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Job outlook for adoption specialists in the United States
Are adoption specialist jobs in demand?
Adoption specialist job and salary trends over time
Adoption specialist jobs over time
Adoption specialist job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 3,376 | 0.00% |
| 2020 | 3,258 | 0.00% |
| 2019 | 3,254 | 0.00% |
| 2018 | 3,179 | 0.00% |
| 2017 | 3,042 | 0.00% |
Average adoption specialist salary over time
Adoption specialist salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $41,070 | $19.75 | +2.2% |
| 2025 | $40,188 | $19.32 | +2.4% |
| 2024 | $39,238 | $18.86 | +4.3% |
| 2023 | $37,635 | $18.09 | +2.6% |
| 2022 | $36,677 | $17.63 | +2.1% |
Adoption specialist jobs by state
Most common states for adoption specialists
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Massachusetts | 6,859,819 | 2,677 | 39% |
| 2 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 190 | 27% |
| 3 | Alaska | 739,795 | 152 | 21% |
| 4 | Maine | 1,335,907 | 255 | 19% |
| 5 | Montana | 1,050,493 | 203 | 19% |
| 6 | Maryland | 6,052,177 | 1,118 | 18% |
| 7 | Delaware | 961,939 | 159 | 17% |
| 8 | Washington | 7,405,743 | 1,149 | 16% |
| 9 | Iowa | 3,145,711 | 508 | 16% |
| 10 | Nebraska | 1,920,076 | 305 | 16% |
| 11 | Rhode Island | 1,059,639 | 169 | 16% |
| 12 | Minnesota | 5,576,606 | 816 | 15% |
| 13 | New Hampshire | 1,342,795 | 201 | 15% |
| 14 | South Dakota | 869,666 | 128 | 15% |
| 15 | North Dakota | 755,393 | 114 | 15% |
| 16 | Vermont | 623,657 | 94 | 15% |
| 17 | Oregon | 4,142,776 | 570 | 14% |
| 18 | New Mexico | 2,088,070 | 292 | 14% |
| 19 | Idaho | 1,716,943 | 236 | 14% |
| 20 | Wyoming | 579,315 | 82 | 14% |
Most common cities for adoption specialists
| Rank | City | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Worcester | 3 | 2% | $42,292 |
| 2 | Grand Rapids | 1 | 1% | $39,013 |
| 3 | Springfield | 1 | 1% | $42,797 |
| 4 | West Palm Beach | 1 | 1% | $37,833 |
| 5 | Miami | 1 | 0% | $37,887 |
| 6 | San Francisco | 1 | 0% | $49,566 |
Adoption Specialist job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of adoption specialist experts
Ohio University
Colorado State University - Pueblo
Campbellsville University
Pennsylvania State University
Siena College
Nebraska Christian College
Kennesaw State University
Azusa Pacific University
University of Nevada - Reno
Louisiana State University at Shreveport
Tuskegee University
Carolina Christian College
What Adoption Specialist skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Emily McCave PhD, MSW, LCSW: The need for social workers is high, particularly after the pandemic. A shortage of social workers means that there's an increasing demand in the field. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics social work jobs are expected to increase 13% between 2020 and 2030.
What will help Adoption Specialists increase their earning potential?
Emily McCave PhD, MSW, LCSW: For clinical positions, which is what most social workers do, daily tasks typically include conducting assessments and providing individual, family, and/or group therapy to children and/or adults, while collaborating with other providers working with the client. There is also daily clinical documentation that needs to be completed.
What will help Adoption Specialists increase their earning potential?
Jennifer Shadik: Social workers are involved in helping individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities in a variety of ways. Depending on the specific job, they may provide education, mediate conflict, connect individuals and families to resources, provide therapeutic intervention, and/or develop policies to help at an individual or national level.
What general advice would you give to an Adoption Specialist?
Pamela Richmond Ph.D.: Challenges social workers can face are high caseloads, not enough resources to assist clients and exposure to horrific aspects of humanity. Social workers enjoy being a part of the change process by recognizing the strengths and resiliency of individuals, families, groups, organizations and communities. Workers advocate for individuals that are marginalized and oppressed, ensuring they have a voice. They enjoy looking at solutions to problems and empowering others to make changes beneficial for their lives.
Dr. Kimberly Mudd-Fegett DSW, MSSW
Associate Professor of Social WorkCampbellsville University
Social Work
What general advice would you give to an Adoption Specialist?
