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Human service specialist salary
Average human service specialist salary
$49,025
Understanding Human Service Specialist Salaries
The role of a Human Service Specialist is critical in supporting individuals in need. As of October 2025, the average salary for these specialists is approximately $49,025 per year. However, salaries can vary significantly across different states and cities. For instance, specialists in urban areas may earn more due to higher living costs. Experience level also plays a significant role; entry-level positions typically start lower, while those with years of experience can command higher salaries.
Salary by State
Understanding where you can earn more is crucial. The highest-paying states for human service specialists include California, New York, and Washington, where salaries can exceed the national average significantly. In these states, the demand for skilled professionals is high, and the competition for jobs can lead to increased salary offers.
Job Opportunities
Job seekers can enhance their prospects by considering additional certifications or specialized training. This can lead to roles in management or specialized areas within human services, further increasing earning potential.
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Where can a Human Service Specialist earn more?
Human service specialist salaries by experience level
| Experience level | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level human service specialist | $34,000 | $16.35 |
| Mid-level human service specialist | $48,300 | $23.22 |
| Senior-level human service specialist | $55,400 | $26.65 |
Average human service specialist salary by state
The average human service specialist salary in Hawaii, Washington, and Texas are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average human service specialist salary states are South Dakota, Alabama, and Massachusetts.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for human service specialists
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | $76,075 | $36.57 |
| 2 | Nevada | $60,281 | $28.98 |
| 3 | Washington | $62,029 | $29.82 |
| 4 | Pennsylvania | $56,711 | $27.26 |
| 5 | Hawaii | $67,007 | $32.21 |
| 6 | Texas | $61,612 | $29.62 |
| 7 | New York | $55,616 | $26.74 |
| 8 | Alaska | $56,212 | $27.02 |
| 9 | California | $61,012 | $29.33 |
| 10 | Oregon | $54,596 | $26.25 |
| 11 | Illinois | $52,611 | $25.29 |
| 12 | Maryland | $55,896 | $26.87 |
| 13 | Oklahoma | $52,537 | $25.26 |
| 14 | Delaware | $52,363 | $25.17 |
| 15 | Idaho | $56,006 | $26.93 |
| 16 | Minnesota | $50,697 | $24.37 |
| 17 | Arkansas | $49,384 | $23.74 |
| 18 | Arizona | $48,782 | $23.45 |
| 19 | North Dakota | $53,156 | $25.56 |
| 20 | New Mexico | $50,111 | $24.09 |
| 21 | New Jersey | $55,158 | $26.52 |
| 22 | Connecticut | $54,138 | $26.03 |
| 23 | Michigan | $47,230 | $22.71 |
| 24 | Mississippi | $47,781 | $22.97 |
| 25 | Louisiana | $48,585 | $23.36 |
| 26 | Indiana | $48,910 | $23.51 |
| 27 | Kansas | $49,165 | $23.64 |
| 28 | Nebraska | $46,271 | $22.25 |
| 29 | Virginia | $51,814 | $24.91 |
| 30 | Ohio | $45,676 | $21.96 |
| 31 | Colorado | $48,583 | $23.36 |
| 32 | Maine | $42,377 | $20.37 |
| 33 | Utah | $46,279 | $22.25 |
| 34 | Wisconsin | $46,242 | $22.23 |
| 35 | Montana | $39,790 | $19.13 |
| 36 | Florida | $43,110 | $20.73 |
| 37 | North Carolina | $45,517 | $21.88 |
| 38 | Massachusetts | $37,663 | $18.11 |
| 39 | Wyoming | $45,656 | $21.95 |
| 40 | Tennessee | $41,897 | $20.14 |
| 41 | Iowa | $39,236 | $18.86 |
| 42 | Missouri | $45,131 | $21.70 |
| 43 | Georgia | $41,969 | $20.18 |
| 44 | Rhode Island | $39,844 | $19.16 |
| 45 | South Dakota | $38,533 | $18.53 |
| 46 | West Virginia | $40,084 | $19.27 |
| 47 | South Carolina | $37,433 | $18.00 |
| 48 | Kentucky | $39,945 | $19.20 |
| 49 | New Hampshire | $34,009 | $16.35 |
| 50 | Alabama | $38,169 | $18.35 |
| 51 | Vermont | $34,866 | $16.76 |
Highest paying cities for human service specialists
The highest-paying cities for human service specialists are Oakland, CA, Seattle, WA, and Austin, TX.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oakland, CA | $63,737 | $30.64 |
| 2 | Seattle, WA | $62,347 | $29.97 |
| 3 | Austin, TX | $61,842 | $29.73 |
| 4 | Philadelphia, PA | $57,436 | $27.61 |
| 5 | Baltimore, MD | $56,275 | $27.06 |
| 6 | New York, NY | $56,144 | $26.99 |
| 7 | Portland, OR | $53,871 | $25.90 |
| 8 | Enid, OK | $52,648 | $25.31 |
| 9 | Saint Paul, MN | $50,770 | $24.41 |
| 10 | Phoenix, AZ | $48,855 | $23.49 |
| 11 | Indianapolis, IN | $48,766 | $23.45 |
| 12 | Detroit, MI | $47,439 | $22.81 |
| 13 | Cleveland, OH | $46,472 | $22.34 |
| 14 | Kansas City, MO | $45,393 | $21.82 |
| 15 | Charlotte, NC | $45,122 | $21.69 |
| 16 | Tallahassee, FL | $44,643 | $21.46 |
| 17 | Atlanta, GA | $42,062 | $20.22 |
| 18 | San Juan, PR | $39,476 | $18.98 |
| 19 | Greenville, SC | $37,862 | $18.20 |
| 20 | Framingham, MA | $37,824 | $18.18 |
Human service specialist salary details
A human service specialist's salary ranges from $33,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $71,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a human service specialist's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $71,000 | $5,917 | $34 |
| 75th Percentile | $59,000 | $4,917 | $28 |
| Average | $49,025 | $4,085 | $24 |
| 25th Percentile | $40,000 | $3,333 | $19 |
| 10th Percentile | $33,000 | $2,750 | $16 |
Highest paying human service specialist jobs
The highest paying types of human service specialists are specialist, child life specialist, and protective service specialist.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Service Provider | $35,089 | $2,924 | $16.87 | 25,552 |
| Service Worker | $30,045 | $2,504 | $14.44 | 103,584 |
| Service Counselor | $35,402 | $2,950 | $17.02 | 44,284 |
| Service Aide | $31,000 | $2,583 | $14.90 | 50,229 |
| Service Person | $34,151 | $2,846 | $16.42 | 38,184 |
| Human Services Worker | $29,005 | $2,417 | $13.94 | 179,257 |
Top companies hiring human service specialists now:
Which companies pay human service specialists the most?
