Social and community service managers salary
| Measure | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $53,150 | $25.56 |
| Median (50th percentile) | $80,390 | $38.65 |
| Mean (average) | $88,880 | $42.73 |
| 90th percentile | $132,260 | $63.59 |
These wages describe everyone employed in the occupation, from new entrants to experienced workers. They are not starting salaries and not earnings of graduates from any particular program. Verified data
Social and community service managers pay by state and metro area
Table: median wage and employment for all 53 states and territories
| State | Median | 10th pct | 90th pct | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $72,310 | $46,010 | $121,090 | 2,350 | 0.83 |
| Alaska | $98,370 | $64,540 | $137,260 | 830 | 1.89 |
| Arizona | $77,550 | $49,950 | $121,560 | 3,010 | 0.69 |
| Arkansas | $56,100 | $36,530 | $91,920 | 2,850 | 1.62 |
| California | $83,210 | $56,510 | $149,280 | 33,510 | 1.37 |
| Colorado | $97,440 | $64,870 | $163,400 | 2,800 | 0.72 |
| Connecticut | $75,520 | $51,110 | $119,990 | 4,350 | 1.9 |
| Delaware | $75,950 | $56,870 | $113,700 | 930 | 1.43 |
| District of Columbia | $106,700 | $67,380 | $162,000 | 640 | 0.68 |
| Florida | $76,050 | $48,080 | $132,510 | 8,600 | 0.64 |
| Georgia | $73,290 | $51,880 | $132,990 | 4,460 | 0.68 |
| Hawaii | $76,370 | $55,750 | $117,640 | 980 | 1.16 |
| Idaho | $79,120 | $52,000 | $111,550 | 820 | 0.71 |
| Illinois | $78,380 | $50,840 | $118,170 | 7,520 | 0.92 |
| Indiana | $73,940 | $47,900 | $116,110 | 2,950 | 0.68 |
| Iowa | $65,940 | $46,000 | $102,740 | 2,790 | 1.33 |
| Kansas | $79,260 | $55,690 | $129,070 | 1,570 | 0.81 |
| Kentucky | $76,960 | $47,390 | $119,210 | 2,280 | 0.85 |
| Louisiana | $82,090 | $56,010 | $126,320 | 2,680 | 1.03 |
| Maine | $76,160 | $51,840 | $100,410 | 1,620 | 1.87 |
| Maryland | $87,450 | $58,050 | $151,610 | 4,300 | 1.16 |
| Massachusetts | $81,380 | $60,520 | $130,060 | 8,800 | 1.8 |
| Michigan | $85,500 | $53,100 | $127,910 | 6,320 | 1.07 |
| Minnesota | $84,220 | $61,130 | $136,140 | 5,430 | 1.37 |
| Mississippi | $67,330 | $40,570 | $108,900 | 1,120 | 0.72 |
| Missouri | $71,970 | $48,410 | $108,020 | 3,060 | 0.77 |
| Montana | $73,640 | $47,590 | $104,010 | 820 | 1.19 |
| Nebraska | $73,790 | $50,740 | $111,840 | 1,320 | 0.96 |
| Nevada | $65,570 | $43,260 | $123,230 | 1,200 | 0.58 |
| New Hampshire | $82,290 | $59,250 | $122,680 | 1,180 | 1.28 |
| New Jersey | $95,290 | $62,510 | $154,370 | 5,530 | 0.96 |
| New Mexico | $81,290 | $61,810 | $124,460 | 1,150 | 0.98 |
| New York | $95,980 | $64,120 | $149,550 | 19,340 | 1.48 |
| North Carolina | $79,590 | $52,390 | $126,640 | 4,970 | 0.75 |
| North Dakota | $86,630 | $62,380 | $116,030 | 510 | 0.88 |
| Ohio | $73,890 | $47,970 | $108,830 | ||
| Oklahoma | $73,720 | $38,310 | $99,730 | 1,640 | 0.72 |
| Oregon | $87,010 | $61,610 | $136,990 | 3,390 | 1.28 |
| Pennsylvania | $75,280 | $49,470 | $116,990 | 10,220 | 1.25 |
| Puerto Rico | $60,280 | $37,490 | $107,730 | 840 | 0.66 |
| Rhode Island | $77,570 | $56,190 | $129,230 | 1,370 | 2.04 |
| South Carolina | $73,410 | $50,390 | $126,270 | 1,990 | 0.64 |
| South Dakota | $86,870 | $65,660 | $117,590 | 450 | 0.74 |
| Tennessee | $88,240 | $58,990 | $137,510 | 2,770 | 0.63 |
| Texas | $76,520 | $49,300 | $123,580 | 13,460 | 0.71 |
| Utah | $83,200 | $49,760 | $126,010 | 2,140 | 0.92 |
| Vermont | $80,760 | $61,450 | $117,460 | 1,200 | 2.94 |
| Virgin Islands | $64,990 | $49,750 | $84,990 | 60 | 1.35 |
| Virginia | $94,970 | $59,810 | $142,420 | 3,300 | 0.6 |
| Washington | $103,000 | $71,270 | $156,990 | 3,650 | 0.76 |
| West Virginia | $62,060 | $46,400 | $108,170 | 820 | 0.86 |
| Wisconsin | $82,130 | $61,090 | $115,520 | 3,580 | 0.9 |
| Wyoming | $66,330 | $37,130 | $107,020 | 350 | 0.93 |
A location quotient above 1 means the occupation is more concentrated in that state than in the nation overall.
