2025 Community Organization & Advocacy Degree Guide
A major in Community Organization and Advocacy will allow you to make critical social changes in communities to improve the lives of thousands of residents. Studying current trends in social change, history of labor movements, and community development, will prepare you to organize neighborhoods for social action. You will graduate with the ability to develop and implement a diverse set of strategies to challenge and change the current community social system and the lives of its residents.
Coursework focuses on the theories and the practice of providing services that champion the rights of the community. Many of the classes will focus on communication, such as: communication and social movement, political campaign communication, health campaign communication, American political culture and communication, and communication and social movements.
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Community Organization & Advocacy was the 169th most popular major in the 2021-2022 school year. Colleges in the United States reported awarding 2,872 degrees in this year alone.
This year's Best Community Organization & Advocacy Schools ranking compares 24 of them to identify the best overall programs in the country. Continue reading to check out one of our many unbiased rankings of community organization programs later in this article.
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Community Organization & Advocacy Degree Requirements
It has been said that community organizing is a tool used in culture to rectify the imbalances between the powerful and the powerless. A person who majors in Community Organization and Advocacy should have a strong sense of justice and parity. You should value citizen empowerment, have a passion for bringing social change to a community, and enjoy keeping up with current events.
Before you can make any changes, you must able to accurately assess the problems of the community. This requires the ability to collect and interpret data. Effective public relations and media communication skills are essential, as you will rally people to join social change endeavors. Since these changes often take time and have lots of barriers to overcome, a person who works in this field must be able to have long-term vision and think strategically to solve problems. In addition, you should a basic knowledge of the legislative process and the ability to fundraise.
ADBLOCK #171
Prior Education for a Community Organization Program
A high school diploma or equivalent is typically required for most community organization degree programs and many students will need a minimum GPA and SAT/ACT score depending on the school. Specific community organization careers may require a certain level of degree attainment or additional certifications beyond that.
Community Organization & Advocacy Degree Types
Community Organization degree levels vary. You can get anything from a in community organization & advocacy to the highest community organization degree, a . The time it takes to complete a community organization degree varies depending on the program.
Degree
Credit Requirements
Typical Program Length
Associate Degree
60-70 credits
2 years
Bachelor’s Degree
120 credits
4 years
Master’s Degree
50-70 credits
1-3 years
Doctorate
Program required coursework including thesis or dissertation
At least 4 years
A bachelor's degree is the most common level of education achieved by those in careers related to community organization, with approximately 39.6% of workers getting one. People currently working in careers related to community organization tend obtained the following education levels.
Level of Education
Percentage of Workers
Bachelor’s Degree
38.8%
High School Diploma
18.4%
Master’s Degree
17.8%
Associate’s Degree (or other 2-year degree)
9.2%
Some College Courses
7.6%
ADBLOCK #172
Most workers in community organization have at least a bachelor's degree. The chart below shows what degree level those who work in community organization & advocacy have obtained.
The education level required is different depending on the community organization career you are seeking.
Community Organization Careers
AverageNumber of Jobs
$43.7kAverage Starting Salary
12% GrowthJob Outlook 2016-26
Typically, an organizer job is focused around a specific problem or issue, such as education, health care, or welfare reform. Community organizing and advocacy encompasses a number of jobs, all of which revolve around solving problems for the greater good of the community. You may work as a social worker, volunteer coordinator, communications coordinator, program implementation leader, special problems director, director of events, or director of programming.
Solid Growth Projected for Community Organization Careers
Want a job when you graduate with your community organization degree? Community Organization & Advocacy careers are expected to grow 12.3% between 2016 and 2026.
The following options are some of the most in-demand careers related to community organization & advocacy.
Occupation Name
Projected Jobs
Expected Growth
Social and Community Service Managers
173,800
18.0%
Government Programs Eligibility Interviewers
151,600
5.9%
Community and Social Service Specialists
113,500
13.2%
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How Much Money Do Community Organization Grads Make?
Recently graduated community organization & advocacy students earned an average of $43,684 in <nil>. Earnings can range from as low as $22,329 to as high as $130,419. As you might expect, salaries for community organization graduates vary depending on the level of education that was acquired.
High Paying Careers for Community Organization Majors
Salaries for community organization & advocacy graduates can vary widely by the occupation you choose as well. The following table shows the top highest paying careers community organization grads often go into.
Occupation Name
Median Average Salary
Social and Community Service Managers
$71,670
Government Programs Eligibility Interviewers
$46,480
Community and Social Service Specialists
$46,050
ADBLOCK #173
Getting Your Community Organization & Advocacy Degree
With over 211 different community organization degree programs to choose from, finding the best fit for you can be a challenge. Fortunately you have come to the right place. We have analyzed all of these schools to come up with hundreds of unbiased community organization school rankings to help you with this.
Top Ranking Lists for Community Organization & Advocacy
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Majors Related to Community Organization
One of 4 majors within the Public Administration & Social Service area of study, Community Organization & Advocacy has other similar majors worth exploring.
by our College Data Analytics Team
