Social and Human Service Assistants
Social and Human Service Assistants (SOC 21-1093) earn a median $45,930 a year ($22.08 an hour) in the United States, with 437,860 employed as of May 2025; the highest-paying state is District of Columbia.
What social and human service assistants do
Social and human service assistants help social workers, counselors, and other professionals deliver services to people in need. Typical tasks include assessing clients' physical and emotional needs and their abilities to find the right services, developing and carrying out behavioral management and care plans, visiting people in their homes or attending group meetings to provide information on agency services, and keeping records and preparing reports about visits with clients. They also help clients identify and obtain available benefits and community services, advise them on matters such as food stamps, child care, and money management, and may assist social workers with programs on substance abuse, human relationships, rehabilitation, or dependent care. This role differs from social workers and counselors, from community health workers, who focus on health outreach, and from personal care aides, who provide daily help with bathing and meals.
Typical entry: According to O*NET, the most commonly reported education level is a bachelor's degree.
Also called: Case Aide, Case Management Assistant, Advocate, Addictions Counselor Assistant, Case Management Coordinator.
National wage percentiles, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $16.44 | $18.34 | $22.08 | $26.13 | $30.43 | $22.93 | 437,860 |
| Annual | $34,200 | $38,150 | $45,930 | $54,350 | $63,290 | $47,690 | ||
Employment per 1,000 jobs and the location quotient are area measures; they appear in the state and metro tables below. To see what a wage in this range leaves after tax, use FastCalc's take-home pay calculator.
Where social and human service assistants earn and work most
Five highest-paying states
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| District of Columbia | Hourly | $19.68 | $23.65 | $28.59 | $31.50 | $41.39 | $29.21 | 2,080 | 2.96 | 1.05 |
| Annual | $40,930 | $49,190 | $59,460 | $65,510 | $86,090 | $60,770 | ||||
| Washington | Hourly | $20.76 | $22.85 | $26.33 | $29.64 | $34.99 | $26.88 | 7,590 | 2.14 | 0.76 |
| Annual | $43,180 | $47,520 | $54,770 | $61,640 | $72,770 | $55,900 | ||||
| Oregon | Hourly | $19.16 | $22.18 | $24.63 | $28.37 | $32.29 | $25.47 | 11,260 | 5.73 | 2.03 |
| Annual | $39,860 | $46,130 | $51,230 | $59,010 | $67,170 | $52,980 | ||||
| California | Hourly | $18.77 | $22.17 | $24.56 | $29.54 | $35.70 | $26.49 | 58,730 | 3.22 | 1.15 |
| Annual | $39,040 | $46,110 | $51,090 | $61,450 | $74,250 | $55,100 | ||||
| Minnesota | Hourly | $18.51 | $21.94 | $24.01 | $28.79 | $31.04 | $25.18 | 11,110 | 3.77 | 1.34 |
| Annual | $38,490 | $45,630 | $49,940 | $59,880 | $64,560 | $52,370 | ||||
Five states with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| California | Hourly | $18.77 | $22.17 | $24.56 | $29.54 | $35.70 | $26.49 | 58,730 | 3.22 | 1.15 |
| Annual | $39,040 | $46,110 | $51,090 | $61,450 | $74,250 | $55,100 | ||||
| New York | Hourly | $17.30 | $19.13 | $22.69 | $26.99 | $30.98 | $23.60 | 40,970 | 4.23 | 1.50 |
| Annual | $35,980 | $39,790 | $47,190 | $56,140 | $64,430 | $49,080 | ||||
| Pennsylvania | Hourly | $16.60 | $17.98 | $21.18 | $23.33 | $28.22 | $21.66 | 24,340 | 4.01 | 1.43 |
| Annual | $34,520 | $37,390 | $44,050 | $48,530 | $58,700 | $45,060 | ||||
| Florida | Hourly | $16.43 | $18.20 | $21.35 | $23.81 | $28.59 | $21.82 | 22,670 | 2.28 | 0.81 |
| Annual | $34,180 | $37,850 | $44,410 | $49,520 | $59,460 | $45,380 | ||||
| Illinois | Hourly | $16.84 | $18.90 | $22.57 | $27.46 | $34.99 | $24.26 | 22,220 | 3.64 | 1.29 |
| Annual | $35,030 | $39,310 | $46,950 | $57,110 | $72,780 | $50,460 | ||||
Five highest-paying metropolitan areas
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Eau Claire, WI | Hourly | $17.03 | $19.98 | $30.71 | $31.73 | $35.93 | $26.58 | 390 | 4.53 | 1.61 |
