Community and Social Service Specialists, All Other Salary

The median community and social service specialists, all other salary in the United States is $56,730 per year ($27.28/hour). Salaries range from $37,310 at the entry level to $84,210+ for the top 10% of earners. There are 107,730 community and social service specialists, all other jobs nationwide. Employment is projected to grow 4.6% through 2034.

Last updated: June 2026 Β· Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Median Salary
$56,730
per year
Hourly Rate
$27.28
per hour
Employment
107,730
jobs in the U.S.

Salary Distribution

10th percentile
$37,310
25th percentile
$45,920
Median
$56,730
75th percentile
$69,910
90th percentile
$84,210

Job Growth (2024-2034)

+4.6%
As fast as average

Annual Openings

13,100
jobs/year (growth + replacements)

Education Required

Bachelor's degree

Community and Social Service Specialists, All Other Career Guide

Interview questions, resume templates, and a career ladder written specifically for community and social service specialists, all others.

This SOC catch-all covers case managers, community health outreach workers, workforce specialists, housing navigators, reentry specialists, benefits enrollment counselors, and cross-cutting community-service roles that don't fit into the more specific SOC categories (social workers, mental health counselors, health educators). Typical employers include county Departments of Human Services (DHS) and Health & Human Services (HHS), state workforce boards, Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs), United Way affiliates, Local YMCA / YWCA, Salvation Army, Goodwill Industries workforce programs, Legal Aid Society, Catholic Charities, Lutheran Social Services, Volunteers of America, and Community Action Agencies (CAAs). BLS reports a median of $56,730 across 107,730 jobs, with p10 at $37,570 and p90 at $86,880. Nearly all seats are grant-funded β€” SAMHSA, HRSA, HUD ESG/CoC, DOL WIOA, TANF, Ryan White HIV/AIDS, SSBG β€” which means position stability depends on funding cycles.

Core Skills Hiring Managers Screen For

Case management & care coordination
Intake assessment, individualized service plan (ISP), warm handoffs to specialty services, and 90-day follow-up. Most agencies use the Case Management Society of America (CMSA) framework or the Person-Centered Planning model. A typical caseload is 25-60 clients depending on program intensity β€” SAMHSA-funded intensive case management runs 15-25; TANF workforce runs 60-120.
Motivational interviewing (MI) & trauma-informed care
Every grant-funded position expects MI training (usually the Miller & Rollnick 4-day course) and trauma-informed care (SAMHSA's TIP 57 framework or a state-specific equivalent). MI is the foundation for engaging clients ambivalent about change; TIC is the culture layer that keeps clients from re-traumatization.
Benefits eligibility screening (Medicaid, SNAP, TANF, SSI/SSDI, Section 8, LIHEAP)
State systems like PA COMPASS, CA BenefitsCal, TX YourTexasBenefits, NY MyBenefits. A case manager who can prescreen and complete an SSI application, an EBT re-cert, and an ACA marketplace enrollment across a single family visit is worth their weight β€” the alternative is 3-6 handoffs the client will drop.
Community resource navigation
Know the specific food banks, shelters, detox beds, rental-assistance programs, workforce training providers, legal aid clinics, and clinical partners in your service area. 211 is the referral floor; a Sr specialist has the direct-line phone number for a case-manager at each partner org.
HIPAA & 42 CFR Part 2 compliance
42 CFR Part 2 governs substance-use records and is much stricter than baseline HIPAA β€” separate signed release required for every disclosure, even to another treating provider. Grant-funded programs (Ryan White, SAMHSA block grants) are audited annually on Part 2 discipline.
Grant reporting & data entry
SAMHSA GPRA, HRSA UDS, HUD HMIS, DOL WIOA case notes, TANF work verification. Every touch is a data element; a grant that misses its performance measures at the annual report can lose renewal. Specialists who can enter accurate, complete case notes on the day of service (not batched weekly) protect the program.
Cultural humility & language access
Bilingual English/Spanish is a hard requirement in most metro seats; Vietnamese, Somali, Amharic, Arabic, Haitian Creole, and Karen are premium languages depending on region. Cultural humility training (rather than 'cultural competency') is the current standard β€” approach every client's context as unfamiliar until they've taught you.
Crisis de-escalation & safety planning
Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST), Question-Persuade-Refer (QPR), Mental Health First Aid (MHFA), and Nonviolent Crisis Intervention (CPI) are the four training programs employers ask for. A specialist without at least one is a liability at any front-door program.

