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Job outlook for social services managers in the United States
Social services manager job growth summary. After extensive research, interviews, and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:
The projected social services manager job growth rate is 12% from 2018-2028.
About 52,400 new jobs for social services managers are projected over the next decade.
Social services manager salaries have increased 13% for social services managers in the last 5 years.
There are over 10,900 social services managers currently employed in the United States.
There are 162,185 active social services manager job openings in the US.
The average social services manager salary is $55,773.
Are social services manager jobs in demand?
Social services manager job and salary trends over time
Social services manager jobs over time
Social services manager job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 10,900 | 0.00% |
| 2020 | 10,866 | 0.00% |
| 2019 | 10,919 | 0.00% |
| 2018 | 10,472 | 0.00% |
| 2017 | 9,944 | 0.00% |
Average social services manager salary over time
Social services manager salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $55,773 | $26.81 | +2.6% |
| 2024 | $54,377 | $26.14 | +3.9% |
| 2023 | $52,345 | $25.17 | +1.9% |
| 2022 | $51,368 | $24.70 | +4.1% |
| 2021 | $49,337 | $23.72 | +3.2% |
Social services manager jobs by state
Most common states for social services managers
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 552 | 80% |
| 2 | Massachusetts | 6,859,819 | 2,696 | 39% |
| 3 | Rhode Island | 1,059,639 | 346 | 33% |
| 4 | Alaska | 739,795 | 226 | 31% |
| 5 | Iowa | 3,145,711 | 937 | 30% |
| 6 | Washington | 7,405,743 | 2,122 | 29% |
| 7 | Maine | 1,335,907 | 382 | 29% |
| 8 | New Hampshire | 1,342,795 | 371 | 28% |
| 9 | Minnesota | 5,576,606 | 1,511 | 27% |
| 10 | Idaho | 1,716,943 | 432 | 25% |
| 11 | Montana | 1,050,493 | 263 | 25% |
| 12 | Vermont | 623,657 | 155 | 25% |
| 13 | Wyoming | 579,315 | 143 | 25% |
| 14 | Maryland | 6,052,177 | 1,443 | 24% |
| 15 | Colorado | 5,607,154 | 1,334 | 24% |
| 16 | Connecticut | 3,588,184 | 879 | 24% |
| 17 | Nebraska | 1,920,076 | 452 | 24% |
| 18 | Delaware | 961,939 | 233 | 24% |
| 19 | Illinois | 12,802,023 | 2,897 | 23% |
| 20 | Oregon | 4,142,776 | 954 | 23% |
Most common cities for social services managers
| Rank | City | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Coeur dAlene | 2 | 4% | $48,271 |
| 2 | Beverly | 1 | 2% | $53,021 |
| 3 | Coral Gables | 1 | 2% | $53,034 |
| 4 | Elyria | 1 | 2% | $51,894 |
| 5 | Palo Alto | 1 | 1% | $72,003 |
| 6 | San Leandro | 1 | 1% | $72,080 |
| 7 | Boston | 2 | 0% | $53,904 |
| 8 | Chicago | 2 | 0% | $50,114 |
| 9 | Los Angeles | 2 | 0% | $65,946 |
| 10 | Detroit | 1 | 0% | $55,606 |
| 11 | Glendale | 1 | 0% | $65,958 |
| 12 | Huntington Beach | 1 | 0% | $65,513 |
| 13 | Jacksonville | 1 | 0% | $50,725 |
| 14 | New York | 1 | 0% | $72,272 |
| 15 | Orlando | 1 | 0% | $52,268 |
| 16 | Philadelphia | 1 | 0% | $62,946 |
Social Services Manager job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of social services manager experts
Ohio State University
Ramapo College of New Jersey
Ohio University
Colorado State University - Pueblo
University of Alaska Anchorage
Pennsylvania State University
Siena College
Nebraska Christian College
Kennesaw State University
Azusa Pacific University
What Social Services Manager skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Emily McCave PhD, MSW, LCSW: The need for social workers is high, particularly after the pandemic. A shortage of social workers means that there's an increasing demand in the field. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics social work jobs are expected to increase 13% between 2020 and 2030.
What will help Social Services Managers increase their earning potential?
