SalariesWhat the occupation covers
Assist other social and human service providers in providing client services in a wide variety of fields, such as psychology, rehabilitation, or social work, including support for families. May assist clients in identifying and obtaining available benefits and social and community services. May assist social workers with developing, organizing, and conducting programs to prevent and resolve problems relevant to substance abuse, human relationships, rehabilitation, or dependent care. Excludes “Rehabilitation Counselors” (21-1015), “Psychiatric Technicians” (29-2053), “Personal Care Aides” (31-1122), and “Eligibility Interviewers, Government Programs” (43-4061).
Official definition from the Standard Occupational Classification, code 21-1093.
The pay range
Pay differs a lot inside one occupation, with experience, employer and place. The table shows where the lines fall.
| Share of workers | A year | A month* | A week* | An hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lowest 10% earn less than | $34,200 | $2,850 | $658 | $16.44 |
| Lowest 25% earn less than | $38,150 | $3,179 | $734 | $18.34 |
| Median (half earn less, half more) | $45,930 | $3,828 | $883 | $22.08 |
| Top 25% earn more than | $54,350 | $4,529 | $1,045 | $26.13 |
| Top 10% earn more than | $63,290 | $5,274 | $1,217 | $30.43 |
* Month and week are the yearly figure divided by 12 and by 52, worked out here for convenience. BLS publishes the yearly and hourly figures.
How it compares
The median for all occupations in the United States was $50,980 a year. The median for Social and Human Service Assistants is $45,930, which is 10% lower. Among the 17 occupations of the field Community and Social Service, it ranks number 16 by median pay. With 437,860 jobs, it makes up about 28 of every 10,000 jobs in the country.
Social and Human Service Assistants pay by state
The highest median pay was in District of Columbia ($59,460), Washington ($54,770) and Oregon ($51,230). The lowest was in Mississippi ($31,200), Puerto Rico ($31,570) and Louisiana ($35,780). The most jobs were in California (58,730), New York (40,970) and Pennsylvania (24,340). The occupation is most concentrated in Maine, where its share of all jobs is 2.5 times the national share.
No state matches.
| State | Jobs | Median a year | Average a year | Median an hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | 2,080 | $59,460 | $60,770 | $28.59 |
| Washington | 7,590 | $54,770 | $55,900 | $26.33 |
| Oregon | 11,260 | $51,230 | $52,980 | $24.63 |
| California | 58,730 | $51,090 | $55,100 | $24.56 |
| Minnesota | 11,110 | $49,940 | $52,370 | $24.01 |
| New Jersey | 17,270 | $48,420 | $51,770 | $23.28 |
| Rhode Island | 2,290 | $47,720 | $50,870 | $22.94 |
| Maine | 4,580 | $47,710 | $49,470 | $22.94 |
| Colorado | 5,410 | $47,690 | $50,370 | $22.93 |
| Idaho | 3,810 | $47,540 | $49,020 | $22.86 |
| Wisconsin | 7,750 | $47,500 | $50,360 | $22.84 |
| Alaska | 1,370 | $47,360 | $52,420 | $22.77 |
| Maryland | 7,280 | $47,210 | $51,200 | $22.70 |
| New York | 40,970 | $47,190 | $49,080 | $22.69 |
| Massachusetts | 9,180 | $47,130 | $50,430 | $22.66 |
| Illinois | 22,220 | $46,950 | $50,460 | $22.57 |
| New Hampshire | 1,860 | $46,950 | $47,540 | $22.57 |
| Vermont | 1,920 | $46,640 | $47,320 | $22.42 |
| New Mexico | 3,050 | $46,340 | $47,670 | $22.28 |
| North Dakota | 1,530 | $46,260 | $48,940 | $22.24 |
| Texas | 21,620 | $45,860 | $46,210 | $22.05 |
| Wyoming | 610 | $45,290 | $45,630 | $21.77 |
| Connecticut | 9,930 | $44,730 | $46,540 | $21.50 |
| Indiana | 11,740 | $44,550 | $44,570 | $21.42 |
| Florida | 22,670 | $44,410 | $45,380 | $21.35 |
| Pennsylvania | 24,340 | $44,050 | $45,060 | $21.18 |
| Virginia | 10,670 | $43,450 | $45,060 | $20.89 |
| North Carolina | 9,020 | $42,850 | $43,880 | $20.60 |
| Kansas | 6,070 | $42,570 | $43,490 | $20.47 |
| Iowa | 5,230 | $42,480 | $44,430 | $20.42 |
| Hawaii | 2,230 | $42,400 | $44,580 | $20.39 |
| Missouri | 6,200 | $41,780 | $42,270 | $20.09 |
| Arizona | 7,290 | $40,730 | $42,360 | $19.58 |
| Delaware | 1,050 | $40,710 | $41,760 | $19.57 |
| Tennessee | 4,380 | $40,310 | $41,300 | $19.38 |
| Utah | 6,540 | $39,930 | $42,860 | $19.20 |
| Georgia | 7,410 | $39,480 | $41,370 | $18.98 |
| West Virginia | 3,320 | $39,290 | $41,200 | $18.89 |
| Michigan | 12,450 | $39,160 | $42,940 | $18.83 |
| Nebraska | 1,460 | $38,940 | $39,570 | $18.72 |
| Guam | 160 | $38,920 | $40,650 | $18.71 |
| Montana | 1,200 | $38,570 | $40,350 | $18.54 |
| Nevada | 2,420 | $38,570 | $42,740 | $18.54 |
| South Carolina | 5,220 | $38,550 | $42,180 | $18.54 |
| Ohio | 10,970 | $38,390 | $41,150 | $18.46 |
| South Dakota | 830 | $38,350 | $39,110 | $18.44 |
| Kentucky | 4,670 | $37,440 | $40,190 | $18.00 |
| Virgin Islands | 60 | $37,150 | $38,980 | $17.86 |
| Arkansas | 3,530 | $36,770 | $37,560 | $17.68 |
| Oklahoma | 3,340 | $36,740 | $38,910 | $17.66 |
| Alabama | 3,370 | $35,830 | $37,240 | $17.23 |
| Louisiana | 3,440 | $35,780 | $37,300 | $17.20 |
| Puerto Rico | 5,560 | $31,570 | $32,870 | $15.18 |
| Mississippi | not published | $31,200 | $32,850 | $15.00 |
Sorted by median pay, highest first. "Not published" means BLS did not release that figure for the state, usually because too few employers were surveyed. "$239,200 or more" is the highest value BLS reports in the state tables.
Similar occupations by pay
- Community Health Workers$51,850 a year
- Counselors, All Other$50,860 a year
- Rehabilitation Counselors$46,850 a year
- Religious Workers, All Other$45,280 a year
Common questions
How much do Social and Human Service Assistants earn in the United States?
The median pay was $45,930 a year in May 2025, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $34,200 and the highest-paid 10% more than $63,290.
How many people work as Social and Human Service Assistants?
About 437,860 jobs in the United States in May 2025, not counting the self-employed.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Checked in November 2026. Figures are for employees, before tax, and leave out overtime pay and benefits. They are official statistics, not advice or a pay offer; see bls.gov/oes for the original tables.