How to Become a Community and Social Service Specialists, All Other

  1. 1
    Earn a bachelor's degree in social work, psychology, public health, human services, sociology, or a related field
    Most grant-funded case-manager positions require a bachelor's; a few (peer specialists, community health workers) require only a high school diploma or GED plus lived experience. Some roles (Ryan White, SAMHSA intensive) require a bachelor's minimum.
  2. 2
    Complete field placement or internship at a community-based organization
    Unpaid or stipend-funded internships at United Way, YMCA, county DHS, FQHC, or CAA are the on-ramp. 300-450 hours over an academic year is common; some BSW programs require 400+.
  3. 3
    Start as a Case Manager, Community Health Worker, or Outreach Specialist
    $36-48k depending on region and grant. County DHS, FQHC, or United Way agency. First 6-12 months are heavy on MI training, HIPAA / 42 CFR Part 2 training, and shadowing a Sr case manager for caseload transition.
  4. 4
    Stack certifications and specialty training
    $44-62k. Certified Case Manager (CCM), Certified Rehabilitation Counselor (CRC), Community Health Worker (CHW) state certifications (Texas, Ohio, Minnesota have state-registered CHW programs), and specialty-population training (HIV, reentry, veterans, older adults, LGBTQ+ youth).
  5. 5
    Move into Sr Specialist / Program Coordinator / Supervisor roles
    $54-78k. Sr Specialist runs a specialty caseload; Program Coordinator owns a grant deliverable; Supervisor runs a team of 4-10 case managers, signs off on ISPs, and covers HIPAA and 42 CFR Part 2 compliance. Master's (MSW, MPH, MPA) often required for Program Manager and Director.

Career Progression

Case Manager / Community Outreach Specialist (entry)
0-3 yrs$36-48k (grant-dependent; some seats include full county benefits)
  • β€’Carry a caseload of 30-60 clients (intensity-dependent)
  • β€’Conduct intake, ISP, weekly or biweekly check-ins, and 90-day follow-up
  • β€’Enter case notes daily into the grant's required data system (HMIS, GPRA, WIOA, UDS)
  • β€’Warm handoff to specialty services (behavioral health, primary care, legal, housing, workforce)
Next: Move to Sr Case Manager at 2-4 years on caseload autonomy and one specialty certification.
Sr Case Manager / Certified Case Manager (CCM)
3-6 yrs$46-62k
  • β€’Carry higher-acuity or specialty caseload (intensive case management, reentry, HIV, veterans)
  • β€’Precept new hires; sign off on their first 10-20 ISPs
  • β€’Own a specific grant deliverable or performance measure
  • β€’Represent the agency at cross-sector coalition meetings (CoC, workforce board, LHB)
Next: Program Coordinator at 5-8 years with specialty depth and MSW/MPH in progress or complete.
Program Coordinator / Grant Manager
5-9 yrs$54-72k
  • β€’Own one or more grant contracts end-to-end (SAMHSA, HRSA, HUD, DOL, state)
  • β€’Manage 4-10 case managers; carry a lighter direct caseload (~10 clients)
  • β€’Submit monthly / quarterly grant reports and annual performance narratives
  • β€’Manage contract compliance, subrecipient monitoring, and agency-wide policy alignment
Next: Program Manager / Director at 8-12 years with MSW/MPH/MPA and grant-writing track record.
Program Manager / Director of Programs
8-14 yrs$68-95k (some seats reach $110k+ at United Way / large FQHC / county agencies)
  • β€’Run a portfolio of 3-8 programs with $2-8M combined annual budget
  • β€’Own grant writing and renewal (typically 40-60% of role time)
  • β€’Manage 15-40 staff across program coordinators and case managers
  • β€’Represent the agency to funders, city / county government, and community coalitions
Next: Executive Director / VP Programs at 12-20 years or move to a funder-side role (United Way, county DHS, foundation).
Executive Director / VP Programs (non-profit or county)
12+ yrs$90-160k+ (large non-profits and mid-size counties; VP at United Way / large FQHC $130-220k)
  • β€’Own the agency's $5-40M annual budget across multiple grant streams
  • β€’Report to a Board of Directors (non-profit) or elected Commissioners (county)
  • β€’Drive external strategy β€” public policy, funder cultivation, coalition leadership
  • β€’Own reputation of the agency in the region; represent to press and government

