Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
Child support specialist education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a child support specialist. Child support specialists usually study psychology, criminal justice, or business. 60% of child support specialists hold a bachelor's degree, and 16% hold an associate degree. We analyzed 4,232 real child support specialist resumes to see exactly what child support specialist education sections show.
The most common colleges for child support specialists are the Ball State University and the Ball State University.
There are also many online child support specialist courses to help get the education required to be a child support specialist.
There are certain child support specialist certifications that you should consider. These child support specialist certifications include Certified Nurse Assistant (CNA) and Dental Assistant (RDA).
What education do you need to become a child support specialist?
What degree do you need to be a child support specialist?
- Bachelor's, 60%
- Associate, 16%
- High School Diploma, 10%
- Master's, 9%
- Other Degrees, 5%
What should I major in to become a child support specialist?
- Psychology, 22%
- Criminal Justice, 13%
- Business, 11%
- Social Work, 7%
- Other Majors, 47%
Most common colleges for child support specialists
| Child support specialist common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Ball State University | 24.27% |
| University of Phoenix | 12.53% |
| University of Central Oklahoma | 6.13% |
| Grambling State University | 4.53% |
| Texas State University | 4.27% |
Best majors for child support specialists
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Psychology | 22.4% |
| 2 | Criminal Justice | 12.9% |
| 3 | Business | 10.8% |
| 4 | Social Work | 7.4% |
| 5 | Sociology | 5.3% |
Best colleges for child support specialists
The best colleges for child support specialists are Northwestern University, University of Pennsylvania, and Boston College.
A child support specialist with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for child support specialists. We based this list on several metrics: admissions rate, retention rate, mean earnings of graduates, the ratio of working vs. non-working students ten years after admission, the average cost of attendance, and median debt for graduates who become child support specialists.
1. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$55,584
Enrollment
10,764
2. SUNY at Albany
Albany, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$10,011
Enrollment
13,434
3. SUNY at Binghamton
Vestal, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$9,808
Enrollment
13,990
4. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
In-state tuition
$54,568
Enrollment
8,451
5. Pennsylvania State University
University Park, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$18,454
Enrollment
40,108
6. Boston University
Boston, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$53,948
Enrollment
17,238
7. New York University
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$51,828
Enrollment
26,339
8. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$56,225
Enrollment
19,548
9. California State University - Long Beach
Long Beach, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,798
Enrollment
31,503
10. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor
Ann Arbor, MI • Private
In-state tuition
$15,262
Enrollment
30,079
20 best online courses for child support specialists
Advertising disclosure
1. Introduction to Technical Support
Technical Support professionals are in great demand! This is the first course in the IBM IT Support Professional Certificate program, designed to prepare you for a rewarding career in technical support. You will begin this self-paced course by learning what Informational Technology (IT) support is all about. You'll find out the roles and responsibilities of Technical Support professionals and become familiar with all the different career paths you can take in Technical Support. You will also...
2. Child Care as a Business
This course is targeted toward individuals wishing to run a home-based child care center. It covers topics such as the fundamentals of an in-home childcare setting as a business; the importance of financial management of a child care center; the creation of a child care contract; and an exploration of how to set tuition rates. Since a Family Policy Handbook is essential for anyone operating a family day care center, this course includes the development of one of three imperative sections of the...
3. Introduction to Child Psychology - ACCREDITED CERTIFICATE
Learn about child behaviour, parenting styles, relationships and socialising, cognitive development, counselling & more!...
4. Fully Accredited Professional Child Psychology Diploma
Learn or Specialise Your Therapy in Child Psychology with this Fully Accredited Diploma Course...
5. Everyday Parenting: The ABCs of Child Rearing
Everyday Parenting gives you access to a toolkit of behavior-change techniques that will make your typical day in the home easier as you develop the behaviors you would like to see in your child. The lessons provide step-by-step instructions and demonstrations to improve your course of action with both children and adolescents. Among many techniques, you will learn how even simple modifications to tone of voice and phrasing can lead to more compliance. The course will also shed light on many...
6. Healthcare IT Support
Are you looking to get your foot in the door as a Healthcare IT Support specialist? Do you want to solve technical problems for healthcare professionals and health system employees? Have you always wanted to enter an in-demand field in Health Information Technology? The courses in this specialization are designed to pique your interest regarding the ever-evolving field of IT support in healthcare. In order to help physicians, nurses, pharmacists, and a wide range of other allied health...
7. IT Support Technical Skills Helpdesk
Hands-on Technical skills for IT Support Learners...
8. IT & Technical Support Guide to Helpdesk, Desktop & Servers
Learn how the different levels of IT technical support work, from service desk to infrastructure and server support...
9. Home-Based Child Care
This series of courses is intended to provide learners with the tools to develop and operate a home-based childcare center. Stages of child development, best practices to stimulate learning, important safety measures, and business fundamentals are introduced...
10. Network Support Fundamentals
Dive into the realm of network support with the Network Support Fundamentals course. This online course is meticulously designed to introduce you to the essential skills needed for supporting enterprise networks - one of the most in-demand skill sets in the digital landscape. By the end of this course you will be able to explain network security basics, monitor network performance, and provide essential professional support. Ideal for beginners aiming for an entry-level IT career or current IT...
11. IT Support Technical Skills Bootcamp
Hands-on Technical skills for IT Support Professionals...
