State medians come from the same OEWS release as the national figures. The cost-of-living column divides each state median by that state's BEA Regional Price Parity, restating pay in national-average dollars so a high-cost state and a low-cost one can be compared directly.
Social and Community Service Manager Salary (2026): Data, Outlook & How to Become One
The median pay for Social and Community Service Managers is $80,390 a year ($38.65/hr), according to BLS OEWS, May 2025. Employment is projected to grow 6.4% through 2034, with about 18,600 openings a year (BLS EP, 2024–2034). Typical entry-level education: Bachelor's degree.
SOC 11-9151ManagementLast updated August 15, 2026
- Median pay
- $80,390
- Projected growth
- +6.4%
- Openings a year
- 18,600
- Typical education
- Bachelor's
BLS OEWS, May 2025
BLS EP, 2024–2034
BLS EP, 2024–2034
BLS EP, 2024–2034
Also advertised as: Adoption Services Manager, Child Welfare Services Director, Children's Service Supervisor, Clinical Services Director, Community Services Director, Psychiatric Social Worker Supervisor.
How much do Social and Community Service Managers make?
10th percentile$53,150
Entry / lowest-paid tenth
25th percentile$64,290
Lower quartile
Median (50th)$80,390
Half earn more, half earn less
75th percentile$103,200
Upper quartile
90th percentile$132,260
Top-paid tenth
| Median annual wage | $80,390 |
|---|---|
| Median hourly wage | $38.65/hr |
| Mean annual wage | $88,880 |
| People employed | 209,330 |
Versus all US occupations
At $80,390, Social and Community Service Managers earn 58% above the $50,980 median across all US occupations, a difference of $29,410 a year.
Versus management occupations
Inside the Management group, where the middle occupation pays $126,060, this is 36% below the group median.
Pay range
The top 10% earn $132,260 or more while the bottom 10% earn $53,150, a gap of 2.5×. That is a typical spread for a US occupation.
Rank in the bank
This median pays more than 67% of the 923 occupations in the NueCareer career bank.
Cost of living
District of Columbia posts the highest raw median ($106,700), but once local prices are taken into account South Dakota leads at $98,063 in national-average dollars.
Which states pay Social and Community Service Managers the most?
| State | Median | COL-adjusted | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $106,700 | $97,087 | 640 |
| Washington | $103,000 | $96,250 | 3,650 |
| Alaska | $98,370 | $96,103 | 830 |
| Colorado | $97,440 | $94,554 | 2,800 |
| New York | $95,980 | $88,935 | 19,340 |
| New Jersey | $95,290 | $87,579 | 5,530 |
| Virginia | $94,970 | $93,933 | 3,300 |
| Tennessee | $88,240 | $96,049 | 2,770 |
| Maryland | $87,450 | $83,318 | 4,300 |
| Oregon | $87,010 | $84,181 | 3,390 |
Is Social and Community Service Manager a growing career?
Social and Community Service Managers6.4%
All US occupations3.1%
+6.4% projected growth vs 3.1% for all occupations.
Much faster than average
BLS projects employment of Social and Community Service Managers to change 6.4% over 2024–2034, roughly 2.1× the 3.1% projected for all occupations. That is 14,100 more jobs.
Annual openings
About 18,600 openings are projected each year, 8.5% of the 219,800 jobs that existed in 2024. Most come from workers leaving the occupation, not from growth alone.
Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.
Much of the job growth in this occupation is the result of the increase in the population of older adults. This age group has a greater need for social services, such as adult day services, creating demand for social and community service managers.
In addition, employment growth is projected as people continue to seek treatment for their addictions. There will be a greater need for treatment program managers as people with substance abuse disorders may be directed to treatment programs rather than to jail.
How to become a Social and Community Service Manager
Social and community service managers typically need at least a bachelor’s degree and work experience. However, some positions also require a master’s degree.
| Typical entry-level education | Bachelor's degree |
|---|---|
| Preparation needed (O*NET job zone) | Medium preparation |
| Work experience in a related occupation | Less than 5 years |
| Typical on-the-job training | None |
What education people in the job have
O*NET incumbent survey: the highest level of education reported by people already working as social and community service managers.
- Bachelor's Degree50.4%
- Master's Degree23.9%
- Associate's Degree (or other 2-year degree)8.2%
- Post-Master's Certificate8.1%
- High School Diploma7.2%
What does a Social and Community Service Manager do?
Plan, direct, or coordinate the activities of a social service program or community outreach organization. Oversee the program or organization's budget and policies regarding participant involvement, program requirements, and benefits. Work may involve directing social workers, counselors, or probation officers.