Interview Questions & Answers

5 free questions below. Career Kit unlocks 15 total plus resume bullets for every level.

Q1. Walk me through a case you struggled with and how you moved it forward.behavioral
STAR. Situation: a client in the county's SAMHSA-funded reentry program β€” 42 years old, 6 weeks post-release, no ID, no housing, on probation, and testing positive on the second urine screen. He was going to violate. Task: keep him from going back inside and get him stable. Action: I ran an emergency ID replacement through the state DMV homeless liaison, got him into a Salvation Army shelter same-day, called his probation officer proactively (with his signed 42 CFR Part 2 release) to frame the positive UA as a treatment-engagement signal not a violation, warm-handed him into the FQHC's MAT program (methadone induction started 3 days later), and enrolled him in Medicaid the following week. Result: no violation, 90-day retention in MAT, stable housing at 6 months, employment at 9 months. Interviewers want to hear you name the specific systems (probation, DMV homeless liaison, MAT, Medicaid), the specific releases (42 CFR Part 2), and the specific outcomes β€” not just 'I helped him get back on track.'
Q2. How do you handle a client who is repeatedly missing appointments?situational
First, curiosity not judgment β€” three no-shows almost always means transportation, childcare, work conflict, or a change in the client's situation (relapse, health crisis, housing loss), not disengagement. I try a phone call or text first ('missed you today β€” everything okay?'), then a home visit if the program allows it, then a warm-handoff-back if the client wants a different case manager. In the case-note I document the specific outreach attempts. Programmatically, I look at my no-show rate across the caseload β€” if it's above 20%, the appointment structure is probably the problem (I'm scheduling too far out, or my hours don't match my clients' work schedules), not the individual clients. Interviewers screen for MI language and refusal to pathologize the client.
Q3. Describe a time you disagreed with your supervisor.behavioral
STAR. Situation: at an FQHC, my supervisor wanted to close a client's file for non-compliance after 3 missed appointments. Task: raise the disagreement without insubordination. Action: I asked for a 15-minute case conference, brought the case notes showing the client had shown up 8 of 11 times and the 3 misses correlated with a shift change at her job. Proposed a schedule change to evening appointments and a text-based check-in in between. Result: supervisor agreed; client retained through the annual grant report and completed her workforce training. Interviewers want to see you own the disagreement, bring data, propose a specific alternative, and keep the professional relationship intact.
Q4. Why community services β€” why not clinical social work or a counseling license?culture
The honest answer: I want to work at the systems level as much as the individual level. LCSW / LMHC / LPC roles are the deeper clinical work β€” 45-50 minute therapy sessions, DSM diagnosis, medical necessity documentation. That's important but it's not my strength. What I like about case management is the daily variety of systems I'm navigating β€” housing, benefits, workforce, criminal justice, primary care, behavioral health β€” and the way you can move a family from crisis to stable in 6-12 months by pulling the right levers. Some of my colleagues went for the LCSW; I'm going for the MSW plus CCM plus program-management track. Interviewers screen for candidates who chose the path deliberately, not defaulted into it.
Q5. Where do you see your career in 5 years?closer
Sr Case Manager + Program Coordinator running a grant-funded specialty program (reentry, housing-first, or workforce) at a mid-size community agency. CCM certification stacked with a specialty (Certified Reentry Practitioner, HIV Case Management, Certified Housing Counselor). Longer-term: MSW or MPH in evening / online program, then Program Manager or Director role. I want the operational and grant-writing skills that separate case-manager tenure from program leadership β€” most Sr Case Managers stall out because they don't build the grant-writing muscle. Interviewers want specific role targets and specific certifications, not 'management.'

