similar.
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