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Social services assistant education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a social services assistant. Social services assistants usually study social work, psychology, or business. 57% of social services assistants hold a bachelor's degree, and 19% hold an associate degree. We analyzed 3,261 real social services assistant resumes to see exactly what social services assistant education sections show.
The most common colleges for social services assistants are the University of Phoenix and the University of Phoenix.
There are also many online social services assistant courses to help get the education required to be a social services assistant.
There are certain social services assistant certifications that you should consider. These social services assistant certifications include Certified Nurse Assistant (CNA) and Medical Assistant.
What education do you need to become a social services assistant?
What degree do you need to be a social services assistant?
- Bachelor's, 57%
- Associate, 19%
- Master's, 11%
- High School Diploma, 7%
- Other Degrees, 6%
What should I major in to become a social services assistant?
- Social Work, 21%
- Psychology, 18%
- Business, 9%
- Human Services, 8%
- Other Majors, 44%
Most common colleges for social services assistants
| Social services assistant common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| University of Phoenix | 16.60% |
| University of Central Florida | 7.92% |
| Oregon State University | 7.17% |
| University of Oregon | 6.42% |
| California State University - San Bernardino | 6.04% |
Best majors for social services assistants
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Social Work | 20.6% |
| 2 | Psychology | 18.2% |
| 3 | Business | 9.2% |
| 4 | Human Services | 8.1% |
| 5 | Sociology | 7.6% |
Best colleges for social services assistants
The best colleges for social services assistants are Northwestern University, University of Southern California, and University of Pennsylvania.
A social services assistant with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for social services assistants. 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 social services assistants.
1. SUNY at Binghamton
Vestal, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$9,808
Enrollment
13,990
2. California State University - Dominguez Hills
Carson, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,942
Enrollment
13,871
3. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$55,584
Enrollment
10,764
4. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$56,225
Enrollment
19,548
5. California State University - Bakersfield
Bakersfield, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,309
Enrollment
9,142
6. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor
Ann Arbor, MI • Private
In-state tuition
$15,262
Enrollment
30,079
7. California State University - Long Beach
Long Beach, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,798
Enrollment
31,503
8. Howard University
Washington, DC • Private
In-state tuition
$26,756
Enrollment
6,166
9. San Diego State University
San Diego, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,488
Enrollment
30,018
10. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
In-state tuition
$54,568
Enrollment
8,451
20 best online courses for social services assistants
Advertising disclosure
1. Social Policy for Social Services & Health Practitioners
In the U.S., social policy accounts for two-thirds of government spending. Knowing how policies are constructed, what values underlie them, and how they succeed or fail makes everyone more effective at work or in their civic role. This specialization includes an HONORS track in which learners will complete a professional social policy analysis.\n\nTeachers, health care workers, police, and social workers interact with policy daily, but all of us should care about the impact and effectiveness of...
2. Health After Cancer: Cancer Survivorship for Primary Care
This course presents basic principles of cancer survivorship to primary-care physicians. Developed by a team of experts in caring for cancer survivors, and narrated by a primary-care physician, this course provides practical tips and tools that can be easily integrated into medical practice. You will learn about the complex physical and psychosocial needs and concerns of the growing number of cancer survivors, along with the key role that primary care physicians have in guiding these patients...
3. [2023] Customer Service 2.0: Learn Digital Customer Service
Used by Chase®, Intel®, & more! Learn soft skills, social media customer service, diagnosing user problems, & more...
4. Social Media for Healthcare Providers
Social media and HIPPA compliance training for covered entities that transmit health information...
5. Addiction Treatment: Clinical Skills for Healthcare Providers
This course is designed with a singular goal: to improve the care you provide to your patients with substance use disorders. By delving into a model case performed by actors, seven Yale instructors from various fields provide techniques to screen your patients for substance use disorder risk, diagnose patients to gauge the severity of their use, directly manage treatment plans, refer out to treatment services, and navigate the various conditions that may limit your patient’s access to treatment...
6. Health for All Through Primary Health Care
This course explores why primary health care is central for achieving Health for All. It provides examples of how primary health care has been instrumental in approaching this goal in selected populations and how the principles of primary health care can guide future policies and actions. Two of the most inspiring, least understood, and most often derided terms in global health discourse are “Health for All” and “Primary Health Care.” In this course, we will explore these terms in the context...
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Exploring psychological trauma and how to provide care and compassion to trauma survivors...
8. Customer Service Mastery: Delight Every Customer
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9. Social Determinants of Health: Data to Action
This five course specialization explores dimensions of applied knowledge related to the social determinants of health. This specialization will utilize the Data-to-Action Hourglass Model to support thinking about multiple perspectives as a way to filter, frame, and focus data-driven action related to social determinants of health.\n\nCourse 1: Introduction to the Social Determinants of Health, provides an overview of definitions and theoretical perspectives that will form the foundation of this...
