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What Can I Do with a Degree in Human Services?
Discover the many career possibilities you can pursue in the field of human services. Choose your pathway and take the first step with Herzing University.
Find Your Educational Pathway in Human Services
A degree in human services is a versatile option that can prepare you for many different types of careers, including case management early childhood education, nonprofit leadership, healthcare and criminal justice.
If you enjoy helping others and want to make a positive impact on individuals and communities, pursuing an education in human services may be a great fit!
What Jobs Can I Get with a Degree in Human Services?
A degree in human services offers students a variety of career choices, from case work, grant writing, volunteer management, and advocacy to addiction counseling. Most human services jobs require an associate or bachelor’s degree, but it’s possible to get an entry-level job with a diploma.
Listed below are some examples of jobs in human services and the educational requirements.
1. Entry-Level Careers with a Diploma in Human Services
With a diploma in Health and Human Services, you can pursue entry-level roles such as community health worker, case manager or program coordinator. These positions typically involve connecting people with community resources and providing hands-on support alongside licensed social workers, counselors, and healthcare professionals.
2. Social Services Assistant or Human Services Assistant
Social service assistants help connect individuals with resources to improve their quality of life. This job, which generally requires an associate degree, combines administrative tasks with individual or community support. As a social service assistant, you may work with social workers, psychologists or healthcare professionals.
Additional jobs you may qualify for with an associate degree in human services include:
- Addictions counselor assistant
- Residential care assistant
- Social services aide
- Social worker assistant
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the average annual salary for social and human service assistants is $47,690 per year ($22.93 per hour). Employment opportunities are projected to grow 7% from 2025-2035, faster than average for other occupations.*
3. Substance Abuse Counselor
A substance abuse counselor or therapist specializes in treating patients with chemical dependency issues. They develop custom treatment plans, and help clients set goals and improve their self-worth. Typical responsibilities include providing therapy or mentoring and teaching healthy coping mechanisms.
An associate or bachelor’s degree in human services can help prepare you to become a Certified Addiction Technician (CAT), which may increase your professional opportunities and earning potential.
Enrolling in our 60-credit Master of Science in Clinical Mental Health Counseling is a solid option if you want to become a substance abuse counselor. Our program will teach you various clinical intervention methods designed to work with substance abuse patients. These include active listening, evidence-based counseling, individualized treatment plans, and trauma-focused intervention. Plus, you can complete our program in 24 months.
According to the BLS, the average annual wage for substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors is $64,440 per year ($30.98 per hour).
The BLS projects 18% growth in employment for these jobs from 2025-2035.*
4. Social and Community Service Managers
Social and community service managers plan, coordinate and supervise social programs and organizations that help support the public’s well-being. They often serve as a liaison between the communities they serve and government, healthcare and social service groups.
Duties for social and community managers vary based on the job and community needs. They may identify service gaps in different communities, perform studies to determine root causes, analyze data, and develop programs to best address the community's needs. They may also manage business operations, such as grant writing and budgeting, or develop lesson plans and educational outreach programs.
Generally, you need a bachelor’s degree to get a job as a social or community service manager. According to the BLS, the average wage for social and community service managers is $86,100 per year ($41.39 per hour).
The job outlook is favorable, with the BLS projecting a 7% employment increase from 2025-2035.
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5. Social Worker1
A social worker helps individuals, families and communities improve their quality of life through tools such as counseling, advocacy and education. Social workers meet with patients, take time to listen to their concerns, and develop plans to help them better manage obstacles in life. They are trained to address high-priority challenges including poverty, unemployment, discrimination and lack of housing, as well as substance abuse or family conflicts.
Social workers may provide direct counseling to families and communities, advocate on their behalf to community organizations or other health professionals and help guide clients through the legal system by providing testimony or assistance during court hearings.
To enter the field of social work, you will need at least a bachelor’s or master’s degree. Those who earn a Master of Social Work (MSW) may qualify for more types of jobs in social work and increase their salary potential.
Our online social work programs are available for students in several U.S. states. BSW/MSW availability varies by state:
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- District of Columbia
- Florida
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Vermont
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
6. Advanced Leadership Careers with a Master's Degree
A Master of Science in Health and Human Services Leadership prepares you for advanced leadership roles beyond entry- and mid-level human services work. Common career paths include program director, executive director, policy analyst and senior social and community service manager positions overseeing multidisciplinary teams, budgets and organizational strategy.
This program is designed for behavioral health practitioners, social workers, counselors, health educators, and career-changers who want to move into leadership and management. Many graduates advance into the social and community service manager for the occupational category cited above, at a senior level.
What Are Human Services?
Human services is a broad field focused on helping individuals, communities and the general public meet their basic needs, such as physical and mental health, food and shelter.
Human services professionals provide assistance through programs, education and advocacy. They may focus on preventive care, as well as remediation to help improve existing issues.
Human services is an interdisciplinary field that includes aspects of sociology, psychology, education, business, and other studies. That’s why people who have a degree in human services may choose a particular focus within their occupation, such as counseling or advocacy.
Where Do Human Services Professionals Work?
Human services professionals often work in nonprofits and government agencies, including local, county, and city branches, like the health department or nonprofit agencies.
Physical work environments include schools, hospitals, group homes and even remote work-from-home office spaces.
