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Job outlook for vocational case managers in the United States
Are vocational case manager jobs in demand?
Vocational case manager job and salary trends over time
Vocational case manager jobs over time
Vocational case manager job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 167 | 0.00% |
| 2020 | 168 | 0.00% |
| 2019 | 169 | 0.00% |
| 2018 | 164 | 0.00% |
| 2017 | 161 | 0.00% |
Average vocational case manager salary over time
Vocational case manager salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $41,034 | $19.73 | +2.6% |
| 2024 | $40,007 | $19.23 | +3.9% |
| 2023 | $38,512 | $18.52 | +1.9% |
| 2022 | $37,793 | $18.17 | +4.1% |
| 2021 | $36,298 | $17.45 | +3.2% |
Vocational case manager jobs by state
Most common states for vocational case managers
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 87 | 13% |
| 2 | Massachusetts | 6,859,819 | 647 | 9% |
| 3 | Alaska | 739,795 | 62 | 8% |
| 4 | Rhode Island | 1,059,639 | 74 | 7% |
| 5 | South Dakota | 869,666 | 53 | 6% |
| 6 | Florida | 20,984,400 | 1,074 | 5% |
| 7 | Michigan | 9,962,311 | 491 | 5% |
| 8 | Virginia | 8,470,020 | 438 | 5% |
| 9 | Washington | 7,405,743 | 390 | 5% |
| 10 | Indiana | 6,666,818 | 332 | 5% |
| 11 | Arizona | 7,016,270 | 320 | 5% |
| 12 | South Carolina | 5,024,369 | 263 | 5% |
| 13 | Iowa | 3,145,711 | 164 | 5% |
| 14 | Kansas | 2,913,123 | 146 | 5% |
| 15 | Mississippi | 2,984,100 | 135 | 5% |
| 16 | New Mexico | 2,088,070 | 105 | 5% |
| 17 | Idaho | 1,716,943 | 87 | 5% |
| 18 | New Hampshire | 1,342,795 | 69 | 5% |
| 19 | Maine | 1,335,907 | 64 | 5% |
| 20 | Wyoming | 579,315 | 27 | 5% |
Most common cities for vocational case managers
| Rank | City | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lowell | 4 | 4% | $42,762 |
| 2 | Tallahassee | 1 | 1% | $38,356 |
| 3 | Baton Rouge | 1 | 0% | $34,812 |
Vocational Case Manager job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of vocational case manager experts
Erikson Institute- Graduate School in Child Development
Gannon University
Portland State University
Alabama A & M University
Kansas State University
Kean University
Saginaw Valley State University
Centre College
Concordia University Irvine
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
What will help Vocational Case Managers increase their earning potential?
Emily Yowell Ph.D.: Psychologists should be aware of what others in their field are making for similar positions. It is important to ask for what your work is worth in an initial position to assure raises are based on a solid starting salary. Newer psychologists may also consider asking for an early review that prompts an early conversation around potential raises, bonus, or other job benefits.
Cassandra McKay-Jackson Ph.D.
Associate Professor,DirectorErikson Institute- Graduate School in Child Development
Social Work Program
What will help Vocational Case Managers increase their earning potential?
Cassandra McKay-Jackson Ph.D.: Being licensed and receiving training in trauma-informed social work as well as telehealth services will promote great potential for earning. Many clients may continue to enjoy the convenience of telehealth services, especially those in areas where transportation to clinics is cost prohibitive. Individuals who have knowledge in child development and anti-oppressive social work practice will also find a wealth of opportunities in today's climate due to the trauma experienced by children, adolescents, and adults with the double pandemics of Covid-19 and racial reckoning.
What will help Vocational Case Managers increase their earning potential?
Parris Baker: Social Work - social work students should receive graduate education and training in clinical social work and learn indigenous healing therapies. Specialization with adolescents/young adults and geriatrics. Attaining licensure in social
Mortuary Science - students who acquire knowledge of indigenous death care customs will increase their customer base and the relationships with diverse communities. This will ultimately translate into greater profits long term. The funeral home industry is changing rapidly. More people are opting for cremations rather than traditional burials (partially related to COVID-19). Green burials (also referred to as natural burial) are becoming more popular with millennials. The body is simply placed in a biodegradable coffin or shroud and interred without a concrete burial vault.
Kimberly Jayne Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Counselor Education, School Counseling Program CoordinatorPortland State University
Counselor Education Department
What's a good job out of college for Vocational Case Managers?
Kimberly Jayne Ph.D.: Upon graduating with a master's degree in school counseling, I highly recommend students pursue a job as a licensed school counselor in a P-12 setting where they develop and facilitate a comprehensive school counseling program for elementary, middle or high school students. The need for highly-skilled, effective, and culturally-responsive school counselors is growing and there are not enough qualified professionals to fill these critical roles in our school communities.
Samson Chama
ProfessorAlabama A & M University
Department of Social Work, Psychology & Counseling
What technical skills for a Vocational Case Manager stand out to employers?
Samson Chama: I think employers will be looking for social workers who are competent in a variety of technical platforms and software packages. For this to happen social workers who are novice to technology will need to motivate and reinvent themselves by willingly acquiring knowledge and skills in latest cutting-edge technology. This should be technoloy that promises them--social workers--to work effectively from any point of reference while at the same time empowering and enabling them to churn out relevant and needed services.
What's a good job out of college for Vocational Case Managers?
Samson Chama: Social work is a generic profession that is constantly evolving. Within its evolution there is probably no single important social work job that might be pointed out or highlighted as being above the rest. In these times social workers need to be well versed in crucial social work professional domains and these in particular include such areas as planning, research and programming. Each of these domains comes with unique jobs and skill sets that may help social workers to become powerful and yet crucial planners, researchers and programmers. These three domains are essential elements to social work effective service-delivery.
