Careers in social services offer something for everyone, from entry-level assistants to psychology Ph.D.s and a host of career paths in between.
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Careers in social services offer diverse employment opportunities for workers of all education levels. Social service careers include advising, counseling, management, psychology, and social work — all fields that can make significant differences in the lives of children, students, families, communities, and individuals.
Explore this guide for information on types of careers, educational programs and requirements, and potential salaries.
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Learn More About Our Partners Loading. Learn More Visit Site Loading. Learn More Visit Site Loading. Learn More Visit SiteCareers in social services encompass counseling, education, rehabilitation, therapy, and social work. Social services occupations offer opportunities to work with different populations, in various settings, and across many fields.
However, states may require licensure or certification to work in these positions. Be sure to check with your jurisdiction’s licensing boards, as requirements vary by occupational field, state laws, and regulations.
Listed below are popular social services careers with descriptions of typical job duties, clients, and workplaces. The list begins with entry-level careers in social services and progresses to more advanced job titles.
Community health work offers a pathway into social services for high school graduates. The position serves as an intermediate between health and social services providers and people with limited access to them. Successful community health workers build ties to their communities and function as advocates and links to counselors, registered nurses, and social workers.
The largest employers of community health workers comprise social assistance organizations; ambulatory healthcare services; local government agencies; hospitals; and religious, grantmaking, civic, and professional organizations.
Social and human service assistant positions offer an entry-level career in social services, assisting counselors, psychologists, or social workers. Clients may include children and families in need of resources, elderly people needing home care, people seeking help overcoming addictions, and military veterans reentering civilian life.
Nearly a third of social and human service assistants work in individual and family services. The remaining top employers span state and local government agencies, nursing and residential care facilities, and community and vocational rehabilitation services.
Focusing on behaviors that promote wellness, health education specialists develop events, materials and programs that teach health topics and how to find health services. Specialists also collect and analyze community health data and advocate for health resource improvement and policies.
Employers include healthcare facilities, non-profit organizations, and public health departments, along with middle and high schools. Professionals in this social services career may train medical staff in health instruction and developing workplace wellness programs.
Working with individuals, couples, families, and groups, mental health counselors help clients struggling with anxiety, depression, grief, and stress. They also address emotional health issues and relationship difficulties. Counselors provide evaluation, assessment, and treatment services and recommend additional resources and services.
Mental health counselors may specialize in a client population, such as children, families, or older adults. Workplaces include outpatient mental health centers, individual and family service organizations, offices of other health practitioners, hospitals, residential mental health facilities, and correctional facilities.
Probation officers and correctional treatment specialists assist with the rehabilitation of clients in custody or on parole. Typical duties include evaluating inmates, working with parole officers to develop release and parole plans, and aiding inmates’ reentry into society with housing assistance and job training and placement. Parole officers oversee people on parole rather than in prison. They make frequent home visits to track clients’ rehabilitation progress.
These specialists may work with adults or juveniles, and the majority are state and local government employees.
Social and community service managers coordinate and oversee public wellness services organizations, such as individual and family services, nursing and residential care facilities, and local government agencies. They hire, train, and supervise staff, work with stakeholders to identify needed services, analyze data to measure program success, and secure funding.
Some managers focus on a demographic, such as children, unhoused people, older adults, or veterans. Others may specialize in substance use, mental health, or food insecurity.
Master’s degree-holders can choose social service careers as addictions or substance use counselors. These professionals conduct individual and group counseling sessions and may collaborate with physicians, psychiatrists, psychologists, and social workers in clinics, family services, hospitals, and residential facilities.
Counselors help people develop skills and behaviors that facilitate recovery from addictive behaviors, such as alcohol and drug use. They also advise family members on how to support their clients’ recovery and provide outreach to help people identify and avoid addictions.
Social workers practice generalist, specialty, or clinical social work to help clients prevent or cope with problems in their everyday lives. They may focus on assisting children and families, K-12 students, people dealing with illness and disease, or those struggling with mental health or substance use issues. Clinical social workers can offer psychotherapeutic services to help clients make behavioral changes or manage difficult situations.