Dr. Kimberly Mudd-Fegett DSW, MSSW: Social Work is a very large field; therefore, the practice of Social Work varies greatly depending on which field you enter. Overall, nearly all areas of Social Work include working with individuals who are facing some form of crisis or life challenge. Social Workers work to assist in providing education, assistance and most importantly empowerment. Social Workers are trained professionals who work from a set of ethics that govern their professional standards to respect, empathize and value all individuals. Most all Social Workers enter the professional because they feel called to assist and make a difference in the life of others.
What will help Adoption Specialists increase their earning potential?
Dr. Kimberly Mudd-Fegett DSW, MSSW: Social Workers are needed everywhere as there are always people in crisis. Currently, child protection workers are desperately needed. In this field of practice Social Workers work directly with children and families that are impacted by child maltreatment issues to keep families together. There is a misconception that child protective workers strive to remove children, and this is untrue. Their mission is to work tirelessly to keep children in their homes safely and remove risk factors while highlighting their protective factors. Additionally, in this field of Social Work foster parents are trained, certified, and mentored to ensure that foster children receive adequate care when biological or relative care is not possible.
What will help Adoption Specialists increase their earning potential?
Dr. J. Lendrum PhD: Trust yourself and follow your passions. It is possible to find a meaningful career that aligns with your core interests and values.
What will help Adoption Specialists increase their earning potential?
James Andrews LCSW, LICSW, BCD: Completing the MSW and graduating as a professional social worker is exciting and can be overwhelming. There are some general areas of professional development that I would strongly recommend new social workers entering the workforce focus on addressing. The first (and in many ways perhaps the most important) is to actively network. Connect with peers and mentors by building and maintaining professional relationships through joining professional organizations and attending industry events such as conferences and other professional events. Join your state chapter of the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) and become active; don’t just pay your dues every year. Contact the chapter office and volunteer for a committee and run for a volunteer leadership position. Get involved! Next, be adaptable! If the social service field is characterized by any one quality, it is change. Cultivating the ability to grow, adapt to new technologies, methodologies, and work environments will be crucial to one’s career success. Not only does the quality of flexibility makes one a valuable employee and prepares you for unexpected challenges and opportunities, but it is also a central trait needed for those who desire to open their own clinical practices one day. Related to adaptability is the practice of continuous learning. Social work and the larger industry of social services ever evolving, so it is imperative that new graduates embrace the idea that even though they have graduated, they must always be students, ever learning and developing new skills. This involves a commitment to lifelong learning which involves pursuing certifications, workshops attendance, and staying updated with the latest industry trends and technologies through independent reading and research. This not only keeps your skills relevant but also demonstrates your commitment to professional growth. And finally, and too often ignored, is the importance of developing and cultivating what are called “soft skills”. Skills such as communication, teamwork, problem-solving, and time management a(and others) are essential. For the successful social worker. Such soft skills complement one’s technical abilities and are highly valued by employers. And in many ways are what will enable a person to advance in their career.
Elisa Martin Ph.D., MSW
Associate Professor of Social Work, Department Chair & Program DirectorSiena College
Social Sciences
What general advice would you give to an Adoption Specialist?
Elisa Martin Ph.D., MSW: The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that the need for social workers will grow faster than many other professions, which means finding employment upon graduation will not be a problem.
What will help Adoption Specialists increase their earning potential?
Elisa Martin Ph.D., MSW: The beauty of the social work profession is that the skills you learn from your degree can be applied in a range of settings and populations. Depending on your interest, you could be working with children, youth, adults, older adults, or in an area of interest like domestic violence, homelessness, child welfare, gerontology. The work you do could be one-on-one, with small groups, running programs within an organization, and/or working in communities.
What will help Adoption Specialists increase their earning potential?
Dr. Dexter Voisin: I think there is a lot of misinformation about what is social work. Many persons have a very narrow view of social workers that they remove children from homes as “baby snatchers” or work with income assistance. However, social work is much broader than these roles.
What Adoption Specialist skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Cynthia Peters MSW: It is a good profession to enter now, due to the need for social workers in some of the jobs that I mentioned in the previous question. Social Workers can provide a different perspective on service delivery. Meeting the clients where they are at; developing relationships with the community; advocating for client services; writing grants; monitoring grants; brokering services......
