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Job outlook for outreach specialists in the United States
Outreach specialist job growth summary. After extensive research, interviews, and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:
The projected outreach specialist job growth rate is 12% from 2018-2028.
About 52,400 new jobs for outreach specialists are projected over the next decade.
Outreach specialist salaries have increased 13% for outreach specialists in the last 5 years.
There are over 7,244 outreach specialists currently employed in the United States.
There are 46,523 active outreach specialist job openings in the US.
The average outreach specialist salary is $41,863.
Are outreach specialist jobs in demand?
Outreach specialist job and salary trends over time
Outreach specialist jobs over time
Outreach specialist job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 7,244 | 0.00% |
| 2020 | 7,248 | 0.00% |
| 2019 | 7,334 | 0.00% |
| 2018 | 7,104 | 0.00% |
| 2017 | 6,918 | 0.00% |
Average outreach specialist salary over time
Outreach specialist salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $41,863 | $20.13 | +2.6% |
| 2025 | $40,816 | $19.62 | +3.9% |
| 2024 | $39,291 | $18.89 | +1.9% |
| 2023 | $38,557 | $18.54 | +4.1% |
| 2022 | $37,032 | $17.80 | +3.2% |
Outreach specialist jobs by state
Most common states for outreach specialists
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 110 | 16% |
| 2 | Massachusetts | 6,859,819 | 658 | 10% |
| 3 | Iowa | 3,145,711 | 311 | 10% |
| 4 | Delaware | 961,939 | 94 | 10% |
| 5 | Alaska | 739,795 | 74 | 10% |
| 6 | Wyoming | 579,315 | 51 | 9% |
| 7 | North Dakota | 755,393 | 57 | 8% |
| 8 | Vermont | 623,657 | 53 | 8% |
| 9 | Nebraska | 1,920,076 | 139 | 7% |
| 10 | New Hampshire | 1,342,795 | 91 | 7% |
| 11 | Montana | 1,050,493 | 73 | 7% |
| 12 | North Carolina | 10,273,419 | 600 | 6% |
| 13 | Virginia | 8,470,020 | 472 | 6% |
| 14 | Maryland | 6,052,177 | 367 | 6% |
| 15 | Hawaii | 1,427,538 | 88 | 6% |
| 16 | Maine | 1,335,907 | 81 | 6% |
| 17 | South Dakota | 869,666 | 49 | 6% |
| 18 | Illinois | 12,802,023 | 579 | 5% |
| 19 | Wisconsin | 5,795,483 | 274 | 5% |
| 20 | Connecticut | 3,588,184 | 183 | 5% |
Most common cities for outreach specialists
| Rank | City | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | East Lansing | 22 | 45% | $43,796 |
| 2 | Annapolis | 3 | 8% | $50,245 |
| 3 | Troy | 5 | 6% | $44,651 |
| 4 | Lansing | 5 | 4% | $43,742 |
| 5 | Hartford | 4 | 3% | $49,922 |
| 6 | Topeka | 4 | 3% | $40,724 |
| 7 | Cambridge | 3 | 3% | $43,478 |
| 8 | Miami | 7 | 2% | $37,802 |
| 9 | Baton Rouge | 4 | 2% | $36,959 |
| 10 | San Diego | 12 | 1% | $48,664 |
| 11 | Boston | 7 | 1% | $43,518 |
| 12 | Washington | 7 | 1% | $63,445 |
| 13 | Urban Honolulu | 5 | 1% | $49,582 |
| 14 | Atlanta | 4 | 1% | $33,279 |
| 15 | Sacramento | 4 | 1% | $51,989 |
| 16 | Saint Paul | 4 | 1% | $43,268 |
| 17 | Los Angeles | 7 | 0% | $50,087 |
| 18 | New York | 6 | 0% | $49,089 |
Outreach Specialist job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of outreach specialist experts
University of Houston - Downtown
Elon University
Austin Community College
California University of Pennsylvania
Grace Christian University
Auburn University
Seattle University
East Tennessee State University
Neumann University
Boston University
Portland State University
California University of Pennsylvania
American University
Tacoma Community College
Carolyn Gascoigne
Professor of French and HumanitiesUniversity of Houston - Downtown
Liberal Arts And Sciences, General Studies And Humanities
What general advice would you give to an Outreach Specialist?