| Annual | $35,430 | $41,560 | $63,870 | $66,000 | $74,730 | $55,290 | ||||
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | Hourly | $20.31 | $24.99 | $29.16 | $35.04 | $40.59 | $30.76 | 1,930 | 1.71 | 0.61 |
| Annual | $42,250 | $51,970 | $60,650 | $72,880 | $84,430 | $63,980 | ||||
| Fond du Lac, WI | Hourly | $15.80 | $21.47 | $28.34 | $28.34 | $36.16 | $26.21 | 180 | 4.12 | 1.46 |
| Annual | $32,870 | $44,650 | $58,940 | $58,940 | $75,200 | $54,510 | ||||
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | Hourly | $20.18 | $23.67 | $28.16 | $35.14 | $46.07 | $29.81 | 790 | 3.84 | 1.36 |
| Annual | $41,980 | $49,230 | $58,580 | $73,100 | $95,820 | $62,010 | ||||
| Napa, CA | Hourly | $21.04 | $23.47 | $28.11 | $30.57 | $35.61 | $27.86 | 230 | 2.94 | 1.04 |
| Annual | $43,760 | $48,830 | $58,470 | $63,580 | $74,080 | $57,950 | ||||
Five metropolitan areas with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | Hourly | $17.34 | $20.29 | $23.01 | $27.69 | $32.41 | $24.45 | 35,540 | 3.74 | 1.33 |
| Annual | $36,070 | $42,190 | $47,860 | $57,600 | $67,420 | $50,850 | ||||
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | Hourly | $18.45 | $22.15 | $24.20 | $29.40 | $34.09 | $25.91 | 18,790 | 3.00 | 1.06 |
| Annual | $38,380 | $46,070 | $50,330 | $61,150 | $70,900 | $53,890 | ||||
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | Hourly | $17.32 | $19.39 | $22.69 | $27.17 | $33.46 | $24.18 | 16,080 | 3.56 | 1.26 |
| Annual | $36,020 | $40,330 | $47,180 | $56,520 | $69,590 | $50,290 | ||||
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | Hourly | $17.35 | $18.47 | $21.81 | $23.91 | $29.61 | $22.51 | 12,160 | 4.20 | 1.49 |
| Annual | $36,090 | $38,420 | $45,370 | $49,740 | $61,600 | $46,810 | ||||
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | Hourly | $20.12 | $22.91 | $27.68 | $32.49 | $38.98 | $29.08 | 7,970 | 3.36 | 1.19 |
| Annual | $41,860 | $47,650 | $57,580 | $67,580 | $81,080 | $60,490 | ||||
Top industries employing social and human service assistants
Individual and Family Services employ 29.4% of social and human service assistants nationally (128,540 jobs) at a median $45,500 a year ($21.88 an hour), followed by Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) (11.7%) and Community Food and Housing, and Emergency and Other Relief Services (8.3%).
| Industry | Employment | Share of occupation | Median annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Individual and Family Services NAICS 624100 | 128,540 | 29.4% | $45,500 | $21.88 |
| Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) NAICS 999300 | 51,420 | 11.7% | $49,990 | $24.04 |
| Community Food and Housing, and Emergency and Other Relief Services NAICS 624200 | 36,250 | 8.3% | $44,210 | $21.26 |
| State Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) NAICS 999200 | 31,990 | 7.3% | $50,920 | $24.48 |
| Residential Intellectual and Developmental Disability, Mental Health, and Substance Abuse Facilities NAICS 623200 | 29,030 | 6.6% | $41,410 | $19.91 |
Share is the industry's employment over the occupation's national employment (437,860). Industries whose employment BLS withheld are not ranked.
Published medians, May 2021 to May 2025
BLS published a median annual wage of $37,610 for social and human service assistants in May 2021 and $45,930 in May 2025, with employment of 398,380 and 437,860.
| Release | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $37,610 | $18.08 | 398,380 |
| May 2022 | $38,520 | $18.52 | 399,560 |
| May 2023 | $41,410 | $19.91 | 409,310 |
| May 2024 | $45,120 | $21.69 | 424,220 |
| May 2025 | $45,930 | $22.08 | 437,860 |
BLS does not design OEWS as a time series: each release pools three years of samples, and occupational classifications, area definitions and estimation methods change between releases, so a difference between two releases is not a measure of change over time. The figures are shown as published, side by side, and nothing is computed from them. See how often OEWS is updated.
