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Social and Community Service Managers

Also called: Child Welfare Services Director, Social Services Director, Transitional Care Director, Vocational Rehabilitation Administrator

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.

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Median pay BLS, 2025$80,390
Openings a year BLS, 2025–3518,500
Typical education to start BLSBachelor's degree
AI exposure BLS, Aug 2026 Very high
Projected job growth BLS, 2025–35 +7.2%

What the data says: AI could halve the time on 10 of its 16 tasks, yet jobs are projected to grow 7.2% by 2035. In the most exposed occupations, the squeeze shows up first among early-career workers. How to think about this →

About this projection

BLS builds AI into its projections where the research supports it: “BLS generally applies adjustments based on this research conservatively, where there is convincing evidence for a change.”

It also notes a limit: “BLS projection methods are not designed to capture extremely rapid technological change.”

On its AI exposure groups, BLS says exposure “does not imply job loss.”

Recent conditions

  • In 2024, 2.3% of people in this work were unemployed, against 3.8% across all occupations Census ACS 2024
  • From Sep 2025 to Aug 2026, 5.0 hires for every 10 job openings in health care and social assistance, which employs about 63% of people in this work, against 7.3 across all industries BLS JOLTS One box per opening, filled for each hire; hires beyond the openings are added in a lighter shade. Higher can mean openings get filled, or that people leave often; lower, that jobs go unfilled, or hiring is slow.

How to read these

Pay compared with all occupations BLS median wages Pays more than 74% of 825 occupations
lowest-paidhighest-paid

Median pay by state BLS OEWS May 2025, state estimates

$56k$107knot published

Median pay in every state
StateMedianMiddle half earnJobs
Alabama$72,310$56,960 to $96,2802,350
Alaska$98,370$78,000 to $119,230830
Arizona$77,550$61,820 to $95,0003,010
Arkansas$56,100$44,970 to $69,2002,850
California$83,210$70,810 to $114,09033,510
Colorado$97,440$77,350 to $127,8402,800
Connecticut$75,520$61,660 to $95,9204,350
Delaware$75,950$65,200 to $93,120930
District of Columbia$106,700$87,990 to $135,000640
Florida$76,050$60,530 to $97,8308,600
Georgia$73,290$60,250 to $97,2404,460
Hawaii$76,370$61,520 to $92,700980
Idaho$79,120$67,750 to $91,350820
Illinois$78,380$63,730 to $95,9007,520
Indiana$73,940$59,210 to $93,0602,950
Iowa$65,940$56,240 to $81,0202,790
Kansas$79,260$63,540 to $99,8001,570
Kentucky$76,960$59,000 to $91,1202,280
Louisiana$82,090$67,020 to $100,9702,680
Maine$76,160$61,880 to $90,4401,620
Maryland$87,450$71,720 to $115,6804,300
Massachusetts$81,380$66,700 to $102,9108,800
Michigan$85,500$64,190 to $102,0906,320
Minnesota$84,220$72,810 to $110,8605,430
Mississippi$67,330$51,810 to $89,6901,120
Missouri$71,970$58,010 to $84,9903,060
Montana$73,640$61,240 to $86,720820
Nebraska$73,790$58,770 to $90,6501,320
Nevada$65,570$55,000 to $89,3401,200
New Hampshire$82,290$67,930 to $99,6501,180
New Jersey$95,290$76,900 to $122,2205,530
New Mexico$81,290$70,720 to $99,7901,150
New York$95,980$77,200 to $122,84019,340
North Carolina$79,590$62,760 to $99,7704,970
North Dakota$86,630$75,990 to $98,200510
Ohio$73,890$59,850 to $92,750not published
Oklahoma$73,720$51,900 to $81,7601,640
Oregon$87,010$72,130 to $118,3803,390
Pennsylvania$75,280$60,690 to $95,39010,220
Puerto Rico$60,280$41,810 to $78,610840
Rhode Island$77,570$63,150 to $100,4601,370
South Carolina$73,410$59,700 to $95,9101,990
South Dakota$86,870$75,200 to $104,610450
Tennessee$88,240$71,770 to $106,2602,770
Texas$76,520$61,490 to $98,08013,460
Utah$83,200$63,700 to $104,8202,140
Vermont$80,760$68,770 to $97,1401,200
Virgin Islands$64,990$58,100 to $75,04060
Virginia$94,970$74,080 to $120,1803,300
Washington$103,000$84,250 to $128,6503,650
West Virginia$62,060$52,990 to $81,730820
Wisconsin$82,130$70,540 to $98,4903,580
Wyoming$66,330$45,460 to $88,790350

Nationally: $80,390. Shades run from the lowest state median to the highest; a territory below that range takes the lightest. How to read this

How AI touches the work

What AI could speed up, task by task, and where people already use it.