Carolyn Gascoigne: Nonprofit coordinators are often involved with planning and organizing public outreach activities.
What will help Outreach Specialists increase their earning potential?
Carolyn Gascoigne: Nonprofit coordinators are often involved with planning and organizing public outreach activities.
What Outreach Specialist skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Carolyn Gascoigne: Example A: Nonprofit coordinators are often involved with planning and organizing public outreach activities. This is a good profession to enter as international companies are increasingly looking to hire individuals to help them better understand and connect to their international markets. People who enjoy travel and interacting with others, and who are self-starters, tend to enjoy this field. It may be challenging otherwise.
What soft skills should all Outreach Specialists possess?
Monica Burney: Skilled Human Services professionals demonstrate strong self-awareness and are quick to reflect on how their interactions affect others. They also establish rapport well, ask open-ended questions, and frame conversations with verbal and non-verbal techniques that make people feel comfortable in communication. They are often great collaborators who assess and navigate team dynamics well.
What skills will help Outreach Specialists earn the most?
Monica Burney: Professionals who have additional certifications, including any technology, language, or clinical training certifications, can sometimes negotiate higher salaries depending on if the agency they are applying to have a unique need for those services. Also, professionals with proven fundraising and/or grant writing experience may have opportunities in non-traditional roles or settings that offer higher salaries.
Michelle Kelley Shuler Ph.D.
Department Chair: Human ServicesAustin Community College
Human Services Department
What hard/technical skills are most important for Outreach Specialists?
Michelle Kelley Shuler Ph.D.: a. Must have strong basic computer skills and knowledge of software such as excel spreadsheets, google docs, etc. Most, if not all, agencies use electronic health records and treatment planning, so it is necessary to be competent in this area.
b. A degree and additional certifications will assist you in seeking employment. It will also increase your level of competency and diversify the communities you serve. For example, at Austin Community College, we offer our students a chance to complete a certification in Mental Health First Aid Training. This increases their marketability and skill level.
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Outreach Specialists?
Dr. T. Thao Pham Ph.D.: Having the field placements to allow graduates to learn about needed clinical and administrative skills in social work. The pandemic has resulted in reduced required field hours from our accrediting body but also the availability of field internships with face-to-face contact. Students often use telehealth to work with clients. On the other hand, students are graduating with more telehealth experience so that is an added skill set. They also must learn to be more resilient and better organized with the pandemic.
What's a day at work look like for an Outreach Specialist?
Dr. T. Thao Pham Ph.D.: Recent graduates may find it more difficult to find work in traditional settings. Although many agencies in our area have openings, they are either scaling back until the pandemic is over or they are asking recent graduates to do more work if they get new positions. Recent graduates are asked to be more skillful and ready to take on challenging cases as soon as they start their post-master's employment.
Scott Shaw Ph.D.
Dean / Professor of Human Services, School of Social Sciences and Human ServicesGrace Christian University
School of Social Sciences and Human Services
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Outreach Specialist job market given the pandemic?
Scott Shaw Ph.D.: The biggest trends in the current job market include both technical skills and people skills that can be adapted to multiple settings and with a high degree of cultural intelligence (CQ). Many services are adapting to an online, virtual, or personal-delivery format. This has impacted everything from higher education with virtual classes, and telehealth and virtual service delivery models in medical and mental health services, to products ordered online and being delivered to one's doorstep in lieu of large malls and physical stores. Current job applicants must be able to respectfully engage with people from diverse racial, ethnic and cultural backgrounds, as well as help meet the needs of their communities as a direct reflection of the companies and careers they represent.
I encourage my students to embrace 'comfort being uncomfortable' and always be learning. What appears to be a "hot market" or "best" career option today may not be the same answer next year. Being able to engage with all people respectfully, listen well, and provide innovative solutions in a sensitive way will go a long way in whatever developments come along in the current and future job market. I also encourage those looking for work to review their social media accounts - employers check social media accounts and one's digital footprint can make or break an interview based on what one posts, as well as reveal a great deal about one's character and values. Skills and technical abilities should be as diversified and multidisciplinary as possible; however, one's character and values should consistently tell a single story about the applicant as a person.