Every state, by median wage
51 states and DC publish a row for this occupation. A linked state has its own page with the within-state metro table and comparison; the others appear here only.
| Rank | State | Median hourly | Median annual | 10th pct (annual) | 90th pct (annual) | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia profile | $28.59 | $59,460 | $40,930 | $86,090 | 2,080 | 2.96 | 1.05 |
| 2 | Washington profile | $26.33 | $54,770 | $43,180 | $72,770 | 7,590 | 2.14 | 0.76 |
| 3 | Oregon profile | $24.63 | $51,230 | $39,860 | $67,170 | 11,260 | 5.73 | 2.03 |
| 4 | California profile | $24.56 | $51,090 | $39,040 | $74,250 | 58,730 | 3.22 | 1.15 |
| 5 | Minnesota profile | $24.01 | $49,940 | $38,490 | $64,560 | 11,110 | 3.77 | 1.34 |
| 6 | New Jersey profile | $23.28 | $48,420 | $34,340 | $72,800 | 17,270 | 4.03 | 1.43 |
| 7 | Rhode Island profile | $22.94 | $47,720 | $36,580 | $71,270 | 2,290 | 4.57 | 1.62 |
| 8 | Maine profile | $22.94 | $47,710 | $39,770 | $60,050 | 4,580 | 7.14 | 2.54 |
| 9 | Colorado profile | $22.93 | $47,690 | $38,440 | $65,450 | 5,410 | 1.88 | 0.67 |
| 10 | Idaho profile | $22.86 | $47,540 | $37,450 | $60,470 | 3,810 | 4.45 | 1.58 |
| 11 | Wisconsin profile | $22.84 | $47,500 | $34,990 | $71,390 | 7,750 | 2.64 | 0.94 |
| 12 | Alaska profile | $22.77 | $47,360 | $37,440 | $78,850 | 1,370 | 4.22 | 1.50 |
| 13 | Maryland profile | $22.70 | $47,210 | $36,990 | $68,890 | 7,280 | 2.64 | 0.94 |
| 14 | New York profile | $22.69 | $47,190 | $35,980 | $64,430 | 40,970 | 4.23 | 1.50 |
| 15 | Massachusetts profile | $22.66 | $47,130 | $39,440 | $63,670 | 9,180 | 2.52 | 0.90 |
| 16 | Illinois profile | $22.57 | $46,950 | $35,030 | $72,780 | 22,220 | 3.64 | 1.29 |
| 17 | New Hampshire profile | $22.57 | $46,950 | $37,700 | $58,210 | 1,860 | 2.72 | 0.97 |
| 18 | Vermont profile | $22.42 | $46,640 | $38,760 | $55,380 | 1,920 | 6.32 | 2.24 |
| 19 | New Mexico profile | $22.28 | $46,340 | $32,820 | $63,650 | 3,050 | 3.50 | 1.24 |
| 20 | North Dakota profile | $22.24 | $46,260 | $37,270 | $66,170 | 1,530 | 3.56 | 1.26 |
| 21 | Texas profile | $22.05 | $45,860 | $31,350 | $60,460 | 21,620 | 1.54 | 0.55 |
| 22 | Wyoming profile | $21.77 | $45,290 | $34,280 | $61,080 | 610 | 2.16 | 0.77 |
| 23 | Connecticut profile | $21.50 | $44,730 | $36,890 | $60,980 | 9,930 | 5.86 | 2.08 |
| 24 | Indiana profile | $21.42 | $44,550 | $31,200 | $58,640 | 11,740 | 3.67 | 1.30 |
| 25 | Florida profile | $21.35 | $44,410 | $34,180 | $59,460 | 22,670 | 2.28 | 0.81 |
| 26 | Pennsylvania profile | $21.18 | $44,050 | $34,520 | $58,700 | 24,340 | 4.01 | 1.43 |
| 27 | Virginia profile | $20.89 | $43,450 | $32,840 | $60,500 | 10,670 | 2.60 | 0.92 |
| 28 | North Carolina profile | $20.60 | $42,850 | $30,620 | $59,570 | 9,020 | 1.83 | 0.65 |
| 29 | Kansas profile | $20.47 | $42,570 | $34,330 | $55,580 | 6,070 | 4.22 | 1.50 |
| 30 | Iowa profile | $20.42 | $42,480 | $33,060 | $60,780 | 5,230 | 3.35 | 1.19 |
| 31 | Hawaii profile | $20.39 | $42,400 | $36,530 | $58,030 | 2,230 | 3.55 | 1.26 |
| 32 | Missouri profile | $20.09 | $41,780 | $31,730 | $50,710 | 6,200 | 2.11 | 0.75 |
| 33 | Arizona profile | $19.58 | $40,730 | $35,630 | $49,950 | 7,290 | 2.25 | 0.80 |
| 34 | Delaware profile | $19.57 | $40,710 | $33,080 | $49,420 | 1,050 | 2.17 | 0.77 |
| 35 | Tennessee profile | $19.38 | $40,310 | $30,280 | $52,190 | 4,380 | 1.34 | 0.47 |
| 36 | Utah profile | $19.20 | $39,930 | $33,790 | $55,840 | 6,540 | 3.77 | 1.34 |