Christine Kiewra
Associate Professor of PracticeNebraska Christian College
Human Development, Family Studies, And Related Services
What will help Adoption Specialists increase their earning potential?
Christine Kiewra: Human Development Specialists have many options including specializing in working with young children, families, and elderly clients. Specialists can pursue working in large or small businesses, non-profit agencies, education, or government agencies.
What will help Adoption Specialists increase their earning potential?
Cindy Snell: Working effectively with diverse populations. This includes knowing your own biases, speaking another language, and continually striving for cultural competence. Openness to learning/integrating new technologies and careful consideration of their impact on the services you provide clients. These could include telehealth, record keeping, and the use of AI. Advocacy. Social workers need to advocate for their clients but also for policies that affect their clients and the field of social work. Social workers also need to remember to advocate for themselves and know this is not selfish but often allows them to be more effective social workers.
What general advice would you give to an Adoption Specialist?
Camille Coleman: Do your research within the state and or country, and or agency you are seeking potential employment. Look up the laws, compare them to other states, don't be afraid to look at all careers within the social work field, for example research in social work gets overlooked, facilitation, curriculum development, etc. Future social workers should seek reciprocity in multiple states to practice counseling services after obtaining one's licensure, if wanting to provide therapeutic services. This will give one leverage to negotiate higher salary requests.
What general advice would you give to an Adoption Specialist?
Dr. Aimée Vadnais Psy.D, LMFT: Keep in touch with your professors and classmates. They will be able to provide you with letters of recommendations in the future, connect you with job leads, and can make introductions to you to people in the field. Keep your resume current with any trainings or seminars that you attend and include additional certifications you obtain. Keep educating yourself by taking continuing education to learn more about certain topics, theories, interventions, or populations you are interested in learning more about. Network through CAMFT or AAMFT by attending their local chapter events, where you can meet others in the field in your area. Lastly, create a Linked In page so you can advertise about yourself and form local connections with others in your field.
What Adoption Specialist skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Andrew Schoolnik: Dialogue and compromise. There are many apparatuses in today's society which are designed to pull people apart. Cable news and online news sites are famous examples of this. Add to this the echo chambers of social media where people largely associate with like-minded people while looking negatively at those with a different world view. This silo-ing of society is the antithesis of dialogue and compromise. Instead, it creates a class system of those who agree (the favored class) and those who disagree (the unfavored class).
On a macro level, the more the social worker dialogues with all stakeholders (those in favor and those opposed) the more that person gains knowledge and goodwill. This is at the heart of compromise - winning being defined as doing the most good for the most people.
On a clinical level, social workers work mutually with their clients. Learning about a client's values begins with dialogue (even when our values are different) and creating treatment plans is often-based on compromise (agency policy/goals, and client goals).
What general advice would you give to an Adoption Specialist?
Alexis Henderson M.S., OTR/L, CLT, OCC: Learning how to incorporate and utilize AI and other technologies in human professions while ensuring we keep the human touch is going to be very prevalent. Having a good understanding of technology as well as the human experience and being able to incorporate both into your work will be priceless.
What Adoption Specialist skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Alexis Henderson M.S., OTR/L, CLT, OCC: Never take the first salary offer but also do not get hung up on salary right out of the gate. Remember that helping professions are about more than money. Take every single continuing education and training opportunity that comes your way or that you can find. Training and becoming a master at your craft is how you increase your salary most productively!
What will help Adoption Specialists increase their earning potential?
Alexis Henderson M.S., OTR/L, CLT, OCC: My advice to new graduates would be three-fold: First, take everything in stride. You cannot know what you do not know so do not feel embarrassed or incompetent if there is knowledge you are lacking. Most education in human service truly is acquired on the job. Never be afraid to ask questions and never let anyone make you feel inferior for needing to ask a question. Remember, you are working with human lives and therefore you would much rather ask the question and be safe than hurt someone. Second, work to separate work and personal life. It is so easy to come out of school and into the human profession field and want to fix everyone and everything. This is wonderful but also remember that your job is not your entire identity. There has to be some boundaries and separation, or burnout will be inevitable. Lastly, remember that your attitude dictates your experience. If you approach your work with kindness, gratitude, openness, and dedication it will take you so much farther in life. Challenging patients/clients are usually those who need help the most, so extend them a little extra kindness and grace. Your boss has a job to do, just like you, so ensure you stand up for what you need but also remember that them doing their job is not a personal attack.
