Is a Human Services Degree Right for Me?

Human service workers help their communities through various outreach programs. If you want a career helping your community, human services might be right for you.

The human services field examines the structures of society to see how individuals and communities are affected.

If you have a passion for helping people, reviewing policy, and making recommendations to improve the quality of life for people in your community, a degree in human services can open doors for your future career.

What Is a Human Service Degree?

A human services degree program is a degree program that prepares graduates to work in a variety of careers related to community outreach. Although multiple degrees can prepare people to work in social justice-related organizations and initiatives, a human services degree prepares graduates for administrative and leadership roles, while a social work degree is better for front-line positions.

Because a human services degree is better for administrative roles, most positions will require a master's degree in human services or a related field, such as social work or psychology. However, there will be entry-level career opportunities for graduates with human services bachelor's degrees.

If you want to gain experience and see what the field is like, there are positions for human service assistants that often only require a high school diploma or GED. These positions can help you decide if a degree in human services will help you meet your career goals.

What Does a Human Services Major Study?

Human services encompass a variety of aspects related to the impact of policies on different demographics. Human services majors need to take a variety of classes with coursework related directly to social justice, such as:

gerontology (the study of impacts of aging)
case management
mental health
criminal justice
courses that strengthen communication skills

Why You Should Consider a Degree in Human Services

There are many reasons that people are drawn to individual degree programs, and human services is no different. If you're considering a degree in this field, but haven't decided, consider the following reasons.

Help Your Community

One of the biggest reasons that you should consider a degree in human services is that you will be doing work that matters that directly impacts the people who live in your community. Although other degrees can help you do work with a positive community impact, human services are uniquely situated for work with a variety of community organizations focused on alleviating societal pressures on more vulnerable demographics.

The impact of most human service workers is felt directly by the communities that they live in, which can often be extremely rewarding for workers trying to improve the public health and well-being of the people living in their local communities.

Direct Impact on People's Lives

As more people acknowledge the need for mental health assistance, there is an increased demand for human services professionals. This work has a direct impact on the lives of people turning to human services workers, and the help they receive can be life-saving or changing.

Job Security and Positive Growth

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), human services-related occupations are expected to see faster growth than the average for all careers. Although this growth rate will vary based on your chosen concentrations within the human services field, the occupation as a whole has a very positive outlook. As more societal focus is put on mental health advocacy and social services, the need for qualified workers within this industry will only continue.

High Earning Potential

In addition to the growing demand for careers in human services, workers in this field also have a higher median salary than the national average across occupations. Pay shouldn't be the sole factor in determining if a degree program is right for you, but knowing your degree can lead to a career path with an above-average salary is beneficial for helping some students decide.

Work In Government or Non-Profit Organizations

By 2032, more positions will be available within the human services field in multiple sectors, including government, business, and non-profit. Having skills that allow you to work for multiple types of organizations will give you more control over your career and choices for how you want to advance and grow.

Human services are often focused on local communities, but there are large government agencies such as the Department of Health and Human Services that provide human services career paths on a national level in regard to health care, systemic treatment of minorities, and more. Although a degree in human services will allow you to stay in your community, there will be career options outside if you would rather relocate.

Career Flexibility

The work of a human services professional is often done on an asynchronous schedule. Setting up appointments and meetings can happen at different times and can give you flexibility which can help you figure out how to maintain a healthy work-life balance.

Many human services workers do work more traditional hours, but there will be opportunities to take control of your scheduling that some other careers don't offer.

Learn Transferrable Skills

Although the work of a human services professional is very specialized, the skills they employ daily can transfer to multiple other careers and industries. For example, the skills learned through reviewing policy and the impact it has on members of a community can prepare a person to work in human resources within larger companies.

These skills can also translate into other government positions or even elected office as your understanding of communities and their needs will allow you to connect well with constituents.

Job Opportunities for Human Service Degree Majors

Earning a degree is only as good as the careers that are available to you after graduation. If you want to become a human services major, there are many career options available to you in both the private and public sectors.

Some of the most common job titles available to graduates of a human services degree program include:

Human Services Degree: Questions To Ask Yourself

Deciding on a career or degree path can often be a hard decision to make. Asking yourself questions about your career goals and different degree plans can help you decide if a human services degree is right for you.

Am I open to attending graduate school to earn a human services degree?
Do I want to work in an administrative capacity to help my community?
Would I prefer an on-campus or online human services degree?
Are there any particular areas of human services that appeal to me more, such as substance abuse counseling, family welfare, or mental health?
Do I want to work in my community or at a national level in a government agency?
Am I comfortable helping create mental health and substance abuse treatment plans?