12. Desktop IT Support Level 1 & 2 in real life (Troubleshooting
Learn everything in real life Troubleshooting for IT Help Desk , Helpdesk , IT Support , System Administration and IT...
13. Child Nutrition and Cooking
Eating patterns that begin in childhood affect health and well-being across the lifespan. The culture of eating has changed significantly in recent decades, especially in parts of the world where processed foods dominate our dietary intake. This course examines contemporary child nutrition and the impact of the individual decisions made by each family. The health risks associated with obesity in childhood are also discussed. Participants will learn what constitutes a healthy diet for children...
14. IBM IT Support
Prepare for an in-demand career in Information Technology (IT). In this program, you’ll develop a strong foundation in IT fundamentals, networking, cybersecurity, and cloud computing to get job-ready in as little as 3 months, with no prior experience or degree needed to get started.\n\nAlmost every organization, business, or individual relies on technology. A career in IT Support is about providing technological assistance to better optimize organizational efficiency. This can include...
15. Computer Network Fundamentals- IT Helpdesk & Desktop Support
Learn the basic fundamentals of computer networking & OSI model for desktop support and IT service desk technicians...
16. Customer Service & Support For Customer Service Executives
Learn Customer Service Skills & Provide Excellent Customer Support, Customer Experience & How To Manage Upset Customers...
17. IT Support and Service Desk jobs -Crash Course for Beginners
Let me help you land your first job in IT. Learn about different roles, procedures, tools, and applications - Part 1...
18. Customer Service, Customer Support, And Customer Experience
Customer service, customer support, and customer experience training. Loyal clients through world-class customer service...
19. Introduction to Business Support System - BSS
Learn about business support system employed in telecom domain...
20. IT Support/HelpDesk Fundamentals - 9 Topics in one course!
Master the skills and attributes sought after by employers for IT Help Desk, IT Support, and IT Technician positions...
Top 10 most affordable universities for child support specialists
The most affordable schools for child support specialists are Hunter College of the City University of New York, california state university - long beach, and california state university - bakersfield.
If the best universities for child support specialists are out of your price range, check out these affordable schools. After factoring in in-state tuition and fees, the average cost of attendance, admissions rate, average net price, and mean earnings after six years, we found that these are the most affordable schools for child support specialists.
1. Hunter College of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,182
Cost of attendance
13,998
2. California State University - Long Beach
Long Beach, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,798
Cost of attendance
18,306
3. California State University - Bakersfield
Bakersfield, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,309
Cost of attendance
16,714
4. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-state tuition
$5,620
Cost of attendance
18,136
5. Baruch College of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,262
Cost of attendance
14,046
6. California State University - Dominguez Hills
Carson, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,942
Cost of attendance
14,469
7. California State University - Fullerton
Fullerton, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,886
Cost of attendance
17,645
8. Florida International University
Miami, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,556
Cost of attendance
19,434
9. Florida State University
Tallahassee, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$5,656
Cost of attendance
21,623
10. Florida Atlantic University
Boca Raton, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$4,831
Cost of attendance
19,559
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for child support specialists
The hardest universities for child support specialists to get into are Northwestern University, University of Pennsylvania, and Boston College.
Some great schools for child support specialists are hard to get into, but they also set your career up for greater success. The list below shows the most challenging universities to get into for child support specialists based on an institution's admissions rates, average SAT scores accepted, median ACT scores accepted, and mean earnings of students six years after admission.
1. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,508
2. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,492
3. Boston College
Chestnut Hill, MA • Private
Admissions rate
28%
SAT average
1,429
4. New York University
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
20%
SAT average
1,419
5. Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD • Private
Admissions rate
11%
SAT average
1,513
6. Boston University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
22%
SAT average
1,420
7. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
13%
SAT average
1,445
8. Washington University in St Louis
Saint Louis, MO • Private
Admissions rate
15%
SAT average
1,506
9. Columbia University in the City of New York
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
6%
SAT average
1,512
10. Northeastern University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
19%
SAT average
1,466
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for child support specialists
The easiest schools for child support specialists to get into are Nyack College, kean university, and mount saint mary's university.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a child support specialist without much hassle, check out the list of schools where you will be accepted in no time. We compiled admissions rates, average SAT scores, average ACT scores, and average salary of students six years after graduation to uncover which were the easiest schools to get into for child support specialists.
1. Nyack College
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
98%
SAT average
999
2. Kean University
Union, NJ • Private
Admissions rate
86%
SAT average
991
3. Mount Saint Mary's University
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
84%
SAT average
1,031
4. Fresno Pacific University
Fresno, CA • Private
Admissions rate
85%
SAT average
1,053
5. Iona College
New Rochelle, NY • Private
Admissions rate
88%
SAT average
1,089
6. Notre Dame de Namur University
Belmont, CA • Private
Admissions rate
82%
SAT average
983
7. Presentation College
Aberdeen, SD • Private
Admissions rate
97%
SAT average
1,050
8. Texas Woman's University
Denton, TX • Private
Admissions rate
87%
SAT average
1,059
9. San Francisco State University
San Francisco, CA • Private
Admissions rate
72%
SAT average
1,054
10. The University of Texas at El Paso
El Paso, TX • Private
Admissions rate
100%
SAT average
1,035
Average child support specialist salary by education level
| Child support specialist education level | Child support specialist salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $43,855 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $37,306 |
Child support specialist education FAQs
Have more questions? See all answers to common community and social services questions.
Search for child support specialist jobs
Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025