What's a good job out of college for Outreach Specialists?
Scott Shaw Ph.D.: The best job out of college is the one that provides an opportunity for learning, development and advancement. There is no one "best job" and anyone can learn something from every experience - employers often ask about experiences and lessons learned in job interviews. With a growth mindset and willingness to work hard, applicants who can demonstrate integrity, critical thinking, cultural intelligence, and drive can take whatever job they obtain and use this opportunity for advancement. Job applicants may find opportunities that do not look quite like they initially envisioned and enjoy the process of finding something new and innovative, as well as discern more clearly what one truly enjoys. Most employers understand that employees will potentially leave or outgrow the job, yet capitalizing on opportunities to learn and serve others in the present can illustrate a great deal about an applicant's character and work ethic.
I had a recent graduate who majored in psychology who had initially planned on a career as a therapist. While in college, she began working for a major retailer and through applying her knowledge of psychology and people skills, advanced in the company. Upon graduating with her psychology degree, she was offered a higher-level executive promotion and actually loved her job, but felt conflicted because she was now in a position to take on more responsibility with a significant pay increase, yet she had studied psychology and felt like she might be 'wasting her education' by not practicing psychology. I encouraged her to consider her values, immediate and long-term goals, yet not be dismissive of the applications of her psychology training. Her engaging with customers from different backgrounds, leading fellow employees and applying critical thinking and leadership that she learned in college were what helped her earn this opportunity. She was using her knowledge and psychology degree every day, even though it did not look like what she had initially envisioned. She later told me she had taken the promotion and was very happily growing into her new role, and now felt confident she was using her degree and what she trained to do. She also acknowledged she could change course if and when she decides.
What certifications/licenses/courses can have the biggest impact for Outreach Specialists?
Scott Shaw Ph.D.: There is a growing sentiment that generalist knowledge and interdisciplinary education is the way of the future. We are coming out of a "specialist" mindset that previously encouraged students to find their "one thing" or passion. Once the job market shifts (and it will), those with outdated skills find themselves struggling to find their next "one thing." In his New York Times Bestselling book, Range: Why Generalists Triumph in a Specialized World (2019), David Epstein makes a case for generalist knowledge and the importance of developing several interests in lieu of only having one major focus. I agree with Epstein's thesis and encourage students to consider studying social sciences and interdisciplinary studies, especially if they are unsure what path or major they are interested in. Having time and dedicated focus to explore interests, personal strengths, and areas of development can help university students experience multiple fields of inquiry that will help them in the current ever-changing job market. Having an ability to apply critical thinking and problem solving to finding creative solutions from different perspectives will advance one's career in almost any market.
I also encourage students to take every opportunity to understand other cultures and perspectives. If able to travel (post-pandemic) on a study abroad, live abroad, or take a short-term trip, then by all means do it. It will expand one's worldview and perspective, as well as one's ability to see the humanity in others from different backgrounds. Employers appreciate applicants who can relay experiences engaging people from different backgrounds and display evidence of emotional and cultural intelligence. If unable to travel internationally, then engage with diverse populations locally and learn from books, articles, documentaries and movies that add to one's cultural awareness and sensitivity. Additionally, having foundational knowledge in technology and statistical literacy can go a long way in almost any field. Current job applicants who display familiarity with MS Office, Google Suite or other common applications can apply this knowledge to most career paths. Many skills and certifications are generalizable to other fields and career paths, so it is important to take every opportunity to always be learning and developing one's understanding.
Adam Greer
Career Services SpecialistAuburn University
Department of Human Development and Family Science
What skills stand out on Outreach Specialist resumes?
Adam Greer: Clearly, the distance/online working skills will stand out with our HDFS majors. Our students have a strong foundation in learning to work with people, and now they have a new way to work with people and remove barriers that might have previously prevented an in-person meeting.
Theresa Earenfight Ph.D.
Professor of History, Director, Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies ProgramSeattle University
History Department
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Outreach Specialists?
