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Best states for a human services worker
Quoted expert
KJ Cerankowski Ph.D.
- Rank 1 - 10
- 11 - 20
- 21 - 30
- 31 - 40
- 41 - 51
Job opportunities vary from state to state, and community and social services careers are no different. Because we know how difficult it can be to know which states are the best when it comes to human services worker jobs, we decided to crunch some numbers to bring you the best states for human services workers.Although there are abundant human services worker jobs in the United States, a large number of them are in the South. Connecticut is the best state in the country for human services worker jobs.
The median salary for human services workers in Connecticut is $30,239. Compare that to the median salary in Alabama of $20,988, which ranked worst for human services workers, and you can see how your location is important for your career.If you are currently seeking employment as a human services worker, you can find open job positions using Zippia's search tools.
10 best states for human services workers in 2025
1. Connecticut
Total human services worker jobs: 962 Average annual salary: $30,239 Lowest 10 percent earn: $22,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $41,000 Location Quotient: 1.18
2. District of Columbia
Total human services worker jobs: 456 Average annual salary: $33,955 Lowest 10 percent earn: $22,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $50,000 Location Quotient: 1.1
3. Washington
Total human services worker jobs: 2,437 Average annual salary: $29,164 Lowest 10 percent earn: $23,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $36,000 Location Quotient: 1.35
4. Illinois
Total human services worker jobs: 2,498 Average annual salary: $32,835 Lowest 10 percent earn: $24,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $44,000 Location Quotient: 0.85
5. California
Total human services worker jobs: 9,050 Average annual salary: $31,757 Lowest 10 percent earn: $19,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $51,000 Location Quotient: 1.26
6. New Mexico
Total human services worker jobs: 484 Average annual salary: $30,283 Lowest 10 percent earn: $19,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $47,000 Location Quotient: 1
7. Pennsylvania
Total human services worker jobs: 2,316 Average annual salary: $29,329 Lowest 10 percent earn: $20,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $42,000 Location Quotient: 0.81
8. Wisconsin
Total human services worker jobs: 671 Average annual salary: $31,020 Lowest 10 percent earn: $23,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $40,000 Location Quotient: 0.49
9. North Dakota
Total human services worker jobs: 147 Average annual salary: $32,107 Lowest 10 percent earn: $27,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $38,000 Location Quotient: 0.64
10. Idaho
Total human services worker jobs: 442 Average annual salary: $27,414 Lowest 10 percent earn: $20,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $36,000 Location Quotient: 1.09
Human services worker jobsNear Columbus, OH
How Zippia determines the best states to be a human services worker
You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.
Detailed list of the best states for a human services worker
| Rank | State | Average salary | Lowest 10% earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Connecticut | $30,239 | $22,000 | 3,588,184 | 962 |
| 2 | District of Columbia | $33,955 | $22,000 | 693,972 | 456 |
| 3 | Washington | $29,164 | $23,000 | 7,405,743 | 2,437 |
| 4 | Illinois | $32,835 | $24,000 | 12,802,023 | 2,498 |
| 5 | California | $31,757 | $19,000 | 39,536,653 | 9,050 |
| 6 | New Mexico | $30,283 | $19,000 | 2,088,070 | 484 |
| 7 | Pennsylvania | $29,329 | $20,000 | 12,805,537 | 2,316 |
| 8 | Wisconsin | $31,020 | $23,000 | 5,795,483 | 671 |
| 9 | North Dakota | $32,107 | $27,000 | 755,393 | 147 |
| 10 | Idaho | $27,414 | $20,000 | 1,716,943 | 442 |
| 11 | Oregon | $27,871 | $20,000 | 4,142,776 | 1,245 |
| 12 | Minnesota | $29,441 | $23,000 | 5,576,606 | 1,443 |
| 13 | Ohio | $29,263 | $20,000 | 11,658,609 | 1,779 |
| 14 | New Hampshire | $30,941 | $26,000 | 1,342,795 | 334 |
| 15 | Missouri | $26,695 | $18,000 | 6,113,532 | 1,564 |
| 16 | Virginia | $28,492 | $18,000 | 8,470,020 | 2,433 |
| 17 | Nevada | $28,974 | $18,000 | 2,998,039 | 360 |
| 18 | Massachusetts | $29,159 | $23,000 | 6,859,819 | 2,339 |
| 19 | New Jersey | $30,062 | $21,000 | 9,005,644 | 1,470 |
| 20 | Delaware | $27,779 | $18,000 | 961,939 | 315 |