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Vocational Case Managers?
Kristen Kremer Ph.D.: In the short-term, the coronavirus pandemic may result in fewer job openings for social workers due to budget constraints within local governments (as a result of reduced tax receipts) and within non-profit social service agencies (as a result of cancelled fundraisers). Additionally, the need for social distancing may translate into being able to have fewer staff in a room at a time, which may further result in lowered ability to have staff present on sight.
The nation's eviction moratorium, which prevents landlords from evicting tenants behind on rent, seems to have momentarily lowered the number of individuals in need of homeless shelters - thus translating into potentially lower short-term needs for staff. However, this will be quickly reversed once the moratorium is lifted. Despite budget cuts, the weakened economy and greater social isolation means that social workers are still very much needed in the community.
In the long-term, the largest impact on social workers will be the shift to telebehavioral health. While many previously questioned the ability to provide social services virtually, expanded use of video conferencing, text messaging, and phone calls is making everyone more comfortable with technology. Social workers should be prepared to do more of their work remotely, potentially from home. Connecting with clients remotely may limit one's ability to pick up on nonverbal cues, but it also has its strengths - such as the ability to reach out to clients who have limited transportation or live in remote areas.
What soft skills should all Vocational Case Managers possess?
Kristen Kremer Ph.D.: Social workers engage with vulnerable populations, many of whom have histories of traumatic experiences. Thus, high emotional intelligence will allow social workers to best connect with clients and help them reach their goals.
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Vocational Case Managers?
Roxanne Ruiz-Adams: COVID-19 has changed society and the way it interacts with its environment, both in negative and positive ways. Because of the necessary adaptations we've all had to make, the market world has found value in remote work. With mental health, this opens opportunities to provide services across state lines, and across county lines. Making treatment more accessible, and positively impacting private practice owners business. In negative ways, we have seen people really need more connection due to the isolation experienced over the year. I think graduates are in a wonderful place to help create those connections for those feeling depressed and along, but they are also in a challenging place of trying to heal themselves from the same woes.
What soft skills should all Vocational Case Managers possess?
Roxanne Ruiz-Adams: In the world we are in, empathy and compassion are tools we need most when interacting with each other. Graduates need to practice the skills of listening actively, and communicating in a way that is responsive rather than reactive. As social media expands and the world becomes smaller we all have become more connected and more aware of the experience of being a global citizen. Graduates need to practice having conversations with those who are different from them, practice putting themselves in the shoes of those they interact with, and learn the art of conflict resolution. We are all different in the way we think, but now more than ever we need graduates who are solution focused in their responses to the world rather than problem focused.
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Vocational Case Managers?
Michael Heron: There will be enduring impacts on graduates due to the coronavirus pandemic. Unfortunately, this cohort of graduates in 2021 will not be given the opportunity to build relationships and network in-person the way that past students have had the opportunity to do. Interpersonal skills are important for people starting out in their professional lives or starting a new career path and like a muscle that does not get worked these can become difficult to use after months of social distancing or isolation. Many people find jobs or other opportunities through the connections they make in college and the networks they build. Online learning has likely limited the number of interactions with new people and stifled the opportunity to strengthen current relationships that create opportunities in the future.
One thing that may be a positive impact due to the pandemic is that the 2021 graduates will be much more well-versed in online content delivery which will benefit them in a post-COVID world. We are finding out that the classic office setting is not as necessary as we thought and working from home while "Zooming" in will become more prevalent. The students now have been able to hone the skills necessary for this in the laboratory of the classroom. For those in the health and human services fields this will benefit telehealth and service delivery in areas that have previously lacked resources.
What technical skills for a Vocational Case Manager stand out to employers?
Michael Heron: Critical thinking skills, interpersonal communication skills, and being proactive. Employers want problem solvers not just someone who can take direction. Critical thinking is important to solve problems and to show that you can be trusted to get things done correctly. Interpersonal skills are important because effective communication is paramount in a high functioning office, agency, or organization. Lastly, being proactive is something that any employer would want to see from their staff. It, again, shows that you are looking to solve problems and can do that before the problems even arise.
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Vocational Case Manager job market given the pandemic?
William Weston: Many more jobs can be done remotely. Most white-collar workers can work at least partly from home. This should help parents especially.
What technical skills for a Vocational Case Manager stand out to employers?
William Weston: The ability to write clearly and think critically. The deep sense that other people in other cultures, and other positions in our own culture, see the world differently, enabling students to respond to a broad range of people appropriately.
What's a good job out of college for Vocational Case Managers?
William Weston: Anything that pays the bills. Honest work is ennobling.
OK, jobs that serve others are more satisfying that those that just make money. Human service jobs lead to all kinds of other careers.
What's a good job out of college for Vocational Case Managers?
Michael Eschelbach Ph.D.: A good job out of college is any job, some might argue. A better job would be one that employs what you studied in college because it asks you to do what you prepared to do. A still better job is one that offers the opportunity to use the whole college experience in problem-solving, creativity, interpersonal relationships - learning, thinking, and communication skills that allow you to see an opportunity, be inspired by it, and pursue it.
What type of skills will young Vocational Case Managers need?
Dr. Thomas Dearden Ph.D.: Indeed, the way we work is changing. The skills that young graduates will need are diverse. Transferable skills and soft skills will certainly be marketable. These include traditional crafts such as communication, but I also think the world expects more empathy from its employees. Young graduates with an understanding of racism, sexism, and environmental responsibility will become increasingly important.