Timeline: A high school diploma is a minimum credential required to enter the occupation but in 2022, 83 percent of social and human services assistants in California had a certificate, associate degree, or more education post-high school (EDD, 2022). Many schools in the Northern California region offer these options. To find schools visit our Resources page.
Career advancement: Social and human services assistants may advance their careers by expanding into social work or therapy by earning a bachelor’s, master’s, or doctoral degree. If an AA-T (Associate of Arts for Transfer) is earned as an entry into a career as a social and human services assistant, the degree can be used to easily transfer to a California State University to pursue these advanced degrees. This degree can help lead the way to a position as a counselor, therapist, or social worker.
Outlook: Nationally, the employment of social and human services assistants is projected to grow 12% from 2021 to 2031, much faster than the average for all occupations[1]. In California, medical assisting jobs are expected to grow 10.6% between 2018-2028 (an increase of 5,900 jobs). Nationally, the median annual wage for social and human services assistants was $37,610 in May 20211, and in California, the median annual wage in 2022 was $50,128.[2]. For more information about educational institutions, please visit our Resources page.
