by our College Data Analytics TeamA 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.
A major in Community Organization & Advocacy involves the study of Community Organization And Advocacy. Continue reading for the important information every community organization & advocacy student should know — including career paths, salary data, the skills you will develop, and the best colleges offering community organization & advocacy programs.
Nationwide, community organization & advocacy is a popular field of study, with 2,651 degrees awarded annually.
Our 2026 Best Community Organization & Advocacy Schools ranking analyzes these 107 schools to determine the best overall colleges for community organization & advocacy students. Continue reading to check out one of our many unbiased rankings of community organization & advocacy programs later in this article.
Studies in Community Organization & Advocacy build a specific mix of skills, knowledge, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in the occupations community organization & advocacy graduates commonly enter.
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.
Skills built by a community organization & advocacy program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:
According to O*NET, a community organization & advocacy major emphasizes the following knowledge areas:
There are several community organization & advocacy degree levels. The table below shows the typical length of the most common levels, and how many graduates earn each one.
| Degree | Typical Program Length | Graduates Annually |
|---|---|---|
| Certificate | Varies | 10 |
| Associate Degree | 2 years | 241 |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 4 years | 1,615 |
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 760 |
| Doctorate | At least 4 years | 25 |
People currently working in careers related to community organization & advocacy tend to have obtained the following education levels.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Bachelor’s degree | 29.4% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 22.0% |
| Associate’s degree (or other 2-year) | 20.5% |
| Some college courses | 16.0% |
| Master’s degree | 10.5% |
| Post-master’s certificate | 1.6% |
See the chart below to get an idea of what level of education most of those in community organization & advocacy careers hold.
Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*
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.
A degree in community organization & advocacy prepares you for a variety of career paths. Here are some of the most common occupations related to community organization & advocacy.
The following options are some of the most in-demand careers related to community organization & advocacy.
| Occupation | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Eligibility Interviewers, Government Programs | 698,979 | 7.0% |
| Social and Community Service Managers | 181,916 | 13.3% |
| Community and Social Service Specialists, All Other | 38,623 | 13.1% |
The U.S. Department of Education tracks median earnings of community organization & advocacy graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. Earnings tend to climb as graduates gain experience.
| Years Out | Median Earnings |
|---|---|
| 1 year | $43,844 |
| 4 years | $44,244 |
| 5 years | $50,479 |
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.
Salaries for community organization & advocacy graduates vary widely by occupation. The following table shows the top highest-paying careers community organization & advocacy grads often go into.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Social and Community Service Managers | $156,089 |
| Community and Social Service Specialists, All Other | $75,358 |
| Eligibility Interviewers, Government Programs | $34,061 |
With 107 different community organization & advocacy programs to choose from, finding the best fit can be a challenge. We have analyzed these schools to produce unbiased community organization & advocacy school rankings to help you.
Those considering community organization & advocacy, you may also want to explore other closely related fields of study within the same broad area.
| Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Community Organization and Advocacy | 2,651 |
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Social Work | 58,176 |
| Public Administration | 13,993 |
| PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION AND SOCIAL SERVICE PROFESSIONS | 11,674 |
| Public Policy Analysis | 6,183 |
| Public Administration and Social Service Professions, Other | 518 |
More about our data sources and methodologies.