Metro areas with the most jobs
Highest paying metro areas
Job outlook for social and community service managers
- Average annual openings, 2025 to 2035: 18,500. Openings include new jobs plus replacement needs when workers retire or leave the occupation. Official projection
- Share of workers who are self-employed (2025): 4.8%.
- Read the official BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook profile.
These are official BLS projections. ConnectPrep does not alter them or present its own forecasts as official statistics.
Education and training for social and community service managers
- Typical entry education
- Bachelor's degree
- Related work experience
- Less than 5 years
- On-the-job training
- None
- O*NET Job Zone
- Job Zone Four: Considerable Preparation Needed
Highest education of people working in this occupation
O*NET describes this preparation level as: Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.
Degrees and programs that lead to this career
Programs officially mapped to this occupation in the NCES and BLS CIP to SOC crosswalk. A mapping means the program commonly prepares students for the occupation, not that every graduate works in it. Official crosswalk
- Behavioral Sciences CIP 30.1701
- Thanatology CIP 30.5301
- Human Services, General CIP 44.0000
- Community Organization and Advocacy CIP 44.0201
- Public Administration CIP 44.0401
- Social Work CIP 44.0701
- Youth Services/Administration CIP 44.0702
- Forensic Social Work CIP 44.0703
- Social Work, Other CIP 44.0799
- Business/Commerce, General CIP 52.0101
- Business Administration and Management, General CIP 52.0201
- Non-Profit/Public/Organizational Management CIP 52.0206
Skills, knowledge, and daily work
Most important skills
Most important knowledge areas
Typical tasks
- Establish and oversee administrative procedures to meet objectives set by boards of directors or senior management.
- Direct activities of professional and technical staff members and volunteers.
- Evaluate the work of staff and volunteers to ensure that programs are of appropriate quality and that resources are used effectively.
- Participate in the determination of organizational policies regarding such issues as participant eligibility, program requirements, and program benefits.
- Prepare and maintain records and reports, such as budgets, personnel records, or training manuals.
- Provide direct service and support to individuals or clients, such as handling a referral for child advocacy issues, conducting a needs evaluation, or resolving complaints.
- Establish and maintain relationships with other agencies and organizations in community to meet community needs and to ensure that services are not duplicated.
- Recruit, interview, and hire or sign up volunteers and staff.
Technology skills
- Microsoft Office software (in demand)
- Microsoft Access (hot technology)
- Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Microsoft Outlook (hot technology)
- Microsoft PowerPoint (hot technology)
- Microsoft Project (hot technology)
- Microsoft Word (hot technology)
- Blackbaud The Raiser's Edge
- Client information databases
- Corel QuattroPro
- Corel WordPerfect Office Suite
- FileMaker Pro
- Financial accounting software
- Healthcare common procedure coding system HCPCS
- IBM Lotus 1-2-3
- Microsoft Dynamics
Transferable skills for career changers: Social Perceptiveness, Service Orientation, Coordination, Complex Problem Solving, Judgment and Decision Making, Time Management.
Common job titles: Adoption Services Manager, Child Welfare Services Director, Children's Service Supervisor, Clinical Services Director, Community Services Director, Psychiatric Social Worker Supervisor, Social Services Director, Transitional Care Director, Vocational Rehabilitation Administrator.
Is it worth it? Model the cost of getting there
Use the ROI calculator to compare the cost of the education this career usually requires against staying on your current path. It starts from the official wage distribution above, and you can change every assumption.
Frequently asked questions
How much do social and community service managers make?
The national median annual wage for social and community service managers was $80,390 in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program. The lowest paid 10 percent earned less than $53,150 and the highest paid 10 percent earned more than $132,260. These figures cover all workers in the occupation, not only new entrants.
What education do social and community service managers need?
BLS lists bachelor's degree as the typical education needed to enter this occupation, with less than 5 years of related work experience and none on-the-job training typically needed to become competent.
Is social and community service managers a growing career?
BLS projects employment of social and community service managers to change +7.2% from 2025 to 2035, compared with +3.5% for all occupations. About 18,500 openings are projected each year on average, including openings from workers who retire or change occupations.
Which states pay social and community service managers the most?
By median annual wage in May 2025, the highest paying states were District of Columbia ($106,700), Washington ($103,000), Alaska ($98,370). Pay differences partly reflect differences in living costs.