Social and community service managers coordinate and supervise programs and organizations that support public well-being. They direct workers who provide these services to the public.
Day-to-day tasks
- Evaluate the work of staff and volunteers to ensure that programs are of appropriate quality and that resources are used effectively.
- Prepare and maintain records and reports, such as budgets, personnel records, or training manuals.
- Speak to community groups to explain and interpret agency purposes, programs, and policies.
- Direct activities of professional and technical staff members and volunteers.
- Establish and oversee administrative procedures to meet objectives set by boards of directors or senior management.
- 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.
- Implement and evaluate staff, volunteer, or community training programs.
- Establish and maintain relationships with other agencies and organizations in community to meet community needs and to ensure that services are not duplicated.
O*NET core tasks, ordered by reported importance.
Where social and community service managers work
| Individual and family services | 26% |
|---|---|
| Nursing and residential care facilities | 12% |
| Religious, grantmaking, civic, professional, and similar organizations | 12% |
| Local government, excluding education and hospitals | 10% |
| Community food and housing, emergency and other relief services, and vocational rehabilitation services | 9% |
BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2024–2034 edition.
Core skills
- Active Listening3.9/5
- Critical Thinking3.9/5
- Active Learning3.9/5
- Monitoring3.9/5
- Reading Comprehension3.8/5
- Writing3.8/5
- Speaking3.8/5
- Learning Strategies3.6/5
Transferable skills
- Social Perceptiveness4.0/5
- Service Orientation4.0/5
- Coordination3.9/5
- Complex Problem Solving3.9/5
- Judgment and Decision Making3.9/5
- Time Management3.9/5
- Management of Personnel Resources3.9/5
- Systems Analysis3.8/5
Tools and software
- Data base user interface and query software · in demand
- Electronic mail software · in demand
- Office suite software · in demand
- Presentation software · in demand
- Project management software · in demand
- Spreadsheet software · in demand
- Word processing software · in demand
- Accounting software
- Customer relationship management CRM software
- Data base reporting software
- Desktop publishing software
- Enterprise resource planning ERP software
“In demand” marks an O*NET Employer-Based Hot Technology, software named in real job postings for this occupation.
What personality type suits a Social and Community Service Manager?
Interest profile: O*NET Occupational Interests, scored 1–7
Realistic1.0
Investigative2.2
Artistic2.4
Socialprimary5.4
Enterprisingprimary7.0
Conventionalprimary4.2
Day to day this is work built around leading, persuading, selling and making decisions, combined with teaching, helping and working directly with other people.
Closest MBTI types
NueCareer fit scores: cosine similarity between each MBTI type's interest vector and this occupation's O*NET interest profile. Not a BLS or O*NET figure; the method is documented on our methodology page.
Social and Community Service Manager: frequently asked questions
How much do Social and Community Service Managers make?
Social and Community Service Managers earn a median of $80,390 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). That is 58% above the $50,980 median for all US occupations. That works out at $38.65/hr. The middle half earn between $64,290 and $103,200. The top 10% earn $132,260 or more.
Do you need a degree to become a Social and Community Service Manager?
Yes. BLS reports a bachelor's degree as the typical entry-level education for Social and Community Service Managers, and O*NET rates the preparation needed as medium preparation. Employers typically expect less than 5 years of related work experience first. In O*NET's survey of people already doing the job, 50.4% hold bachelor's degree.
Is Social and Community Service Manager a growing career?
Yes, strongly. Employment is projected to grow 6.4% over 2024–2034, more than double the 3.1% projected for all occupations (BLS EP, 2024–2034). BLS still projects about 18,600 openings a year, mostly from workers retiring or moving to other work.
What does a Social and Community Service Manager do?
Social and community service managers coordinate and supervise programs and organizations that support public well-being. A core O*NET task: evaluate the work of staff and volunteers to ensure that programs are of appropriate quality and that resources are used effectively. Employers most often ask for Data base user interface and query software, Electronic mail software, Office suite software.
Which states pay Social and Community Service Managers the most?
The highest state medians for Social and Community Service Managers are District of Columbia ($106,700), Washington ($103,000), Alaska ($98,370) (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Adjusted for local prices using BEA Regional Price Parities, South Dakota moves to the top at $98,063.
What personality type suits a Social and Community Service Manager?
O*NET scores Social and Community Service Managers highest on the Enterprising, Social and Conventional interest areas, so the work mixes leading, persuading, selling and making decisions with teaching, helping and working directly with other people. On NueCareer's MBTI-to-interest mapping the closest types are ESFJ, ENFJ. Personality is a fit signal, not a gate. The free NueCareer quiz scores your own profile against all 923 occupations in the bank.