10. Palliative Care Always Capstone Course
The Palliative Care Always Capstone course is designed to let you test your knowledge about palliative and help others understand the value of palliative care, while showing your creative side. In this course, you will impact community awareness about palliative care, promote self-care and wellness, show-off your communication skills in a virtual environment, and finish the course off by proving your thoughts on ways to offer psychosocial support to a patient and family...
11. Customer Service Foundation
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12. The Communication Skills and Social Intelligence Masterclass
An essential guide to cultivating influential people skills, communication skills and street-smart social intelligence...
13. Customer Service Fundamentals
There are a growing number of exciting, well-paying jobs in today’s tech industry that do not require a traditional college degree, an one of the hottest areas with high demand is in IT customer service and support. Customer Service is a perfect entry point to start your career in IT, with a multitude of job openings ranging from onsite or remote help desk work to customer care or client support. We can help you get there with the Customer Service Fundamentals course. We will help you to build...
14. Trauma Emergencies and Care
Welcome to Trauma Emergencies and Care. In this course, you will learn about some of the mechanics and physics of trauma on the human body, and how this can cause injury. You will continue to expand your new vocabulary with medical terminology, and learn how to describe the different injuries you may see. You will also learn about the trauma system itself- and when it is important to transport patients to a trauma center. Then we will dive into specific injuries based on what part of the body...
15. Social Media Monitoring
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16. Communication & Social Skills
Learn to become more confident and effective when speaking, listening, or writing...
17. Customer Service Success: Take Your Skills to the Next Level
3-in-1 Customer Service Training: Levels 1, 2, 3 Improve Your Soft Communication Skills, Customer Support & Experience...
18. Customer Service, Customer Support, And Customer Experience
Customer service, customer support, and customer experience training. Loyal clients through world-class customer service...
19. Customer Service & Support For Customer Service Executives
Learn Customer Service Skills & Provide Excellent Customer Support, Customer Experience & How To Manage Upset Customers...
20. Start Improving Customer Service
Creating a Customer Service advantage in Your department or business through communication and Customer Management...
Top 10 most affordable universities for social services assistants
The most affordable schools for social services assistants are California State University - Bakersfield, hunter college of the city university of new york, and california state university - long beach.
If the best universities for social services assistants 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 social services assistants.
1. California State University - Bakersfield
Bakersfield, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,309
Cost of attendance
16,714
2. Hunter College of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,182
Cost of attendance
13,998
3. California State University - Long Beach
Long Beach, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,798
Cost of attendance
18,306
4. California State University - Fullerton
Fullerton, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,886
Cost of attendance
17,645
5. California State University - Dominguez Hills
Carson, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,942
Cost of attendance
14,469
6. University of South Florida
Tampa, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,410
Cost of attendance
20,456
7. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-state tuition
$5,620
Cost of attendance
18,136
8. Florida State University
Tallahassee, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$5,656
Cost of attendance
21,623
9. University of Florida
Gainesville, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,381
Cost of attendance
21,034
10. California State University - San Bernardino
San Bernardino, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,922
Cost of attendance
18,522
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for social services assistants
The hardest universities for social services assistants to get into are Northwestern University, University of Southern California, and University of Pennsylvania.
Some great schools for social services assistants 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 social services assistants 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 Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
13%
SAT average
1,445
3. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,492
4. New York University
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
20%
SAT average
1,419
5. Columbia University in the City of New York
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
6%
SAT average
1,512
6. Boston University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
22%
SAT average
1,420
7. Vanderbilt University
Nashville, TN • Private
Admissions rate
10%
SAT average
1,514
8. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor
Ann Arbor, MI • Private
Admissions rate
23%
SAT average
1,434
9. Villanova University
Villanova, PA • Private
Admissions rate
29%
SAT average
1,407
10. SUNY at Binghamton
Vestal, NY • Private
Admissions rate
40%
SAT average
1,376
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for social services assistants
The easiest schools for social services assistants to get into are Mount Saint Mary's University, holy names university, and bluefield college.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a social services assistant 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 social services assistants.
1. Mount Saint Mary's University
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
84%
SAT average
1,031
2. Holy Names University
Oakland, CA • Private
Admissions rate
70%
SAT average
849
3. Bluefield College
Bluefield, VA • Private
Admissions rate
95%
SAT average
980
4. The University of Texas Permian Basin
Odessa, TX • Private
Admissions rate
91%
SAT average
1,046
5. Wayland Baptist University
Plainview, TX • Private
Admissions rate
98%
SAT average
1,003
6. Gwynedd Mercy University
Gwynedd Valley, PA • Private
Admissions rate
92%
SAT average
1,031
7. Ottawa University
Ottawa, KS • Private
Admissions rate
78%
SAT average
1,024
8. Barry University
Miami, FL • Private
Admissions rate
91%
SAT average
1,006
9. Kean University
Union, NJ • Private
Admissions rate
86%
SAT average
991
10. Nyack College
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
98%
SAT average
999
Average social services assistant salary by education level
| Social services assistant education level | Social services assistant salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $42,482 |
| High School Diploma or Less | $36,468 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $39,815 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $36,643 |
Social services assistant education FAQs
Have more questions? See all answers to common community and social services questions.
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025