Emily McCave PhD, MSW, LCSW: For clinical positions, which is what most social workers do, daily tasks typically include conducting assessments and providing individual, family, and/or group therapy to children and/or adults, while collaborating with other providers working with the client. There is also daily clinical documentation that needs to be completed.
Deanna Wilkinson Ph.D.
Associate ProfessorOhio State University
Human Development, Family Studies, And Related Services
What Social Services Manager skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Deanna Wilkinson Ph.D.: My advice to HDFS graduates beginning their careers is to seek out opportunities that align with your passions and will allow you to utilize your academic knowledge and skills to help children and families in meaningful ways.
What will help Social Services Managers increase their earning potential?
Deanna Wilkinson Ph.D.: In the next 3-5 years, technology, diversity and inclusion, and problem-solving skills will become more important in the field of HDFS. The helping professions will play an important role as technology continues to reshape human daily life and social interactions.
What general advice would you give to a Social Services Manager?
Dr. Timmesha Butler-Davis PhD, LCSW: Social work encompasses a vast array of roles, making it challenging to pinpoint a specific day-to-day function. Social workers operate in a generalist capacity, providing direct services like therapy, case management, or client advocacy. Alternatively, they may engage in macro-level activities such as policy advocacy, organizational leadership, or education. A typical day might involve individual client sessions, documenting clinical notes, planning therapeutic interventions, or advocating on Capitol Hill. At its essence, social work strives to challenge social injustices and foster a more equitable society.
What general advice would you give to a Social Services Manager?
Jennifer Shadik: Social work can be a challenging profession. We are often helping people who have experienced trauma or are going through extremely difficult situations. We are there to help them navigate these challenges, while building on their strengths and resources. Helping people through these challenging circumstances and seeing them grow and change is very rewarding. Building relationships with people, helping them learn new knowledge and skills, and advocating for social and economic justice are gratifying aspects of being a social worker.
What will help Social Services Managers increase their earning potential?
Jennifer Shadik: Social workers are involved in helping individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities in a variety of ways. Depending on the specific job, they may provide education, mediate conflict, connect individuals and families to resources, provide therapeutic intervention, and/or develop policies to help at an individual or national level.
What general advice would you give to a Social Services Manager?
Pamela Richmond Ph.D.: Challenges social workers can face are high caseloads, not enough resources to assist clients and exposure to horrific aspects of humanity. Social workers enjoy being a part of the change process by recognizing the strengths and resiliency of individuals, families, groups, organizations and communities. Workers advocate for individuals that are marginalized and oppressed, ensuring they have a voice. They enjoy looking at solutions to problems and empowering others to make changes beneficial for their lives.
What will help Social Services Managers increase their earning potential?
Pamela Richmond Ph.D.: Social workers employed in a variety of diverse settings to include prisons, hospitals, child welfare, homeless shelters, nursing homes, substance abuse facilities, mental health facilities, community organizations and politics (and there are many, many more settings). The setting and the population of clients the social workers assist (children, youth, adults, etc.) will determine the specific day-to-day workload. However, general daily tasks completed regardless of the setting include interacting with clients/community constituents, responding to phone calls/e-mails, problem-solving, teamwork within the organization employed and/or with community constituents and documentation. Social workers entering the profession have fulfilled placement work during their educational training. Meaning, prior to graduation they have been placed in an agency working under the supervision of a social worker applying what they have learned in their coursework. As a result, when they begin their work as a social worker, they are ready to apply the knowledge, values and the skills they have learned to fulfill the tasks mentioned above.
What general advice would you give to a Social Services Manager?
Nancy Kelley PhD: The next 3-5 years may see some changes that will require certain skills to be even more important and prevalent in social work practice than ever before. One of the most pressing challenges social workers are currently facing is the extremely contentious political environment of the United States and the direct impact that has on equity and justice issues that have always been at the root of all social work efforts. The divisiveness that has been exacerbated in this country over the past several years has stifled social welfare policy efforts and has threatened social work education to effectively address longstanding and emerging social issues. Social workers will need to be especially adept at negotiating conflict embedded in divisive concepts and highly skilled to effect legislative change. This, combined with other unprecedented demographic and cultural changes, such as the aging of our population, increased cultural diversity and intersectionality within the U.S. population, and health and mental health crises, including illicit drug and addiction epidemics, make for extremely complex cases of vulnerable populations social workers serve. The level of knowledge and skill social workers must acquire and activate simultaneously, including trauma-informed approaches to be used cross-culturally, is immense. Another major need for advanced social work skills is with regard to the environment, including the effects of climate change on human conditions, and environmental justice. Some of these significant changes to the landscape of social work practice will force social workers to beef up their interprofessional and macro-practice skills. Lastly, I think the great unknown is related to technology--how to manage the digital ethics at the speed of technological advances will be essential to the field of social work.