Human service specialist salaries at Regeneron and Deloitte are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average human service specialist salary at companies like Meridian Township and ICF are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Regeneron | $85,228 | $40.98 |
| 2 | Deloitte | $72,510 | $34.86 |
| 3 | Meridian Township | $57,454 | $27.62 |
| 4 | ICF | $53,082 | $25.52 |
| 5 | Minnesota State Fair | $52,856 | $25.41 |
| 6 | Canton Township, Michigan | $50,455 | $24.26 |
| 7 | Sherburne County | $50,013 | $24.04 |
| 8 | Rochester Housing Authority | $49,936 | $24.01 |
| 9 | Snohomish County | $48,535 | $23.33 |
| 10 | Medical University of South Carolina | $48,513 | $23.32 |
| 11 | Marsh & McLennan Companies | $48,158 | $23.15 |
| 12 | Pennsylvania State Treasurer | $47,882 | $23.02 |
| 13 | Liberty Healthcare | $47,640 | $22.90 |
| 14 | Stearns County MN | $47,486 | $22.83 |
| 15 | Howard County Government | $46,523 | $22.37 |
| 16 | Prince William County | $46,381 | $22.30 |
| 17 | Parkview Community Hospital Medical Center, Inc. | $46,224 | $22.22 |
| 18 | Outagamie County | $45,508 | $21.88 |
| 19 | My Florida Regional Mls | $45,345 | $21.80 |
| 20 | The State of Oregon | $45,295 | $21.78 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Human Service Specialist salary by industry
The average human service specialist salary varies across industries:
- The average human service specialist salary in the government industry is $49,059, the highest of any industry.
- The average human service specialist salary in the finance industry is $47,698.
- Human service specialists in the finance industry earn an average salary of $42,656, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for human service specialists
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Government | $49,059 | $23.59 |
| 2 | Retail | $47,698 | $22.93 |
| 3 | Health Care | $47,289 | $22.74 |
| 4 | Manufacturing | $46,227 | $22.22 |
| 5 | Professional | $45,604 | $21.93 |
| 6 | Finance | $42,656 | $20.51 |
High paying human service specialist jobs
Human service specialist salary trends
The average human service specialist salary has risen by $9,843 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average human service specialist earned $39,182 annually, but today, they earn $49,025 a year. That works out to a 13% change in pay for human service specialists over the last decade.
Compare human service specialist salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average human service specialist salary over time
Compare human service specialist salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Human service specialist salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $49,000 | $23.57 | +2.5% |
| 2024 | $47,800 | $22.98 | +3.7% |
| 2023 | $46,000 | $22.12 | +1.9% |
| 2022 | $45,200 | $21.71 | +4.0% |
| 2021 | $43,400 | $20.85 | +3.1% |
Recently added human service specialist salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| State of Florida | 68063571-Senior Human Services Program Specialist | Jacksonville, FL | 06/27/2025 | $41,701 |
| Polk County | Health and Human Services-Family Engagement Specialist | Bartow, FL | 06/27/2025 | $39,416 |
| State of Kansas | EES Human Services Specialist | Atchison, KS | 06/27/2025 | $39,853 |
| State of Minnesota | Document Relations Specialist-Human Services Program Specialist 1 | Brainerd, MN | 06/21/2025 | $49,339 |
| La Clinica de La Raza | Human Service Specialist | Oakland, CA | 06/21/2025 | $50,005 |
| Work Opportunities Unlimited | Human Services Specialist | Portland, ME | 06/17/2025 | $39,653 |
| Snohomish County, Wa | Human Services Specialist II-Aging & Disability Services | Everett, WA | 05/29/2025 | $86,372 |
| State of Kansas | EES Human Services Specialist | Leavenworth, KS | 05/23/2025 | $39,853 |
| State of Florida | Senior Human Services Program Specialist | Miami, FL | 05/20/2025 | $51,500 |
| City of Portland, Me | Human Services Specialist-Homeless Services Center | Portland, ME | 05/17/2025 | $49,045 |
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