Which Health and Human Services Degree Is Right for You?
Now that you've seen some of the career paths, a human services background can open up; the next question is which degree gets you there. Herzing University offers four Health and Human Services credentials, each building toward a different point in your career.
| Program | Format | Length | Credits | Where It Can Take You |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Diploma in Health and Human Services | 100% online coursework | Average 8 months full-time | 24 | Entry-level roles like community health worker, case manager or program coordinator |
| Associate of Science in Health and Human Services | 100% online coursework | Average 16 months full-time | 60 | Entry-level roles like social services assistant, residential care assistant or social services aide |
| Bachelor of Science in Health and Human Services | 100% online coursework with in-person fieldwork | Average 32 months full-time | 120 | Mid-level roles like social and community service manager, nonprofit director or grant writer, plus HS-BCP exam eligibility |
| Master of Science in Health and Human Services Leadership | 100% online coursework with in-person fieldwork | Average 12 months full-time | 31 | Roles like program director, executive director or senior social and community service manager |
Benefits of Earning a Bachelor of Science in Health and Human Services Degree
An online degree in health and human services from Herzing University prepares you to enter the important field of community service. Our multidisciplinary program prepares students for a variety of roles, including those in leadership and management.
Certification and pathway to a master’s degree
Upon graduation, students are eligible to take the Human Services – Board Certified Practitioner (HS-BCP) exam. Earning your HS-BCP certificate can help you stand out in your professional career. Herzing University even has a course to help you prepare for the test with confidence.
Many students also choose to pursue a master’s degree to improve their earning potential and expand their career options. You can potentially pursue a master's degree in human services to advance your education to the graduate level. Eligible students may earn up to 12 credits towards their:
A degree in Health and Human Services offers great career flexibility while also offering the chance to improve the lives of others. Learn more about your options today!
Frequently Asked Questions
Tuition for Herzing University's health and human services programs is charged per credit hour and varies by degree level.
Our Diploma in Health and Human Services program costs $450 per credit, for a base tuition of $10,800 across 24 credits. The Associate of Science in Health and Human Services also costs $450 per credit, for a base tuition of $27,000 across 60 credits. The Bachelor of Science in Health and Human Services costs $450 per credit across 120 credits.
The Master of Science in Health and Human Services Leadership costs $630 per credit, for a base tuition of $19,530 across 31 credits, plus a $555 per-semester learner resource fee and its enrollment fee is waived. Scholarships, grants, transfer credit and military discounts may help lower your total cost if you qualify.
Yes. If you complete Herzing University's Bachelor of Science in Health and Human Services, you're eligible to sit for the Human Services – Board Certified Practitioner (HS-BCP) exam after completing 350 hours of postgraduate work experience.
An associate or bachelor's degree in human services can also help prepare you to pursue the Certified Addiction Technician (CAT) credential if you want to work with individuals affected by substance use disorders. Certification requirements vary by state and role, so it's worth checking with your state's licensing board for specifics.
Yes. Herzing University's Bachelor of Science in Health and Human Services lets you apply up to 12 credits toward a Master of Social Work (MSW), Master of Healthcare Administration (MHA) or Master of Business Administration (MBA). You can also transfer up to 90 approved credits from prior coursework, and some of your open elective credits can count as graduate-level dual credit.
They're related but distinct paths. A Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) is a professional degree that prepares you specifically for generalist social work practice with individuals and families, with coursework in counseling, case management, crisis intervention and child welfare services.
A Bachelor of Science in Health and Human Services is a broader, interdisciplinary degree that helps you build skills in case management, client advocacy, program coordination and organizational leadership, with coursework in nonprofit management, grant writing, fundraising, program planning and volunteer and community development. Choosing one degree now doesn't close the door on the other; you can always pursue it later. Read more about human services vs. social work.
Yes. All four Herzing health and human services credentials, the Diploma, Associate of Science, Bachelor of Science and Master of Science in Health and Human Services Leadership are delivered online, so you can build coursework around a full-time job. Many students bring real-world experience from their current helping roles into their coursework, connecting what they're learning to work they're already doing.
Explore Our Health and Human Services Degree Programs
If a career in health and human services sounds like it could be your calling, then the next step is to speak with an advisor who can help guide you through our programs and your options. Request information today to connect with an admissions advisor about Herzing's Health and Human Services programs.
Learn more about our Health and Human Services degree programs
1. Individuals considering the Master of Social Work program should be aware that state certification/ licensure requirements and eligibility to apply for certification/licensure vary from state to state. While certification/licensure is not a requirement for certain types of jobs, in some states, it may be required for any positions titled ‘Social Worker’ and to refer to yourself as a Social Worker in professional settings.
* BLS pay estimates calculate the median annual wage for various occupations. Per the BLS the median wage for an occupation is: "The wage at which half of the workers in the occupation earned more than that amount, and half earned less. Median wage data are from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey." Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook 2025. BLS median wage estimates do not represent entry-level wages and/or salaries. Multiple factors, including prior experience, age, geographic market in which you want to work, and degree level and field, will affect career outcomes, including starting salary and earnings as an experienced employee. Herzing neither represents that its graduates will earn the median salaries calculated by BLS for a particular job nor guarantees that graduation from its program will result in a job, promotion, particular wage or salary, or other career growth.