Theresa Earenfight Ph.D.: As a historian of the European Middle Ages, I'm struck by how students this past year have acquired something scarce: historical empathy. The past can seem so remote, so very different from our lived experiences today, and this can make history seem irrelevant. But this fall, I was teaching a section on the bubonic plague, which historians of medicine now know was a global pandemic, not just an epidemic in Europe. Usually, students are fascinated by the gruesome medical details, but not this group.
They did not need or want to look death in the eyes. They wanted to know how did people react? How did they get back to normal? When we ticked off the list of reactions--fear, distrust of science (such as it was in 1348), xenophobia, scapegoating, economic collapse, hoarding supplies, turn to religion, gallows humor about worms crawling about corpses--they got it. When we talked about the aftermath--eat, drink, be merry, and protest the inequality--they got it. That is historical empathy, and I'm sad that this was how it had to be learned, but it will give them broader compassion that can encompass people alive today.
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Outreach Specialists?
Dr. Frederick Gordon Ph.D.: Graduate students will need to refocus on the changing institutional role, being both remote and in-person, and impacting agency goals and performance.
Stephanie Budhai Ph.D.
Associate Professor, EducationNeumann University
Division of Education and Human Services
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for Outreach Specialists to find work opportunities?
Stephanie Budhai Ph.D.: There are so many opportunities, all across the country, for a career in special education. In addition to being a special education teacher in a school setting, hospitals, social service agencies, and public service agencies all need trained professionals to support and help develop those with disabilities and learning challenges. Business and government agencies may hire trained special educators as they may have employees who may identify as neurodiverse. There are also employment options working with adjudicated youth and the prison system as an outstanding educator and intervention specialist.
How do you envision technology impacting Outreach Specialists in the next 5 years?
John Marston: More opportunities for remote work as organizations become more comfortable with small platforms.
Jeremy Spoon Ph.D.
Associate ProfessorPortland State University
Anthropology Department
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for Outreach Specialists to find work opportunities?
Jeremy Spoon Ph.D.: Cultural anthropologists find jobs working for non-profit associations in the U.S. engaging issues ranging from human health and education to environment and economic development. They also work for local, state, and federal agencies and institutions, such as the National Park Service or Oregon Health and Sciences University, as cultural resource managers, tribal liaisons, outreach specialists, public health advocates, researchers, and more. The cultural anthropologist also works for Native American tribes, cultural resource management companies, and numerous types of museums and cultural and interpretive centers. Design and architecture firms are also creating spaces where anthropologists work.
How do you envision technology impacting Outreach Specialists in the next 5 years?
Dr. Joseph Constantine Ph.D.: More than ever, graduates will need to be able to balance the technological components of work with a high-level of emotional intelligence in order to swiftly make smart decisions that support better outcomes for clients/patients, families, and other stakeholders. Moreover, the most successful therapists will find ways of using high-level, new technologies with good, old-fashioned introspection, self-awareness, and down-to-earth perspectives about what is most important in the job.
How do you envision technology impacting Outreach Specialists in the next 5 years?
Dr. Adelaide Kelly-Massoud: Well, every teacher and teacher candidate was thrust into distance learning. Misguided attempts to foster understanding often leaned our adult distant learning pedagogy. Teachers, and those who prepare teachers, found their job to research, define, design, and implement meaningful teaching and learning using a virtual platform. Words such as synchronous and asynchronous are now a part of our everyday vernacular. But there is a much more optimistic change on the horizon that we can thank coronavirus for.
Communication and collaboration have been forced to change. Parents and Teachers are more connected and have been put in a position to leverage technology to build networks of support and consistent dialog. I urge teachers to leverage this in their future as we work to reopening schools; we should learn from this experience to leverage technology to keep us connected.
Barbara Peterson
Professor of Human ResourcesTacoma Community College
Human Services Program
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Outreach Specialists?
Barbara Peterson: Thirty years ago, I had a conversation with a colleague about the concept of creating a remote mental health practice using emerging technology and the internet. He said it would never work. The current pandemic has proven that it can and does work. While we have been pushed into this new reality, my biggest concern is client confidentiality. Suppose new helpers take the appropriate actions to protect the clients. In that case, I believe remote helping will remain with us long after COVID is under control, especially for those folks that are place-bound for various reasons.