Social and Community Service Managers
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.
What it pays
Social and Community Service Managers earn a median of $38.65/hr — about $80,500 a year. The lowest-paid 10% earn $25.56/hr; the top 10% earn $63.59/hr. (Annual figures are approximate: hourly × 2,080.)
Social and Community Service Managers earn a median of $38.65/hr — about $80,500 a year. The lowest-paid 10% earn $25.56/hr; the top 10% earn $63.59/hr. (Annual figures are approximate: hourly × 2,080.)
What you'd actually do
- 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.
How you get there
Typical entry-level education: Bachelor's degree. Overall preparation: considerable preparation (Job Zone 4 of 5).
The feel of the work
The work splits time indoors and out; you're around people constantly. (Compared against the other 818 careers in the guide.)
Working for yourself
About 5.6% of social and community service managers are self-employed.
Who it tends to fit
This work tends to fit people who are take-charge, people-focused and organized and detail-focused.
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Quick questions
- How much does a social and community service manager make?
- The median pay is $38.65 per hour — roughly $80,500 a year, with the real range running from about $25.56/hr (10th percentile) to $63.59/hr (90th percentile). Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
- Do you need a degree to be a social and community service manager?
- The typical entry-level education is: Bachelor's degree. Overall preparation level: considerable preparation (Job Zone 4 of 5).
- What does a social and community service manager actually do all day?
- 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.
Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS. Tasks & interests: O*NET. Career pathways shown in the app are draft archetypes — verify before relying on them. Trailhead is a free career guide for students — honest numbers, no hype.
Trailhead is operated by FLEXVermont LLC. It is intended for high-school students age 13 and older, and the educators and families who support them, and is not directed to children under 13. Trailhead is provided for general informational and educational purposes only. It does not offer professional, financial, or career advice, and its wage figures and pathways are estimates that may not fit your situation — they should not be relied on as the sole basis for any decision.
Trailhead is operated by FLEXVermont LLC. It is intended for high-school students age 13 and older, and the educators and families who support them, and is not directed to children under 13. Trailhead is provided for general informational and educational purposes only. It does not offer professional, financial, or career advice, and its wage figures and pathways are estimates that may not fit your situation — they should not be relied on as the sole basis for any decision.