by our College Data Analytics TeamThere are many people in society that need special help at some point in their lives: the elderly, homeless families, pregnant teens, and people with addiction problems. A degree in Human Services will allow you to provide essential services to vulnerable populations. Human Services involves the general study of human behavior as well as hands-on field experience in order to learn how to improve the lives of people. Generalists will be able to work in public and private human services agencies and organizations.
Instruction in Human Services will take a multi-disciplinary approach. Classes will include: human behavior, psychology, social sciences, principles of social service, human services policy, planning and evaluation, social services law and administration. You will also receive training in practical applications to particular issues, services, localities, and populations.
Studying Human Services covers Human Services, General. Continue reading for the important information every human services major should know — including career paths, salary data, the skills you will develop, and the best colleges offering human services programs.
Nationwide, human services is a popular field of study, with 11,674 degrees awarded annually.
Our 2026 Best Human Services Schools ranking analyzes these 421 schools to determine the best overall colleges for human services students. Continue reading to check out one of our many unbiased rankings of human services programs later in this article.
Coursework for Human Services develop a specific mix of skills, knowledge, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in the occupations human services graduates commonly enter.
This major is idea for compassionate and caring individuals who have a passion for helping other people overcome their challenges. Most of the clients you will be working with are in stressful or desperate situations, so it is important to remain empathetic and understanding.
Human Services involves working with people from diverse backgrounds. You must be able to build a trusting relationship with your client making communication and interpersonal skills crucial for success. You will often collaborate with a team of human services workers and think creatively to help your clients overcome their challenges.
Skills developed in a human services program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:
Based on O*NET data, a human services major emphasizes the following knowledge areas:
There are several human services 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 | 253 |
| Associate Degree | 2 years | 3,751 |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 4 years | 5,695 |
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 1,832 |
| Doctorate | At least 4 years | 124 |
People currently working in careers related to human services tend to have obtained the following education levels.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Bachelor’s degree | 43.9% |
| Master’s degree | 14.2% |
| Associate’s degree (or other 2-year) | 14.0% |
| Some college courses | 10.5% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 9.1% |
| Post-master’s certificate | 5.5% |
| Doctoral degree | 2.2% |
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | 0.6% |
View the chart below to get an idea of what level of education most of those in human services careers hold.
Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*
There are two main types of human services: those that deal directly with clients and those that provide administrative support for a service agency. For those who want to work directly with people can find jobs as the following: case workers, counselors, mental health aides, and social workers. On the administrative side, you can find work as a grant writer, program director, or development director.
Studying human services can lead to many career paths. Below are some of the most common occupations related to human services.
The following options are some of the most in-demand careers related to human services.
| Occupation | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Social and Human Service Assistants | 253,977 | 9.5% |
| Social and Community Service Managers | 181,916 | 13.3% |
| Community and Social Service Specialists, All Other | 38,623 | 13.1% |
Federal data tracks median earnings of human services graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. These numbers tend to grow as graduates gain experience.
| Years Out | Median Earnings |
|---|---|
| 1 year | $37,474 |
| 4 years | $39,398 |
| 5 years | $44,764 |
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.
Salaries for human services graduates vary widely by occupation. The following table shows the top highest-paying careers human services grads often go into.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Social and Community Service Managers | $156,089 |
| Community and Social Service Specialists, All Other | $75,358 |
| Social and Human Service Assistants | $69,957 |
With 421 different human services programs to choose from, finding the best fit can be a challenge. We have analyzed these schools to produce unbiased human services school rankings to help you.
If you are interested in human services, you may also want to explore other closely related fields of study within the same broad area.
| Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Public Administration and Social Service Professions | 11,674 |
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Social Work | 58,176 |
| Public Administration | 13,993 |
| Public Policy Analysis | 6,183 |
| Community Organization and Advocacy | 2,651 |
| Public Administration and Social Service Professions, Other | 518 |
More about our data sources and methodologies.
