by our College Data Analytics TeamA degree in Child Advocacy & Policy covers Youth Services/administration. A Program That Prepares Individuals To Plan, Manage, And Implement Social Services For Children, Youth, And Families. Includes Instruction In Child Development And Psychology, Adolescence, Family Studies, Social Work, Social Services Administration, Juvenile And Family Law, Program And Facilities Planning, Youth Leadership, Counseling, Probation, Casework, Applicable Procedures And Regulations, And Professional Standards And Ethics. Read on to learn the essential details every child advocacy & policy student should know — including career paths, salary data, the skills you will develop, and the best colleges offering child advocacy & policy programs.
Across the country, child advocacy & policy is a widely-pursued major, with 267 degrees awarded annually.
Our 2026 Best Child Advocacy & Policy Schools ranking analyzes these 24 schools to determine the best overall colleges for child advocacy & policy students. Continue reading to check out one of our many unbiased rankings of child advocacy & policy programs later in this article.
Programs in Child Advocacy & Policy emphasize a specific mix of skills, knowledge, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in the occupations child advocacy & policy graduates commonly enter.
The skill set developed in a child advocacy & policy program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:
Based on O*NET data, a child advocacy & policy major emphasizes the following knowledge areas:
There are several child advocacy & policy 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 | 12 |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 4 years | 117 |
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 138 |
People currently working in careers related to child advocacy & policy tend to have obtained the following education levels.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Bachelor’s degree | 60.6% |
| Master’s degree | 25.0% |
| Associate’s degree (or other 2-year) | 6.7% |
| Post-master’s certificate | 3.6% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 3.2% |
| Some college courses | 1.0% |
View the chart below to get an idea of what level of education most of those in child advocacy & policy careers hold.
Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*
Majoring in child advocacy & policy prepares you for numerous career paths. Here are some of the most common occupations related to child advocacy & policy.
The following options are some of the most in-demand careers related to child advocacy & policy.
| Occupation | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Child, Family, and School Social Workers | 206,409 | 1.0% |
| Social and Community Service Managers | 181,916 | 13.3% |
The U.S. Department of Education tracks median earnings of child advocacy & policy graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. Wages typically rise as graduates gain experience.
| Years Out | Median Earnings |
|---|---|
| 1 year | $49,745 |
| 4 years | $51,599 |
| 5 years | $57,911 |
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.
Salaries for child advocacy & policy graduates vary widely by occupation. The following table shows the top highest-paying careers child advocacy & policy grads often go into.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Social and Community Service Managers | $156,089 |
| Child, Family, and School Social Workers | $41,658 |
With 24 different child advocacy & policy programs to choose from, finding the best fit can be a challenge. We have analyzed these schools to produce unbiased child advocacy & policy school rankings to help you.
Those considering child advocacy & policy, you may also want to explore other closely related fields of study within the same broad area.
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Social Work | 57,279 |
| Social Work, Other | 622 |
| Forensic Social Work | 8 |
More about our data sources and methodologies.
