Throughout the course of our lives, it can be challenging to figure out what we want from life. For some people, the pursuit of wealth and status. Others desire stability. But there’s a special type of person with altruistic ideals who want to help others. For those people, a degree in human services can be the best thing to help them make a difference in the world. Human services is a wide and diverse career field, with plenty of opportunities after college. So, should you get a human services degree? Keep reading to help you decide it’s the right course of action for you.
What Is Human Services?

Broadly speaking, Human Services is a field of various disciplines that all contribute in some way to making a difference in the lives of others. Think of it as an umbrella term for any discipline dedicated to the benefit of others.
Roles within human services involve social work, counseling, therapy, psychiatry, community development, and much more. Taking on the vocation of human services means helping others find stability in life and giving of yourself to make the world a better place.
Types of Jobs in the Field
The field of Human Services is a veritable cornucopia of different types of jobs. Here are just a few of the many in the field:
- Social workers
- Counselors
- Case managers
- Therapists
- Substance abuse counselors
- Psychiatric nurses
- Program manager (nonprofit)
- Advocates
- Marriage counselor
- Rehabilitation counselor
- Hospice worker
- Community Outreach
- Human services assistant
- Crisis counselor
- Disability Specialist
Each job requires its own set of specialized skills and knowledge. The one thing all of them have in common is they help others in meaningful ways, require discipline, and are simultaneously rewarding and challenging careers.
Typical Duties
Because there are multiple disciplines in the human services field, the job duties will vary by role. They’ll perform a variety of different duties, including counseling, support (individuals and families), helping groups, advocating for clients, and helping people with basic needs. Some roles work in developing housing programs, food services, and healthcare. They’ll also spend considerable time with clients, learning about them and helping to assess their needs.
Employees in the field are also responsible for creating policies that promote social justice and equity among all members of society. Additionally, these professionals may also be involved in program evaluation activities or provide education about available services to the community. It’s a comprehensive job that can be both challenging and rewarding for anyone with the right mindset to jump into the field.
Education
To be better equipped to handle the needs of the people you help, having the best education/skills to address their needs is imperative. In the field of human services, getting a degree is a rewarding endeavor. Possessing a degree will equip students with the necessary knowledge to meet their client’s needs. Any human services field will require some hands-on training and development specific to the field.
It’s best to focus on taking classes that can help them specialize. Expertise in public health, social work policy, applied social research and child/adolescent psychology can help develop relevant skills to working in the field long-term. Consider getting a human services degree online to get the best possible schooling in the field.
Getting an education online is often more convenient than going through a traditional program because it allows students to work around their own schedule. Better yet, online college provides the same quality education as traditional colleges. And it’s significantly less expensive because there aren’t any extra fees that a physical school would typically require students to pay.
Pay and Compensation

Human services workers make a meaningful impact on the world around them. Because the professions are so varied, earnings can also fluctuate depending on the career. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median annual wage was $36,830 just three years ago.
It’s increased a bit since then. The top ten percent of earners can make more than $63,000 per year. What makes a career in Human Services worthwhile isn’t just the pay. Although that is important, Human Services careers are more about having the opportunity to help other people and make a meaningful impact on their lives.
Human Services professionals working many different settings. These include schools, clinics, government agencies, nonprofit organizations, and private practices. If you’re passionate about helping others and you want to make a difference in your community while having a sustainable career, then he would service this might be the vocation for you.