Social and Human Service Assistants salary in the U.S.
Social and Human Service Assistants in the U.S. earn a median of $45,930 a year ($22.08 an hour), based on BLS data for 437,860 workers.
Pay ranges from $34,200 for the lowest-paid 10% to $63,290 for the top 10%. The average (mean) salary is $47,690, above the median because a few high earners pull it up.
Pay range for social and human service assistants in the U.S.
| Pay level | Yearly | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $34,200 | $16.44 |
| 25th percentile | $38,150 | $18.34 |
| Median | $45,930 | $22.08 |
| 75th percentile | $54,350 | $26.13 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $63,290 | $30.43 |
| Average (mean) | $47,690 | $22.93 |
Half of social and human service assistants earn more than the median and half earn less. Percentiles show the spread: 10% earn less than the 10th percentile, and 10% earn more than the 90th.
Median paycheck, before taxes
| Pay period | Amount |
|---|---|
| Monthly | $3,827.50 |
| Semi-monthly (24 a year) | $1,913.75 |
| Biweekly (26 a year) | $1,766.54 |
| Weekly | $883.27 |
| Hourly | $22.08 |
Based on a full-time year of 2,080 hours. Convert any amount with the hourly to salary converter.
Buying a home? On a $45,930 salary, see how much house you can afford at today's mortgage rates, or work out a payment with the mortgage calculator.
Social and Human Service Assistants salary by state
| State | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $59,460 | 2,080 |
| Washington | $54,770 | 7,590 |
| Oregon | $51,230 | 11,260 |
| California | $51,090 | 58,730 |
| Minnesota | $49,940 | 11,110 |
| New Jersey | $48,420 | 17,270 |
| Rhode Island | $47,720 | 2,290 |
| Maine | $47,710 | 4,580 |
| Colorado | $47,690 | 5,410 |
| Idaho | $47,540 | 3,810 |
| Wisconsin | $47,500 | 7,750 |
| Alaska | $47,360 | 1,370 |
| Maryland | $47,210 | 7,280 |
| New York | $47,190 | 40,970 |
| Massachusetts | $47,130 | 9,180 |
| Illinois | $46,950 | 22,220 |
| New Hampshire | $46,950 | 1,860 |
| Vermont | $46,640 | 1,920 |
| New Mexico | $46,340 | 3,050 |
| North Dakota | $46,260 | 1,530 |
| Texas | $45,860 | 21,620 |
| Wyoming | $45,290 | 610 |
| Connecticut | $44,730 | 9,930 |
| Indiana | $44,550 | 11,740 |
| Florida | $44,410 | 22,670 |
| Pennsylvania | $44,050 | 24,340 |
| Virginia | $43,450 | 10,670 |
| North Carolina | $42,850 | 9,020 |
| Kansas | $42,570 | 6,070 |
| Iowa | $42,480 | 5,230 |
| Hawaii | $42,400 | 2,230 |
| Missouri | $41,780 | 6,200 |
| Arizona | $40,730 | 7,290 |
| Delaware | $40,710 | 1,050 |
| Tennessee | $40,310 | 4,380 |
| Utah | $39,930 | 6,540 |
| Georgia | $39,480 | 7,410 |
| West Virginia | $39,290 | 3,320 |
| Michigan | $39,160 | 12,450 |
| Nebraska | $38,940 | 1,460 |
| Guam | $38,920 | 160 |
| Montana | $38,570 | 1,200 |
| Nevada | $38,570 | 2,420 |
| South Carolina | $38,550 | 5,220 |
| Ohio | $38,390 | 10,970 |
| South Dakota | $38,350 | 830 |
| Kentucky | $37,440 | 4,670 |
| Virgin Islands | $37,150 | 60 |
| Arkansas | $36,770 | 3,530 |
| Oklahoma | $36,740 | 3,340 |
| Alabama | $35,830 | 3,370 |
| Louisiana | $35,780 | 3,440 |
| Puerto Rico | $31,570 | 5,560 |
| Mississippi | $31,200 | n/a |
Best-paying metro areas for social and human service assistants
| Metro area | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Eau Claire, WI | $63,870 | 390 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $60,650 | 1,930 |
| Fond du Lac, WI | $58,940 | 180 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $58,580 | 790 |
| Napa, CA | $58,470 | 230 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $58,090 | 3,910 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $57,580 | 7,970 |
| Salem, OR | $57,560 | 1,200 |
| Duluth, MN-WI | $56,120 | 600 |
| Modesto, CA | $55,330 | 710 |
| Wausau, WI | $55,330 | 110 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | $55,160 | 710 |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | $54,960 | 330 |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | $54,870 | 390 |
| Bellingham, WA | $54,320 | 190 |
Metro areas with the most social and human service assistants
| Metro area | Workers | Median salary |
|---|---|---|
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | 35,540 | $47,860 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 18,790 | $50,330 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | 16,080 | $47,180 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | 12,160 | $45,370 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | 7,970 | $57,580 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | 7,790 | $48,370 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | 7,160 | $49,750 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | 6,400 | $49,500 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | 6,090 | $47,530 |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | 5,980 | $45,370 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | 5,930 | $51,710 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | 5,100 | $48,370 |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | 4,940 | $43,230 |
| San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas, PR | 4,660 | $31,570 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | 4,140 | $46,850 |
Related jobs in the U.S.
| Job | Median salary | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors | $59,350 | $28.53 |
| Child, Family, and School Social Workers | $59,550 | $28.63 |
| Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors | $64,330 | $30.93 |
| Healthcare Social Worker | $67,880 | $32.63 |
| Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers | $60,280 | $28.98 |
| Community and Social Service Specialists, All Other | $56,730 | $27.28 |
| Rehabilitation Counselor | $46,850 | $22.52 |
| Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists | $66,270 | $31.86 |
| Marriage and Family Therapists | $66,940 | $32.18 |
| Health Education Specialist | $64,070 | $30.80 |
| Social Workers, All Other | $71,900 | $34.57 |
| Community Health Worker | $51,850 | $24.93 |
| Counselors, All Other | $50,860 | $24.45 |
| Clergy | $60,810 | $29.24 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 estimates, occupation code 21-1093. Wages include base pay, tips, commissions and shift pay, but not overtime, bonuses or benefits, and exclude the self-employed.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a social and human service assistants make in the U.S.?
The median salary for social and human service assistants in the U.S. is $45,930 a year, or $22.08 an hour. Pay ranges from $34,200 for the lowest-paid 10% to $63,290 for the top 10%.
How much do the highest-paid social and human service assistants make in the U.S.?
The top 10% of social and human service assistants in the U.S. earn at least $63,290 a year. The top 25% earn $54,350 or more.
What is the starting pay for social and human service assistants in the U.S.?
Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $34,200 a year, and a quarter of social and human service assistants earn $38,150 or less.
How many social and human service assistants work in the U.S.?
About 437,860 social and human service assistants are employed in the U.S., not counting the self-employed.