| 21 | Rhode Island | $28,656 | $22,000 | 1,059,639 | 226 |
| 22 | Colorado | $26,975 | $18,000 | 5,607,154 | 1,766 |
| 23 | Iowa | $26,765 | $19,000 | 3,145,711 | 863 |
| 24 | Wyoming | $25,220 | $18,000 | 579,315 | 167 |
| 25 | Vermont | $25,587 | $22,000 | 623,657 | 242 |
| 26 | New York | $26,733 | $18,000 | 19,849,399 | 3,735 |
| 27 | Florida | $24,486 | $14,000 | 20,984,400 | 4,587 |
| 28 | Maine | $25,743 | $22,000 | 1,335,907 | 342 |
| 29 | Arkansas | $24,948 | $16,000 | 3,004,279 | 557 |
| 30 | Alaska | $26,418 | $23,000 | 739,795 | 223 |
| 31 | Texas | $24,748 | $15,000 | 28,304,596 | 5,202 |
| 32 | Hawaii | $25,456 | $20,000 | 1,427,538 | 305 |
| 33 | Mississippi | $25,512 | $15,000 | 2,984,100 | 360 |
| 34 | South Carolina | $24,645 | $15,000 | 5,024,369 | 1,132 |
| 35 | Nebraska | $24,142 | $17,000 | 1,920,076 | 628 |
| 36 | West Virginia | $22,586 | $15,000 | 1,815,857 | 459 |
| 37 | Montana | $25,788 | $20,000 | 1,050,493 | 245 |
| 38 | South Dakota | $23,200 | $18,000 | 869,666 | 273 |
| 39 | Tennessee | $22,464 | $14,000 | 6,715,984 | 1,586 |
| 40 | Utah | $23,241 | $16,000 | 3,101,833 | 860 |
| 41 | Maryland | $25,588 | $17,000 | 6,052,177 | 1,365 |
| 42 | Kentucky | $24,381 | $16,000 | 4,454,189 | 592 |
| 43 | Indiana | $24,334 | $17,000 | 6,666,818 | 1,052 |
| 44 | Arizona | $23,343 | $14,000 | 7,016,270 | 1,376 |
| 45 | Louisiana | $21,711 | $13,000 | 4,684,333 | 825 |
| 46 | Kansas | $24,011 | $16,000 | 2,913,123 | 452 |
| 47 | North Carolina | $22,286 | $14,000 | 10,273,419 | 2,363 |
| 48 | Oklahoma | $21,750 | $14,000 | 3,930,864 | 733 |
| 49 | Michigan | $23,019 | $17,000 | 9,962,311 | 1,469 |
| 50 | Georgia | $19,965 | $12,000 | 10,429,379 | 2,767 |
| 51 | Alabama | $20,988 | $13,000 | 4,874,747 | 951 |
Highest paying states for human services workers
| Rank | State | Avg. Human Services Worker Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Connecticut | $30,239 |
| 2 | District of Columbia | $33,955 |
| 3 | Washington | $29,164 |
| 4 | Illinois | $32,835 |
| 5 | California | $31,757 |
| 6 | New Mexico | $30,283 |
| 7 | Pennsylvania | $29,329 |
| 8 | Wisconsin | $31,020 |
| 9 | North Dakota | $32,107 |
| 10 | Idaho | $27,414 |
| 11 | Oregon | $27,871 |
| 12 | Minnesota | $29,441 |
| 13 | Ohio | $29,263 |
| 14 | New Hampshire | $30,941 |
| 15 | Missouri | $26,695 |
| 16 | Virginia | $28,492 |
| 17 | Nevada | $28,974 |
| 18 | Massachusetts | $29,159 |
| 19 | New Jersey | $30,062 |
| 20 | Delaware | $27,779 |
| 21 | Rhode Island | $28,656 |
| 22 | Colorado | $26,975 |
| 23 | Iowa | $26,765 |
| 24 | Wyoming | $25,220 |
| 25 | Vermont | $25,587 |
| 26 | New York | $26,733 |
| 27 | Florida | $24,486 |
| 28 | Maine | $25,743 |
| 29 | Arkansas | $24,948 |
| 30 | Alaska | $26,418 |
| 31 | Texas | $24,748 |
| 32 | Hawaii | $25,456 |
| 33 | Mississippi | $25,512 |
| 34 | South Carolina | $24,645 |
| 35 | Nebraska | $24,142 |
| 36 | West Virginia | $22,586 |
| 37 | Montana | $25,788 |
| 38 | South Dakota | $23,200 |
| 39 | Tennessee | $22,464 |
| 40 | Utah | $23,241 |
| 41 | Maryland | $25,588 |
| 42 | Kentucky | $24,381 |
| 43 | Indiana | $24,334 |
| 44 | Arizona | $23,343 |
| 45 | Louisiana | $21,711 |
| 46 | Kansas | $24,011 |
| 47 | North Carolina | $22,286 |
| 48 | Oklahoma | $21,750 |
| 49 | Michigan | $23,019 |
| 50 | Georgia | $19,965 |
| 51 | Alabama | $20,988 |
Expert opinions on the best states for human services workers
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for human services workers to find work opportunities?
KJ Cerankowski Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Comparative American Studies and Gender, Sexuality, and Feminist Studies, Oberlin College
One great thing about a degree in these interdisciplinary fields is that it opens many job possibilities. Graduates from these fields may do all sorts of different work for nonprofits or NGOs in the education sector, politics, research, writing and editing, and healthcare settings.
With the pandemic, there has been so much variability state-by-state in terms of spread, plans for reopening, and what remains closed, that it's hard to say which places may be better to look for work. I know some recent graduates are still landing jobs and making big moves all over the United States for those jobs, while others are taking on remote work and choosing where they will live. I recommend, if one is able, casting a wide net, being open to new places or job possibilities you might not have initially imagined for yourself.
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Updated January 8, 2025