Resume Template β€” Case Manager / Community Outreach Specialist (0-3 yrs)

Copy these bullets into your resume as a starting point. Career Kit includes bullets for every level of the ladder.

Case Manager / Community Outreach Specialist (0-3 yrs)
  • β–ΈManaged caseload of 45-55 SAMHSA-funded clients at [FQHC / CAA]; 78% engagement retention at 90 days vs 62% program average.
  • β–ΈEnrolled 120+ clients in Medicaid and SNAP over 18 months; error rate 2% vs county average of 7%.
  • β–ΈMotivational Interviewing (Miller & Rollnick 4-day) + Mental Health First Aid + QPR trained; MI-fidelity coded at 4.2/5.
  • β–ΈBSW + Spanish fluency + HMIS / GPRA data entry certified; $42,400 base + county benefits.

What Gets You Rejected

  • βœ—Cannot name a specific case management framework (CMSA, Person-Centered Planning, Wraparound) or trauma-informed care model (TIP 57, ARC, Sanctuary).
  • βœ—No MI or crisis-de-escalation training β€” interviewers screen for at least one (QPR, ASIST, MHFA, CPI).
  • βœ—Weak on data-entry discipline β€” case-note completion under 90% same-day is a grant-audit risk.
  • βœ—Judgmental language about clients ('non-compliant,' 'not motivated,' 'refuses treatment') β€” signals a mismatch with trauma-informed and harm-reduction cultures.
  • βœ—No cross-sector network β€” cannot name specific partner organizations (food banks, shelters, workforce boards, legal aid, FQHCs) in the service area by name.
  • βœ—Doesn't understand 42 CFR Part 2 distinction from HIPAA β€” this is a hard fail at any SAMHSA-funded or Ryan White-funded program.

Salary Negotiation Levers

  • βœ“Bilingual premium β€” Spanish, Vietnamese, Somali, Amharic, Arabic, Haitian Creole, and Karen add $1,500-6,000/yr in most metro seats. Get the language differential in writing.
  • βœ“Grant-position premium β€” grant-funded seats often pay 5-15% more than county-funded ones (grants tend to have higher fringe budgets). But grant seats carry funding-cycle risk β€” ask about renewal history and reserve funds.
  • βœ“CCM / CRC / CHW certification β€” Certified Case Manager adds $2,000-6,000/yr at most non-profits and $4,000-10,000/yr at United Way affiliates and hospital-based case management.
  • βœ“MSW / MPH / MPA β€” advanced degree adds a step in the salary grid at county and state agencies (typically 5-10% base bump). Ask about tuition reimbursement (~$3-6k/yr is standard) if you're pursuing.
  • βœ“Loan repayment programs β€” HRSA NHSC (up to $50k over 2 years), state loan repayment programs (varies by state), and IHS Loan Repayment (up to $50k over 2 years) apply to case managers at qualifying FQHCs and Tribal agencies.
  • βœ“Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) β€” 501(c)(3) non-profits and government seats qualify; 120 qualifying payments (10 years) discharge federal student loans. Get the employer certification form (PSLF ECF) signed in year one.
  • βœ“Retirement β€” county and state agencies offer pensions (CalPERS, PERA, NYSLRS, etc.) with employer contributions of 8-16% of salary that don't show up in the offer letter but are worth $5-12k/yr in real comp.
  • βœ“Flex schedule / hybrid β€” post-COVID, most case management is 2-3 days field / 2 days documentation. Negotiate the schedule and mileage reimbursement (~$0.67/mile IRS rate in 2024) in writing.