What will help Adoption Specialists increase their earning potential?
Emily Yowell Ph.D.: Psychologists should be aware of what others in their field are making for similar positions. It is important to ask for what your work is worth in an initial position to assure raises are based on a solid starting salary. Newer psychologists may also consider asking for an early review that prompts an early conversation around potential raises, bonus, or other job benefits.
Lillian Wichinsky Ph.D.
Associate DeanUniversity of Nevada - Reno
School of Social Work
What general advice would you give to an Adoption Specialist?
Lillian Wichinsky Ph.D.: A master's degree in social work maximizes the potential of social workers salaries and their level of expertise to provide needed services. Programs offered by CSWE accredited programs like the University of Nevada Reno, School of Social Work can maximize the potential of a social worker's career.
What will help Adoption Specialists increase their earning potential?
Lillian Wichinsky Ph.D.: This is a growing field with multiple avenues of practice. You can find social workers in medical settings, schools, non-profits, business, state, and federal jobs and leading non-profits. The need for social workers is expected to grow about 11% over the next decade.
Kacie Blalock Ph.D.
Associate Professor; Director, Master of CounselingLouisiana State University at Shreveport
Department Of Psychology
What soft skills should all Adoption Specialists possess?
Kacie Blalock Ph.D.: Soft skills that are essential for counselors include emotional intelligence, empathy, multicultural competency, interpersonal abilities, and authenticity.
What hard/technical skills are most important for Adoption Specialists?
Kacie Blalock Ph.D.: It is important that counselors are able to effectively take notes and summarize progress, interpret assessments, memorize and recall information, and keep clear yet concise records.
What are the best companies to work for an Adoption Specialist?
Dr. April Jones: The feedback from business leaders is that they wish to see a balanced mix of new graduates' skills. An unexpected gift mentioned is the ability to use spreadsheets, such as Excel. Companies do not expect to train new employees to use spreadsheets, though it turned out that spreadsheets are widely used (at varying levels of complexity) at all levels in organizations. An assumption here is that if a graduate already has good spreadsheet skills, then the graduate should also have the ability to quickly pick up on other, more complex business IT skills required by the organization.
Businesses also need to know if their new employees can effectively interact with internal or external audiences. In this regard, excellent presentation skills are the minimum expectation from businesses. Presentation skills (both formal and informal) include the ability to read people, communicate, and convey information appropriately to the different types of audiences they may encounter - and these may sometimes include bored, skeptical, adversarial, or even hostile audiences.
Every organization also requires graduates to show that they are good team-players. In addition to that, it is a significant advantage if graduates can also demonstrate good leadership skills in the context of teamwork. This is because new employees with leadership potential are viewed as those who are willing to go the extra mile, able to function with minimum supervision, can roll with the punches to jump back into the fray, and trusted to welcome (instead of to avoid) new assignments or challenges. Leadership skills are also seen as closely aligned with the possession of a corporate entrepreneurial mindset. Such employees are more willing to challenge the status quo, come up with out-of-the-box ideas, and help lead transformation efforts to guide the organization in the future.
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for Adoption Specialists to find work opportunities?
Dr. April Jones: Large organizations will likely continue to invest in data-mining efforts to understand their supply chain dynamics better. Smaller companies (defined as those with reduced access to funding) will probably make increased use of cloud computing applications to remain competitive. Governments, verification, or certification organizations may invest in blockchain technologies to reliably track sources or destinations of goods.
What type of skills will young Adoption Specialists need?
Dr. Andrew Wood: For Biblical Studies, it is vital that graduates have a genuine relationship with Jesus, that they are people of humility and integrity, desire to be lifelong learners, and have open minds to new things they learn that may challenge their original assumptions. They need to have a strong work ethic, organizational, and time management skills to work on their own productively and with integrity.
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for Adoption Specialists to find work opportunities?
Dr. Andrew Wood: Many of the smaller churches across the country need part-time pastors. Our graduates could potentially find opportunities to pastor more than one rural church at the same time or to work part-time at a church as a "tentmaker," supporting themselves with a second job, as some of our missionaries and urban ministers do. Some larger churches and colleges are eager to diversify their staff, creating some unique opportunities for people of color from Carolina Christian College to minister in a way that bridges ethnic divides.