AI could halve the time on 10 of its 16 tasks

4 · AI alone could halve the time 6 · AI + software built on it could 6 · Not much
AI ratingIts main tasks Share of Claude conversations
May 2026
Not much Evaluate the work of staff and volunteers to ensure that programs are of appropriate quality and that resources are used effectively. Not published
AI alone Establish and oversee administrative procedures to meet objectives set by boards of directors or senior management. Not published
Not much Direct activities of professional and technical staff members and volunteers. Not published
AI + software Prepare and maintain records and reports, such as budgets, personnel records, or training manuals. under 0.01%
Not much 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. 0.01%
AI + software Establish and maintain relationships with other agencies and organizations in community to meet community needs and to ensure that services are not duplicated. Not published
See all 16 tasks
AI alone Participate in the determination of organizational policies regarding such issues as participant eligibility, program requirements, and program benefits. Not published
Not much Recruit, interview, and hire or sign up volunteers and staff. Not published
AI + software Implement and evaluate staff, volunteer, or community training programs. Not published
AI + software Research and analyze member or community needs to determine program directions and goals. Not published
AI + software Speak to community groups to explain and interpret agency purposes, programs, and policies. Not published
AI alone Act as consultants to agency staff and other community programs regarding the interpretation of program-related federal, state, and county regulations and policies. 0.04%
AI + software Plan and administer budgets for programs, equipment, and support services. Not published
Not much Analyze proposed legislation, regulations, or rule changes to determine how agency services could be impacted. under 0.01%
Not much Represent organizations in relations with governmental and media institutions. Not published
AI alone Direct fundraising activities and the preparation of public relations materials. Not published

Ordered by how important O*NET's respondents rate each task (1 to 5) times the share who say it is part of their job. The ordering is ours. 4 of the 16 have a published share of Claude conversations; “not published” means too few conversations for Anthropic to publish a figure.

Where people already use AI

The tasks above say what AI could speed up. This shows what people are using it for. Its 16 tasks fall under 20 work activities that many occupations share, and Microsoft counted how often each one came up in 200,000 conversations with its Copilot assistant in 2024.

Tasks AI could speed up10 of 16 tasksEloundou et al. ratings (2023)
Its activities among the 50 people ask AI for help with most2 of 20 activities
  • #3 Respond to customer problems or inquiries
  • #47 Assess characteristics or impacts of regulations or policies
Microsoft Copilot (2024), ranked among all 332 activities. The cut-off of 50 is ours.
Work activity This occupation's tasks under it People asked AI for help
in 10,000 conversations		 AI did it for them
in 10,000 conversations
Develop organizational policies, systems, or processes 2.70#175 1.31#148
Respond to customer problems or inquiries 879#3 1,565#1
Assess characteristics or impacts of regulations or policies 33#47 16#52
Evaluate programs, practices, or processes 15#67 5.67#80
Analyze market or industry conditions 14#70 6.73#74
Promote products, services, or programs 14#72 85#20
Advise others on legal or regulatory matters 8.33#101 22#45
Monitor individual behavior or performance 5.87#114 1.22#153
Show all 20 activities
Develop professional relationships or networks 5.83#117 1.56#140
Interview people to obtain information 4.73#130 5.04#87
Collect data about consumer needs or opinions 4.64#131 4.89#93
Manage budgets or finances 4.12#143 0.51#203
Coordinate group, community, or public activities 3.24#162 1.26#151
Coordinate activities with clients, agencies, or organizations 2.97#168 2.18#124
Prepare financial documents, reports, or budgets 2.96#169 0.55#196
Maintain operational records 2.92#170 0.49#209
Direct organizational operations, activities, or procedures 1.85#204 0.36#225
Perform recruiting or hiring activities 0.99#237 0.43#217
Manage human resources activities 0.71#255 0.19#244
Supervise personnel activities 0.56#266 0.05#283
Task: AI alone Task: AI + software Task: not much #: rank among all 332 activities Microsoft measured (#1 = most common; activities that never came up share last place, shown as “tied”)
Where the two sources differ: “Develop organizational policies, systems, or processes” holds 2 tasks rated AI alone, yet people asked AI for help with it in 2.70 of every 10,000 conversations, #175 of 332.

How people in this work use Claude

What people in this work made with Claude % of conversations

  • An explanation or answer36%
  • A document or report21%
  • Advice or a recommendation10%
  • An email or message7%
  • An analysis or summary7%

How they worked with Claude

34% handed the task off66% worked on it together

57% of these conversations were about work. Anthropic Economic Index, May 2026.

How to read this

Work activities come from O*NET, which links every task to the broader activities it involves. Microsoft's figures are for the activity across everyone who used Copilot, not for social and community service managers specifically. Copilot is a general chat assistant; dedicated coding tools are not included, so programming help is under-counted here. Activities are listed by how many of this occupation's tasks fall under them.

The task ratings say whether AI could halve the time a task takes: on its own (“AI alone”), or with software built on it (“AI + software”). They were made by people in 2023 (Eloundou et al.). Claude's share is the task's share of all Claude.ai conversations in May 2026; Anthropic doesn't publish a task with too few conversations. None of these add up to the BLS exposure group, which combines five research measures.