Matthew Cuellar
Associate Professor and BSW Program ChairUniversity of Alaska Anchorage
Social Work
What general advice would you give to a Social Services Manager?
Matthew Cuellar: Understanding how to use AI, balancing ethics in a changing and increasingly diverse world, and incorporating fresh and new perspectives in to old and unchanged processes within rigid climates. Respect and understanding of all voices is and will continue to be key to effective social work practice, education, and scholarship.
What will help Social Services Managers increase their earning potential?
Dr. J. Lendrum PhD: Trust yourself and follow your passions. It is possible to find a meaningful career that aligns with your core interests and values.
What will help Social Services Managers increase their earning potential?
James Andrews LCSW, LICSW, BCD: Completing the MSW and graduating as a professional social worker is exciting and can be overwhelming. There are some general areas of professional development that I would strongly recommend new social workers entering the workforce focus on addressing. The first (and in many ways perhaps the most important) is to actively network. Connect with peers and mentors by building and maintaining professional relationships through joining professional organizations and attending industry events such as conferences and other professional events. Join your state chapter of the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) and become active; don’t just pay your dues every year. Contact the chapter office and volunteer for a committee and run for a volunteer leadership position. Get involved! Next, be adaptable! If the social service field is characterized by any one quality, it is change. Cultivating the ability to grow, adapt to new technologies, methodologies, and work environments will be crucial to one’s career success. Not only does the quality of flexibility makes one a valuable employee and prepares you for unexpected challenges and opportunities, but it is also a central trait needed for those who desire to open their own clinical practices one day. Related to adaptability is the practice of continuous learning. Social work and the larger industry of social services ever evolving, so it is imperative that new graduates embrace the idea that even though they have graduated, they must always be students, ever learning and developing new skills. This involves a commitment to lifelong learning which involves pursuing certifications, workshops attendance, and staying updated with the latest industry trends and technologies through independent reading and research. This not only keeps your skills relevant but also demonstrates your commitment to professional growth. And finally, and too often ignored, is the importance of developing and cultivating what are called “soft skills”. Skills such as communication, teamwork, problem-solving, and time management a(and others) are essential. For the successful social worker. Such soft skills complement one’s technical abilities and are highly valued by employers. And in many ways are what will enable a person to advance in their career.
Elisa Martin Ph.D., MSW
Associate Professor of Social Work, Department Chair & Program DirectorSiena College
Social Sciences
What general advice would you give to a Social Services Manager?
Elisa Martin Ph.D., MSW: The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that the need for social workers will grow faster than many other professions, which means finding employment upon graduation will not be a problem.
What Social Services Manager skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Dr. Dexter Voisin: There is a robust demand for social workers, and it is one of the fastest-growing professions in the country. Many states are not able to fill the growing demand for social workers to respond to the growing demand for mental health and substance abuse counselors.
What Social Services Manager skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Cynthia Peters MSW: It is a good profession to enter now, due to the need for social workers in some of the jobs that I mentioned in the previous question. Social Workers can provide a different perspective on service delivery. Meeting the clients where they are at; developing relationships with the community; advocating for client services; writing grants; monitoring grants; brokering services......
Christine Kiewra
Associate Professor of PracticeNebraska Christian College
Human Development, Family Studies, And Related Services
What Social Services Manager skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Christine Kiewra: This profession includes information that everyone needs to be a functioning adult in society (family finance, human development, close relationships).
What will help Social Services Managers increase their earning potential?
Cindy Snell: Working effectively with diverse populations. This includes knowing your own biases, speaking another language, and continually striving for cultural competence. Openness to learning/integrating new technologies and careful consideration of their impact on the services you provide clients. These could include telehealth, record keeping, and the use of AI. Advocacy. Social workers need to advocate for their clients but also for policies that affect their clients and the field of social work. Social workers also need to remember to advocate for themselves and know this is not selfish but often allows them to be more effective social workers.
