With a steadily increasing competitive job market, one of the ways that you can ensure you stand out to companies is by getting your master’s degree in human services. By obtaining this degree, you will be able to open many more doors to higher positions. These positions can range from management roles to academia, and even to better, more stable positions. This degree will afford you more flexibility in your career choices and allow you to go further that with a bachelors degree alone. This is what has attracted many to pursuing a masters in human services and is a great reason to consider it for your career as well. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, jobs in this industry are expected to grow 11 percent between the years of 2014 and 2024. This rate is faster than the average for most occupations.
If you are considering getting your masters in human services, these are just a handful of the jobs and careers you can have in the industry.
#1 College Instructor in Human Services
Once you have your masters degree in this field, you can start to teach the subjects. In this type of role, you will be helping others learn about the subject that you are so passionate about.
Some of the common tasks associated with this role include:
- Develop a plan for the course that they are teaching and ensure it meets the college and/or department guidelines
- Plan lessons and assignments for every class
- Work with students to help them excel in the course
- Teach the course
- Assess progress and understanding of the students in the course
- Remain focused and informed on changes in the field
The work environment for this role is mainly focused at a college or university. However, some of the courses are managed online and they may work from home. This can be a full time or part time position depending on the number of classes being taught at one time and how often.
The job outlook for this type of role is 13% which is better than average. The median salary is $75,430 with the top ten percent of earners making $168,270 per year.
#2 Drug and Alcohol Counselor
Becoming a drug and alcohol counselor is perfect for someone who wants to help become become better versions of themselves, improve their personal relationships, and break free from their addictions. It is not only a job where they help people with the addiction but rather a case where the addiction is looked at holistically so that they can help people get to the root of the problem.
Some of the main responsibilities for people in this role include:
- Help with treatment plans and goals
- Evaluate the physical and mental health of the client
- Monitor client behavior and determine readiness for treatment
- Teach family members how to cope and manage the addiction in the long term
- Help clients identify and avoid situations that may be a trigger
- Help clients develop methods of dealing with their addiction and on the road to recovery
This role tends to be a full time job and these counselors can work in a variety of settings. These settings can include but are not limited to community health centers, prisons, mental health centers, and private practices.
The number of jobs in this field is expected to grow by 22 percent between 2014 and 2024. This is partially due to the fact that there is an increase in the number of insurance policies that will cover these types of services for individuals.
The median salary for drug and alcohol counselors in 21016 was $41,070. The highest 10% of earners made more than $65,080 per year.
#3 Marriage and Family Therapist
Many people who like to help others in the marriage and family areas tend to work as marriage and family therapists. In this type of role, people will help others overcome family and marriage issues so they can better manage their lives in a more structures and stress free manner.
Some of the main responsibilities of marriage and family therapists are:
- Diagnosing and treating disorders such as depression and anxiety
- Helping clients deal with difficult situations such as a divorce or family relationships
- Discuss experiences and emotions as needed
- Assist with guiding clients through difficult situations and periods in their life as well as their future
- Help clients better cope with various situations
This role tends to be a full time job and many work in environments such as a private practice, medical facilities, and more. The job outlook for this position is very positive and there is an expected increase of 19 percent between 2014 and 2024. The median pay for this role is $44,170 with the top ten percent of earners making more than $70,100 per year.
#4 Higher Education Counselor
This role can be very similar to number three but the focus is different. Instead of focusing on family and marriage issues, in this role the focus is more on assisting students with difficult problems that may arise from school and may even include helping the students determine what they want to do for their career.
Some of the main responsibilities for higher education counselors are:
- Help students overcome issues pertaining to school such as social problems
- Discuss issues such as bullying, drug abuse, planning their career path, and more
- Assist and encourage discussion of personal problems that may be holding the student back
- Report cases of abuse or harassment as needed
The work environment for this role is usually based in a higher education institution and they serve only the students as needed. This role is a full time role but depending on the need and the specific school they work in, they may or may not work during the summer.
The job outlook for this position is average with other jobs as a whole at 8% through 2024. The median pay for this position is $54,560 with the top ten percent of earners making more than $90,030 per year.
#5 Social and Community Service Manager
This is a management role where the individual is responsible for supervising and coordinating programs and community organizations. In this role, they are also responsible for the management of the staff in the organization that provides social services to the public.
Some of the main responsibilities for this role include:
- Manage the administrative side of programs to meet the expectations of stakeholders
- Develop ways of gathering data about their programs and the impact
- Analyze the data to determine the program effectiveness
- Develop and suggest programs and services or improvements to existing programs and services
- Maintain and develop budgets for their various programs
- Manage outreach activities and increase awareness
- Write and submit proposals for funding
This type of position tends to be found in nonprofit organizations and within the government. They may also be found in hospitals, shelters, and clinics. It is a full time position in many cases.
The job outlook for this type of role is 10% which is better than average. The median pay for this position is $64,680 with the top ten percent of earners making more than $110,970 per year.
#6 Social Worker
As a social worker, people focus on helping other cope with and solve a variety of issues in their lives. There are many different types of social workers in the industry ranging from geriatric, child protection, and more. With so many different options, people can choose the one that they are the most passionate about and help others through that avenue.
Some of the typical things that will be done within this role include:
- Identifying people and/or communities that need assistance
- Helping clients adjust to changes in their lives
- Help refer clients to resources that can help with their health and well-being
- Assist in crisis situations such as a mental health emergency or child abuse
- Keep up with clients to ensure they are doing well
- Develop programs to assist their clients and ensure basic needs are met
There are many different work environments that are possible in this role. Some of the common ones include a hospital, government office, private practice, long term health facility, substance abuse clinic, correctional facility, and more. This tends to be a full time job and may not follow the standard 9-5 hours. Some nights and weekends are necessary.
The job outlook for this role is 12% which is better than average. The median income for this role is $46,890 with the top ten percent of earners making $78,510 per year.
#7 Student Affairs Administrator
This role is more commonly found in postsecondary facilities. In this role, the focus is on overseeing things such as faculty research, student services, and academics. The duties of the specific role can vary depending on the college they work at and the department that they work. Some examples of departments that have these types of roles include the office of the registrar, admissions, and student life.
Some examples of things that would be done in the student affairs administrator role include:
- Decide on how many students to admit to the school
- Review applications from prospective students and determine if they should be accepted
- Meet with individuals to discuss the school and encourage an application
This tends to be a full time job for many colleges with a heavy focus during application open enrollment periods.
The job outlook for this type of position is 9% which is faster than the average. The median pay for people in this role is $90,760 with the top ten percent of earners making $179,250 per year.
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