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Youth specialist salary
Average youth specialist salary
$35,180
Understanding Youth Specialist Salaries
A Youth Specialist typically earns around $35,180 per year, but this can vary significantly based on factors such as geographic location, experience level, and the specific organization. For instance, states like California and New York often offer higher salaries due to the cost of living and demand for these professionals.
Experience plays a vital role in salary variations. Entry-level Youth Specialists may start with salaries closer to $28,000, while those with several years of experience can exceed $50,000. Additionally, specializing in certain areas, such as mental health or educational support, can lead to increased earning potential.
Where to Find Higher Salaries
According to data, the highest-paying states for Youth Specialists include:
- California
- New York
- Massachusetts
- Washington
- Texas
These states not only offer competitive salaries but also provide a diverse range of opportunities across various organizations and programs. For those interested in pursuing a career as a Youth Specialist, researching specific locations and sectors can lead to better job prospects and higher earnings.
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Where can a Youth Specialist earn more?
Youth specialist salaries by experience level
| Experience level | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level youth specialist | $24,400 | $11.74 |
| Mid-level youth specialist | $34,700 | $16.66 |
| Senior-level youth specialist | $39,800 | $19.13 |
Youth specialist salary estimates from across the web
Average youth specialist salary by state
The average youth specialist salary in Hawaii, Connecticut, and California are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average youth specialist salary states are Alaska, Oklahoma, and Montana.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for youth specialists
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hawaii | $44,557 | $21.42 |
| 2 | Connecticut | $42,295 | $20.33 |
| 3 | Illinois | $38,456 | $18.49 |
| 4 | District of Columbia | $45,779 | $22.01 |
| 5 | Arkansas | $33,853 | $16.28 |
| 6 | Nevada | $36,868 | $17.73 |
| 7 | California | $40,853 | $19.64 |
| 8 | New York | $34,977 | $16.82 |
| 9 | North Dakota | $33,925 | $16.31 |
| 10 | Pennsylvania | $31,941 | $15.36 |
| 11 | New Jersey | $35,867 | $17.24 |
| 12 | Louisiana | $33,453 | $16.08 |
| 13 | Texas | $33,461 | $16.09 |
| 14 | Arizona | $31,304 | $15.05 |
| 15 | Wisconsin | $35,069 | $16.86 |
| 16 | North Carolina | $34,791 | $16.73 |
| 17 | Delaware | $34,407 | $16.54 |
| 18 | Virginia | $34,961 | $16.81 |
| 19 | Mississippi | $33,758 | $16.23 |
| 20 | Nebraska | $30,348 | $14.59 |
| 21 | Maine | $30,700 | $14.76 |
| 22 | Kansas | $33,402 | $16.06 |
| 23 | Florida | $31,529 | $15.16 |
| 24 | Maryland | $31,218 | $15.01 |
| 25 | Idaho | $30,108 | $14.47 |
| 26 | Colorado | $31,943 | $15.36 |
| 27 | Oregon | $31,587 | $15.19 |
| 28 | South Carolina | $31,213 | $15.01 |
| 29 | Indiana | $29,765 | $14.31 |
| 30 | Massachusetts | $28,665 | $13.78 |
| 31 | Georgia | $31,198 | $15.00 |
| 32 | Washington | $29,440 | $14.15 |
| 33 | Michigan | $28,699 | $13.80 |
| 34 | Minnesota | $28,713 | $13.80 |
| 35 | Alaska | $26,632 | $12.80 |
| 36 | Alabama | $30,068 | $14.46 |
| 37 | Iowa | $27,853 | $13.39 |
| 38 | Ohio | $28,571 | $13.74 |
| 39 | Tennessee | $28,611 | $13.76 |
| 40 | Rhode Island | $27,011 | $12.99 |
| 41 | New Mexico | $28,783 | $13.84 |
| 42 | Montana | $26,356 | $12.67 |
| 43 | Wyoming | $27,792 | $13.36 |
| 44 | Oklahoma | $26,541 | $12.76 |
| 45 | West Virginia | $27,590 | $13.26 |
| 46 | Missouri | $29,144 | $14.01 |
| 47 | Kentucky | $27,902 | $13.41 |
| 48 | Vermont | $28,206 | $13.56 |
| 49 | South Dakota | $24,910 | $11.98 |
| 50 | Utah | $25,717 | $12.36 |
| 51 | New Hampshire | $25,650 | $12.33 |
Highest paying cities for youth specialists
The highest-paying cities for youth specialists are Washington, DC, Santa Clara, CA, and Chicago, IL.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington, DC | $45,799 | $22.02 |
| 2 | Santa Clara, CA | $41,062 | $19.74 |
| 3 | Chicago, IL | $38,491 | $18.51 |
| 4 | Freehold, NJ | $36,146 | $17.38 |
| 5 | New York, NY | $35,177 | $16.91 |
| 6 | Norfolk, VA | $35,172 | $16.91 |
| 7 | Janesville, WI | $35,105 | $16.88 |
| 8 | Asheville, NC | $34,245 | $16.46 |
| 9 | Kansas City, KS | $33,392 | $16.05 |
| 10 | Denver, CO | $31,916 | $15.34 |
| 11 | Saint Petersburg, FL | $31,607 | $15.20 |
| 12 | Macon, GA | $31,358 | $15.08 |
| 13 | Portland, OR | $31,300 | $15.05 |
| 14 | Tempe, AZ | $31,245 | $15.02 |
| 15 | Pittsburgh, PA | $30,987 | $14.90 |
| 16 | Seattle, WA | $29,436 | $14.15 |
| 17 | Saint Louis, MO | $29,339 | $14.11 |
| 18 | Chattanooga, TN | $28,874 | $13.88 |
| 19 | Detroit, MI | $28,789 | $13.84 |
| 20 | Ames, IA | $27,742 | $13.34 |
Youth specialist salary details
A youth specialist's salary ranges from $27,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $45,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a youth specialist's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $45,000 | $3,750 | $22 |
| 75th Percentile | $40,000 | $3,333 | $19 |
| Average | $35,180 | $2,932 | $17 |
| 25th Percentile | $30,000 | $2,500 | $14 |
| 10th Percentile | $27,000 | $2,250 | $13 |
Highest paying youth specialist jobs
The highest paying types of youth specialists are child life specialist, treatment specialist, and social services specialist.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residential Counselor | $34,117 | $2,843 | $16.40 | 81,287 |
| Youth Advocate | $33,924 | $2,827 | $16.31 | 78,437 |
| Youth Worker | $32,242 | $2,687 | $15.50 | 87,360 |
| Youth Counselor | $36,754 | $3,063 | $17.67 | 78,461 |
| Youth Mentor | $32,750 | $2,729 | $15.75 | 68,561 |
Which companies pay youth specialists the most?