What general advice would you give to a Social Services Manager?
Camille Coleman: Do your research within the state and or country, and or agency you are seeking potential employment. Look up the laws, compare them to other states, don't be afraid to look at all careers within the social work field, for example research in social work gets overlooked, facilitation, curriculum development, etc. Future social workers should seek reciprocity in multiple states to practice counseling services after obtaining one's licensure, if wanting to provide therapeutic services. This will give one leverage to negotiate higher salary requests.
What general advice would you give to a Social Services Manager?
Dr. Aimée Vadnais Psy.D, LMFT: Keep in touch with your professors and classmates. They will be able to provide you with letters of recommendations in the future, connect you with job leads, and can make introductions to you to people in the field. Keep your resume current with any trainings or seminars that you attend and include additional certifications you obtain. Keep educating yourself by taking continuing education to learn more about certain topics, theories, interventions, or populations you are interested in learning more about. Network through CAMFT or AAMFT by attending their local chapter events, where you can meet others in the field in your area. Lastly, create a Linked In page so you can advertise about yourself and form local connections with others in your field.
What Social Services Manager skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Alexis Henderson M.S., OTR/L, CLT, OCC: Never take the first salary offer but also do not get hung up on salary right out of the gate. Remember that helping professions are about more than money. Take every single continuing education and training opportunity that comes your way or that you can find. Training and becoming a master at your craft is how you increase your salary most productively!
What general advice would you give to a Social Services Manager?
Nicole Willis Ph.D., LMSW: Maximizing your salary first starts with doing the groundwork in the junior and senior year of the Social Work program. You'll want to have a strong and competitive professional resume that show how you stand-out from the other job seekers. The second phase is during the entry-level job interview phase. Best advice I ever received about salary is to NOT accept the first salary offered right away. Let your potential employer know that you'd like a day or two to think about the offer. During those two days, do your homework. Find out what is the average pay for like positions there and in other organizations. Talk with mentors you have within your professional network to get their thoughts on your offer. Don't be afraid to negotiate salary or negotiate the possibility that the potential employer would include paying for you to participate in a conference every year so you can earn the CEUs you need to maintain your Social Work license. In Social Work, we utilize great humility when working with clients and client systems. However, when in the office interviewing and considering that salary offer, put that humility aside for a while and think like a business person.
What will help Social Services Managers increase their earning potential?
Katherine Stavrianopoulos Ph.D.: Continued Learning and Development: Stay committed to lifelong learning by attending workshops, pursuing advanced certifications, and staying updated on the latest research and therapeutic techniques. Supervision and Mentorship: Seek out supervision and mentorship opportunities from experienced professionals in the field. Consider participating in a peer supervision group where you can support one another and be open to constructive criticism as part of your development. Engage in regular self-reflection for personal growth. Prioritize Self-Care: Establish healthy boundaries between work and personal life, engage in activities that recharge you and help prevent burn out. Cultural Competence and Diversity: Cultivate cultural humility and strive to understand the diverse backgrounds and perspectives of your clients. Continuously educate yourself on multiculturalism and antiracism to provide competent and inclusive counseling services. Ethical Practice: Adhere to ethical guidelines and professional standards in your practice. Strive to Build Strong Therapeutic Relationships: Establish rapport, demonstrate empathy, and create a safe and trusting environment where clients feel comfortable exploring their thoughts and feelings. Evidence-Based Practice: Stay informed about research findings and utilize interventions that have been empirically validated for specific client populations and presenting issues. Networking and Collaboration: Build professional connections within the counseling community. Attend conferences, join professional organizations, and participate in networking events to expand your professional network. Collaboration with colleagues can lead to referrals, consultation opportunities, and mutual support. Consider doing some pro bono work: Pro bono services help bridge the gap to access mental health services for individuals who cannot afford them.
Jeffrey Bryant MSW, LCSW
Associate Tenured Professor in the BSW Program for the Phylis Lan Lin School of Social Work and CounselingWhat Social Services Manager skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Jeffrey Bryant MSW, LCSW: Keep building on your knowledge and skills with each job and learn more tools for your social work toolbox. The more continued CEU (certified education units) and additional education Master of Social Work (MSW) the more we maximize our salary potential.