More in the Guide: task ratings · task order · work activities · Copilot figures · Claude

High exposure doesn't mean fewer jobs

BLS projects most occupations in its two most exposed groups to grow: 141 of 206 rated Very high and 165 of 206 rated High. Each dot is one of the 831 occupations BLS rates.

AI exposure and projected job growth, 831 occupationsLow exposure: 134 of 213 occupations projected to grow. Moderate exposure: 151 of 206 occupations projected to grow. High exposure: 165 of 206 occupations projected to grow. Very high exposure: 141 of 206 occupations projected to grow.-20%-15%-10%-5%0%+5%+10%+15%+20%+25%Low134 of 213 growingModerate151 of 206 growingHigh165 of 206 growingVery high141 of 206 growing11 occupations outside −20% to +25% are drawn at the edge. Click a dot to see that occupation.Social and community service managers: +7.2%Social and Community Service ManagersAI exposure and projected job growth, 831 occupationsLow exposure: 134 of 213 occupations projected to grow. Moderate exposure: 151 of 206 occupations projected to grow. High exposure: 165 of 206 occupations projected to grow. Very high exposure: 141 of 206 occupations projected to grow.-20%-15%-10%-5%0%+5%+10%+15%+20%+25%Low134 of 213Moderate151 of 206High165 of 206Very high141 of 20611 occupations outside −20% to +25% are drawn at the edge. Tap a dot.Social and community service managers: +7.2%Social and Community Service Managers

Career moves into and out of this occupation

From moves between occupations found in online resumes, 2002–2016. Career changes only: a first job after school isn't a move.

Where people moved next

of 143,859 moves out

  1. 1 Managers, All Other (2010 group) an older group BLS has since split; no exposure group today 6%
  2. 2 Medical and Health Services Managers High +24.2% 3%
  3. 3 Postsecondary Teachers, All Other Very high +2.0% 3%
  4. 4 Chief Executives Very high +3.2% 3%
  5. 5 Management Analysts Very high +10.1% 3%

Where people moved in from

of 144,641 moves in

  1. 1 Managers, All Other (2010 group) an older group BLS has since split; no exposure group today 5%
  2. 2 Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive Very high -6.0% 3%
  3. 3 Office Clerks, General Very high -6.0% 3%
  4. 4 Medical and Health Services Managers High +24.2% 2%
  5. 5 Teachers and Instructors, All Other (2010 group) an older group BLS has since split; no exposure group today 2%

Resumes over-represent younger, white-collar job-seekers and moves into management. Schubert, Stansbury and Taska (resume data).

Education and training for the occupation

Education people in it hold

O*NET survey of workers in this occupation

  • 7% high school
  • 2% some college
  • 8% associate's
  • 50% bachelor's
  • 24% master's
  • 8% post-master's certificate

O*NET 31.0 survey of workers in this occupation · 27 people answered.

Census survey (American Community Survey)

  • 2% less than high school
  • 8% high school
  • 13% some college
  • 6% associate's
  • 40% bachelor's
  • 27% master's
  • 3% professional degree
  • 2% doctorate

Census ACS 2024, all workers in this occupation · 5,264 people surveyed.

Why the two can differ

O*NET asks about 20 people in each occupation, which makes its shares uncertain, but it reports the exact occupation and counts certificates. The Census survey reaches thousands, but it groups some occupations together and counts degrees only. More in the Guide

Median pay by highest degree full-time, year-round · Census ACS 2024, all workers in this occupation

Programs that prepare people for it (NCES)
12 programs, such as Behavioral Sciences, Thanatology and Human Services, General.
See all
  • Behavioral Sciences
  • Thanatology
  • Human Services, General
  • Community Organization and Advocacy
  • Public Administration
  • Social Work
  • Youth Services/Administration
  • Forensic Social Work
  • Social Work, Other
  • Business/Commerce, General
  • Business Administration and Management, General
  • Non-Profit/Public/Organizational Management

Jobs that require a credential BLS Occupational Requirements Survey 2023

68.0% this occupation

45.3% all occupations

By kindThis occupationAll occupations
a license16.9%19.1%
a certification13.4%5.8%
an educational certificate1.4%2.8%

Share of jobs whose employer requires it. BLS doesn't say which credential. How to read this

Look up certifications, training and licenses U.S. Department of Labor

These open in a new tab and send only the occupation's public code. More in the Guide

See where your own career could go Start by uploading your resume Browse careers

BLS AI exposure categories (Aug 2026) · BLS Employment Projections 2025–35 · O*NET 31.0 · Task ratings: Eloundou et al., Science (2024) · Microsoft "Working with AI" v1.1 · Anthropic Economic Index (2026-06-26) · Schubert, Stansbury and Taska · NCES CIP–SOC · Census ACS 2024 · BLS JOLTS · Brynjolfsson, Chandar and Chen, Stanford (Aug 2026)

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