Youth specialist salaries at Outside In and The Research Foundation for SUNY are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average youth specialist salary at companies like Monroe County and Fort Bend County are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Outside In | $50,315 | $24.19 |
| 2 | The Research Foundation for SUNY | $50,213 | $24.14 |
| 3 | Monroe County | $49,667 | $23.88 |
| 4 | Fort Bend County | $49,262 | $23.68 |
| 5 | Southwest Key Programs | $43,928 | $21.12 |
| 6 | IFES | $43,233 | $20.79 |
| 7 | City of Muskegon | $43,041 | $20.69 |
| 8 | International Republican Institute | $42,600 | $20.48 |
| 9 | IRI | $41,778 | $20.09 |
| 10 | Kalamazoo County Government | $41,462 | $19.93 |
| 11 | Professional | $40,746 | $19.59 |
| 12 | Annie Malone | $40,450 | $19.45 |
| 13 | State Bar of Michigan | $40,427 | $19.44 |
| 14 | Hathaway-Sycamores Child & Family Services | $39,840 | $19.15 |
| 15 | Macomb County | $39,784 | $19.13 |
| 16 | Seneca Resources | $39,162 | $18.83 |
| 17 | The Children's Village | $38,687 | $18.60 |
| 18 | First Place for Youth | $38,083 | $18.31 |
| 19 | Christ House | $37,799 | $18.17 |
| 20 | Youth Guidance | $37,421 | $17.99 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Youth Specialist salary by industry
The average youth specialist salary varies across industries:
- The average youth specialist salary in the government industry is $41,293, the highest of any industry.
- The average youth specialist salary in the finance industry is $35,323.
- Youth specialists in the non profits industry earn an average salary of $32,150, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for youth specialists
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Government | $41,293 | $19.85 |
| 2 | Professional | $35,323 | $16.98 |
| 3 | Finance | $35,012 | $16.83 |
| 4 | Health Care | $32,718 | $15.73 |
| 5 | Non Profits | $32,150 | $15.46 |
High paying youth specialist jobs
Youth specialist salary trends
The average youth specialist salary has risen by $7,063 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average youth specialist earned $28,117 annually, but today, they earn $35,180 a year. That works out to a 13% change in pay for youth specialists over the last decade.
Compare youth specialist salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average youth specialist salary over time
Compare youth specialist salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Youth specialist salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $35,200 | $16.91 | +2.5% |
| 2024 | $34,300 | $16.49 | +3.7% |
| 2023 | $33,000 | $15.87 | +1.9% |
| 2022 | $32,400 | $15.58 | +4.0% |
| 2021 | $31,100 | $14.96 | +3.1% |
Recently added youth specialist salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Veterans United Home Loans | Youth Specialist | Columbia, MO | 06/30/2025 | $31,305 |
| Cases | Youth Engagement Specialist | New York, NY | 06/29/2025 | $56,650 |
| Women In Need, Inc. | Youth & Young Adult Income Specialist-Brookyln, 11212 | New York, NY | 06/28/2025 | $56,349 |
| EAC Network | Peer Specialist-Alternatives for Youth | Central Islip, NY | 06/28/2025 | $36,230 |
| Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Houston | Youth DEV Specialist | Galveston, TX | 06/28/2025 | $30,262 |
| Burrell Behavioral Health | Youth Specialist | Jefferson City, MO | 06/27/2025 | $45,851 |
| Commonwealth of Pennsylvania | Juvenile Justice Specialist-Youth Forestry Camp #3-Huntingdon County | Huntingdon, PA | 06/27/2025 | $56,646 |
| Outside In | Youth Specialist) | Portland, OR | 06/27/2025 | $48,418 |
| Circuit Court of Cook County, Illinois | Jtdc-Youth Detention Specialist | Chicago, IL | 06/27/2025 | $62,661 |
| Buildon | Youth Engagement Specialist | Bridgeport, CT | 06/27/2025 | $42,000 |
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