Social workers often collaborate with other social services and healthcare professionals. Top employers include individual and family services, government agencies, and schools.
Marriage and family therapists use therapeutic methods and techniques to help people navigate relationship issues. They diagnose and treat behavioral, cognitive, and emotional disorders, create treatment plans, and provide referrals to specialists and services.
More than half of marriage and family therapists work in individual and family services and offices of other health practitioners. Other top workplaces include outpatient care centers, private practice, and state government.
Employed at public and private K-12 schools, colleges and universities, and healthcare and social assistance facilities, school and career counselors or advisors guide students, graduates, and job seekers. School counselors help students with academic and social skill-building and exploring career paths. College advisors assist students with selecting a major, gaining financial aid, and preparing for the job market. Career counselors advise people already in the workforce on resolving workplace issues, achieving goals, and advancing their careers.
Rehabilitation counselors help clients live independently and maintain employment, including people experiencing developmental, emotional, mental, and physical challenges. Rehabilitation professionals offer counseling, arrange outside services, advise employers about clients’ abilities and needs, and advocate for the rights of people with disabilities. They also consult with doctors, psychologists, and therapists to develop treatment plans.
More than 30% of these counselors work in community and vocational rehabilitation services. Other employers include nursing and residential care facilities and individual and family services.
Psychologists study behaviors and brain functions, identify issues and diagnose disorders, and administer tests for understanding and predicting behavior. Nearly a third of psychologists work in private practice, with the remainder employed in K-12 schools, ambulatory healthcare services, government agencies, and hospitals.
Major specialty areas include clinical and counseling psychology, school psychology, industrial-organizational psychology, forensic psychology, and rehabilitation psychology. Psychologists may focus their practice on children, families, couples, or corporate executives and employees. Other paths lead to post-secondary teaching and research.
Careers in social services span the spectrum of educational requirements, from entry-level positions for those with high school diplomas and associate or bachelor’s degrees to opportunities for master’s degree- and doctorate-holders. Students can prepare themselves with degrees in psychology and counseling or by studying education, social sciences, and social work.
The table below details the educational level needed to pursue different social services career paths.
| Entry-Level Education | Possible Careers |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma, Certificate, or Associate Degree | Social and Human Service Assistant, Community Health Worker |
| Bachelor’s Degree | Health Education Specialist, Probation Officer or Correctional Treatment Specialist, Social and Community Service Manager, Addictions or Substance Use Counselor, Social Worker |
| Master’s Degree | Marriage and Family Therapist, School Counselor, Career Counselor or Advisor, Rehabilitation Counselor |
| Doctoral Degree | Psychologist, Psychiatrist |
Social workers, counselors, and other social services professionals need a combination of hard and soft skills. Hard skills are the technical competencies specific to given roles and developed through formal training. Soft skills are more versatile and difficult to quantify. Most learners cultivate them through practical experience over time.
The table below lists recent median annual salaries and projected job growth rates for different social services occupations. Salaries can vary due to geographic location, education level, length of on-the-job experience, and the industry or workplace.
Positive job growth projections reflect a national shortage of mental healthcare providers, which was accelerated during the COVID-19 pandemic. The ongoing opioid epidemic and widespread mental health concerns drive continuing demand for workers in social service careers.
| Job Title | Median Annual Salary (2023) | Projected Job Growth (2022-2032) |
|---|---|---|
| Social and Human Service Assistant | $41,410 | +9% |
| Rehabilitation Counselor | $44,040 | +2% |
| Community Health Worker | $48,200 | +14% |
| Addictions or Substance Use Counselor | $53,710 | +18% |
| Child, Family, or School Social Worker | $53,940 | +5% |
| Mental Health and Substance Use Social Worker | $55,960 | +11% |
| Marriage and Family Therapist | $58,510 | +15% |
| School and Career Counselor or Advisor | $61,710 | +5% |
| Probation Officer or Correctional Treatment Specialist | $61,800 | +3% |
| Health Education Specialist | $62,860 | +7% |
| Healthcare Social Worker | $62,940 | +10% |
| Social and Community Service Manager | $77,030 | +9% |
| Psychologist | $92,740 | +6% |