Community and Social Service Specialists, All Other Resume Review β€” $29

Personalized resume review from someone who has hired community and social service specialists, all others. Purchase, email your resume to support@weblabra.com, and receive detailed written feedback within 7 days.

  • βœ“ Occupation-specific critique (not generic)
  • βœ“ Rewrite suggestions for weak bullets
  • βœ“ Missing skills / keywords flagged
  • βœ“ Formatting + ATS-readability feedback
  • βœ“ 7-day turnaround, 100% refund if we miss it

Community and Social Service Specialists, All Other Career Kit β€” $19

  • βœ“ All 15 interview questions with expert answers
  • βœ“ 7 real questions aggregated from Glassdoor, Blind, Reddit, LinkedIn
  • βœ“ Interview format intel for 7 top employers
  • βœ“ 3 copy-paste salary negotiation emails
  • βœ“ Resume bullets for every level of the career ladder
  • βœ“ 30–60–90 day plan for your first role
  • βœ“ Cover letter templates specific to this occupation
  • βœ“ Detailed salary negotiation script
  • βœ“ Ranked list of certifications with cost + ROI
  • βœ“ Downloadable PDF for offline access
  • βœ“ Instant access, no expiration, no subscription
βœ“ 7-day money-back guarantee β€” no questions asked

One-time purchase. 7-day refund guarantee.

Sample reviews β€” real customer reviews will appear here as they come in.

β€œThe interview question bank saved me. I got the exact question about 'walking through a DCF' at my Goldman Sachs superday, verbatim.”

β€” Anonymous, Financial Analyst

β€œCopy-paste negotiation emails are worth the price alone. I used the 'accepting with counter' template and got an extra $8k signing bonus.”

β€” Anonymous, Software Developer

β€œThe 30-60-90 day plan for a new grad RN was better than the orientation my hospital gave. Wish I'd bought this in nursing school.”

β€” Anonymous, Registered Nurse

Community and Social Service Specialists, All Other Salary by State

Best Cities (cost-adjusted) β†’

Salary Map β€” Click a state for details

$41K
$73Kβ–  No data

Top Paying States

Wyoming
$73K
+29%
Virginia
$70K
+23%
District of Columbia
$69K
+22%
New York
$67K
+17%
Washington
$64K
+13%
Rhode Island
$64K
+12%
North Dakota
$63K
+12%
New Jersey
$62K
+9%
Hawaii
$61K
+8%
California
$59K
+4%
Vertical line = national median. Click a state for full details.
StateMedianvs. National
Wyoming$73,270+29.2%
Virginia$69,810+23.1%
District of Columbia$69,130+21.9%
New York$66,580+17.4%
Washington$64,340+13.4%
Rhode Island$63,510+12.0%
North Dakota$63,490+11.9%
New Jersey$61,910+9.1%
Hawaii$61,000+7.5%
California$58,770+3.6%
1–10 of 49

Community and Social Service Specialists, All Other Salary by Metro Area

Metro AreaMedianvs. National
Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA$84,070+48.2%
Richmond, VA$77,210+36.1%
Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA$76,690+35.2%
Ithaca, NY$75,860+33.7%
Columbus, OH$74,800+31.9%
Kingston, NY$74,660+31.6%
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA$70,630+24.5%
Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY$70,310+23.9%
Bismarck, ND$69,130+21.9%
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA$68,390+20.6%
1–10 of 256
Data Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS). Data reflects the most recent annual survey.
How does this compare to pro athletes?
A community and social service specialists, all other earning $56,730/year would need 1051 years to match Stephen Curry's NBA salary, or 1128 yearsto match Patrick Mahomes' NFL contract.
See all sports & celebrity salaries β†’
πŸ“ˆ See how community and social service specialists, all other salaries have changed over the past decade.
View Community and Social Service Specialists, All Other salary trend (2011–2024) β†’