Social and Community Service Managers: Career Overview
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.
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What Do Social and Community Service Managers Do?
The day-to-day responsibilities of social and community service managers include:
- 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.
Key Skills and Knowledge
Effective social and community service managers combine a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Most Important Skills
The abilities most important for this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Core Knowledge
Related Job Titles
People in this occupation may also be known by titles such as:
- Adoption Services Manager
- Adult Daycare Coordinator
- Borough Coordinator
- Case Manager
- Case Services Manager
- Casework Department Director
- Casework Director
- Casework Services Director
Employment and Demand
There are about 160,615 social and community service managers working in the United States today. This occupation is expected to grow by +13.3% over the projection horizon.
Salary for Social and Community Service Managers
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $156,089 |
| Hourly median | $75.04 |
| 10th percentile | $102,084 |
| 25th percentile | $129,086 |
| 75th percentile | $183,091 |
| 90th percentile | $210,094 |
Pay can vary substantially based on experience, location, and industry.
Social and Community Service Managers Salary by State
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $99,700 |
| Washington | $98,710 |
| Colorado | $96,480 |
| Virginia | $93,150 |
| New York | $93,140 |
| New Jersey | $92,840 |
| Alaska | $87,140 |
| Tennessee | $85,940 |
| South Dakota | $84,210 |
| North Dakota | $83,410 |
| Maryland | $83,130 |
| Minnesota | $82,990 |
| Rhode Island | $82,310 |
| Michigan | $82,250 |
| Oregon | $82,130 |
| California | $80,160 |
| New Hampshire | $79,980 |
| Wisconsin | $79,700 |
| Massachusetts | $79,050 |
| Louisiana | $78,950 |
| Idaho | $78,000 |
| Utah | $77,600 |
| North Carolina | $77,320 |
| Vermont | $77,260 |
| New Mexico | $77,160 |
| Illinois | $76,110 |
| Arizona | $75,070 |
| Pennsylvania | $74,290 |
| Hawaii | $74,070 |
| Kentucky | $73,990 |
| Connecticut | $73,800 |
| Delaware | $73,710 |
| Ohio | $73,520 |
| Kansas | $73,470 |
| South Carolina | $72,990 |
| Maine | $72,800 |
| Virgin Islands | $72,130 |
| Georgia | $71,550 |
| Montana | $70,830 |
| Florida | $69,860 |
| Texas | $69,700 |
| Nebraska | $68,940 |
| Mississippi | $67,080 |
| Alabama | $65,160 |
| Missouri | $65,060 |
| Oklahoma | $65,010 |
| Indiana | $64,970 |
| Wyoming | $64,360 |
| Iowa | $62,920 |
| West Virginia | $62,460 |
| Nevada | $60,430 |
| Puerto Rico | $59,090 |
| Arkansas | $53,360 |
Where Social and Community Service Managers Earn the Most
Compensation for social and community service managers shift depending on where you work. Top regions by median wage:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Middle Atlantic | $87,277 | 19.2% | 1.28 |
| Rocky Mountains | $83,740 | 3.6% | 0.90 |
| Far Western US | $81,837 | 22.1% | 1.42 |
| New England | $77,391 | 9.0% | 1.89 |
| Great Lakes | $76,420 | 12.2% | 0.87 |
| Southeast | $75,363 | 16.7% | 0.70 |
| Plains States | $73,422 | 7.7% | 1.16 |
| Southwest | $70,701 | 9.1% | 0.72 |
Where the Jobs Cluster
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Salem, OR | OR | $107,450 | 460 |
| Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA | WA | $106,100 | 210 |
| Richmond, VA | VA | $104,410 | 750 |
| Boulder, CO | CO | $102,880 | 130 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | WA | $102,250 | 1,940 |
| Trenton-Princeton, NJ | NJ | $102,230 | 360 |
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | CO | $101,210 | 1,370 |
| Walla Walla, WA | WA | $99,870 | 30 |
Industry Breakdown
The largest employers of social and community service managers are found across these industries:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Health Care and Social Assistance | 122,240 | $74,980 |
| Other Services (except Public Administration) | 19,170 | $77,280 |
| Educational Services | 6,430 | $88,040 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | 5,850 | $86,420 |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1,360 | $101,850 |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 1,000 | $81,070 |
| Real Estate and Rental and Leasing | 960 | $67,440 |
| Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation | 600 | $66,360 |
Social and Community Service Managers work in the following industries:
Tech Stack
- Data base user interface and query software: Microsoft Access (hot technology)
- Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Office suite software: Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Electronic mail software: Microsoft Outlook (hot technology)
- Presentation software: Microsoft PowerPoint (hot technology)
- Project management software: Microsoft Project (hot technology)
- Word processing software: Microsoft Word (hot technology)
What the Workplace Is Like
The work environment for social and community service managers tends to involve the following characteristics:
- Telephone Conversations
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
- Work With or Contribute to a Work Group or Team
- Contact With Others
How to Become Social and Community Service Managers
Entry-level social and community service managers positions require a bachelor’s degree as the typical entry-level education. This occupation sits in Considerable Preparation Needed (Job Zone 4), reflecting the level of preparation typically expected.
Similar Occupations
Similar Occupations
- Human Resources Managers (Primary-Long)
- Education and Childcare Administrators, Preschool and Daycare (Supplemental)
- Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary (Supplemental)
- Education Administrators, Postsecondary (Supplemental)
- Medical and Health Services Managers (Supplemental)
- Management Analysts (Supplemental)
- Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors (Primary-Long)
- Mental Health Counselors (Supplemental)
Degree Programs
Future social and community service managers often complete programs in:
Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services
3 programs across 2 majors
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies
2 programs across 2 majors
Sources
Data on this page comes from the following authoritative sources:
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for employment and wage data by state and industry.
- BLS Employment Projections for total employment and growth forecasts.
- O*NET (Occupational Information Network) for skills, knowledge, tasks, work activities, work context, technology, and education-zone data.
SOC code: 11-9151.00 (Social and Community Service Managers).