| 37 | Georgia profile | $18.98 | $39,480 | $29,030 | $58,050 | 7,410 | 1.52 | 0.54 |
| 38 | West Virginia profile | $18.89 | $39,290 | $29,690 | $52,510 | 3,320 | 4.74 | 1.68 |
| 39 | Michigan profile | $18.83 | $39,160 | $30,780 | $57,100 | 12,450 | 2.83 | 1.00 |
| 40 | Nebraska profile | $18.72 | $38,940 | $31,010 | $46,640 | 1,460 | 1.43 | 0.51 |
| 41 | Montana profile | $18.54 | $38,570 | $29,840 | $50,620 | 1,200 | 2.35 | 0.83 |
| 42 | Nevada profile | $18.54 | $38,570 | $30,940 | $56,470 | 2,420 | 1.56 | 0.55 |
| 43 | South Carolina profile | $18.54 | $38,550 | $30,270 | $58,120 | 5,220 | 2.26 | 0.80 |
| 44 | Ohio profile | $18.46 | $38,390 | $30,250 | $52,570 | 10,970 | 1.98 | 0.70 |
| 45 | South Dakota profile | $18.44 | $38,350 | $29,850 | $48,120 | 830 | 1.82 | 0.64 |
| 46 | Kentucky profile | $18.00 | $37,440 | $27,540 | $55,530 | 4,670 | 2.33 | 0.83 |
| 47 | Arkansas profile | $17.68 | $36,770 | $25,880 | $49,660 | 3,530 | 2.71 | 0.96 |
| 48 | Oklahoma profile | $17.66 | $36,740 | $27,490 | $54,320 | 3,340 | 1.96 | 0.69 |
| 49 | Alabama profile | $17.23 | $35,830 | $24,170 | $52,100 | 3,370 | 1.59 | 0.57 |
| 50 | Louisiana profile | $17.20 | $35,780 | $27,060 | $49,810 | 3,440 | 1.78 | 0.63 |
| 51 | Mississippi profile | $15.00 | $31,200 | $22,990 | $45,710 | ** | ** | ** |
Related occupations
Occupations in the same SOC broad group (21-1090), with their national median annual wage.
Part of Community and Social Service Occupations. Compare any area in the wage explorer.
Source and notes
Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: OEWS 21-1093 Social and Human Service Assistants.
**- Employment estimate not available.
- Annual wages assume 2,080 hours a year at the hourly rate; occupations BLS publishes on one basis only show an en dash (–) on the other.
- Employment is rounded to the nearest 10 by BLS. Where BLS withholds a cell, nothing is estimated in its place.
- Top industries: nat4d_M2025_dl.xlsx in oesm25in4.zip (BLS OEWS May 2025, national, 4-digit NAICS, cross-ownership). Employment is the industry's rounded total for this occupation; industries whose employment BLS withheld (**) are not ranked.
- Published medians: national_M2021_dl.xlsx to national_M2024_dl.xlsx in oesm21nat.zip to oesm24nat.zip (BLS OEWS May 2021 to May 2024, national, cross-industry, all ownerships) and the May 2025 spine. Each release is shown as published; nothing is computed between them.
Sources
- BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018, definition of 21-1093, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- O*NET 30.1 Database, 21-1093.00, National Center for O*NET Development, USDOL/ETA (CC BY 4.0).
- OEWS May 2025 national industry-specific estimates, 4-digit NAICS (oesm25in4.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2021 national estimates (oesm21nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2022 national estimates (oesm22nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2023 national estimates (oesm23nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2024 national estimates (oesm24nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2025 national estimates (oesm25nat.zip), the site's data spine, US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
Includes information from O*NET 30.1 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, used under the CC BY 4.0 license.
Description written 2026-10-17 in our own words from the sources above.