Office and Administrative Support Occupations·SOC 43-4061

Best degree programs for Eligibility Interviewers, Government Programs, ranked by enrollment

Q: What degree do you need to become an Eligibility Interviewer, Government Programs?

High school diploma or equivalent is the typical entry-level education BLS reports for this occupation. The most common program people actually graduate from is Community Organization and Advocacy, which awarded 3,003 degrees in 2024-25, 100.0% of everyone graduating from a program that feeds this career.

Q: Which college majors lead to becoming an Eligibility Interviewer, Government Programs?

The NCES CIP-to-SOC crosswalk maps 1 programs to this occupation. The largest are Community Organization and Advocacy. Together they graduate about 3,003 people a year.

Q: How much do eligibility interviewers, government programs earn?

The median is $54,210 a year (BLS OEWS May 2025). The middle range runs from $38,900 at the 10th percentile to $74,690 at the 90th. This is pay for people already working in the occupation, not the same thing as graduate earnings one year after finishing a degree.

Q: Is demand for eligibility interviewers, government programs growing?

BLS projects a +1.0% change in employment between 2024 and 2034, little or no change, with roughly 14,000 openings a year nationally once retirements and job changes are counted.

Q: How many schools offer programs for this career?

105 institutions reported graduates from at least one of the 1 programs that feed this occupation in IPEDS 2024-25. Rankings on this page use graduates per year, because the federal data publishes no enrollment count by program.

Q: What other job titles do eligibility interviewers, government programs work under?

Employers advertise this work under many names. O*NET records Eligibility Worker, Eligibility Specialist, Social Welfare Examiner (SWEX), Workforce Services Representative (WSR) among the most commonly reported, all mapping to SOC 43-4061.

1 college programs and 105 schools train Eligibility Interviewers, Government Programs. Compare graduates per year, cost and pay, $54,210 median wage, 154,800 U.S. jobs. Federal data.

1 college programs at 105 schools train eligibility interviewers, government programs, graduating 3,003 people a year (IPEDS completions). The largest is Community Organization and Advocacy. The job pays a median of $54,210 (BLS OEWS May 2025).

Graduates / yr

3,003

from every feeder program

Median annual wage

$54,210

BLS OEWS May 2025

Projected growth

+1.0%

Little or no change

Openings / yr

14,000

new plus replacement

Schools

105

with a feeder program

States with jobs

BLS reports wages

About eligibility interviewers, government programs

Determine eligibility of persons applying to receive assistance from government programs and agency resources, such as welfare, unemployment benefits, social security, and public housing.

Also calledEligibility WorkerEligibility SpecialistSocial Welfare Examiner (SWEX)Workforce Services Representative (WSR)InterviewerCase ManagerIntake ClerkContact AgentGrants ManagerGrants OfficerContact OfficerTenant Selector

Fields of study that lead to this job

Grouped at the 4-digit CIP level, the tier our program pages are built on. Numbers are graduates per year.

Public Administration And Social Service Professions

CIP 44.02

Community Organization and Advocacy

3,003graduates / yr

105 schools · 1 specialization · 100.0% of pipeline

Grad earnings $39,102

1 degree programs that lead to this job

Ranked by graduates per year (IPEDS completions). Graduate earnings and debt are College Scorecard figures for people who finished the program, reported at the 4-digit CIP level, so specializations within one field share a figure. That is a different measurement from the occupation-wide wages further down this page.

Degree programs that lead to this occupation, ranked by graduates per year
#	Program	Graduates / yr	Share of pipeline	Schools	Grad earnings (1 yr)	Median debt
1	Community Organization and Advocacy CIP 44.0201	3,003	100.0%	105	$39,102	$27,000

Top 50 schools by graduates into this job

Counting every feeder program a school offers, not just its largest one.

Schools ranked by graduates per year into this occupation
#	School	Graduates / yr	Top feeder program	Grad rate	Net price	Acceptance
1	Grand Canyon University Phoenix, AZ Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs	890	Community Organization and Advocacy	43%	$21,535	79%
2	University of Phoenix - Arizona Phoenix, AZ Private for-profit · 1 feeder programs	376	Community Organization and Advocacy	21%	$15,478	—
3	Empire State University Saratoga Springs, NY Public · 1 feeder programs	299	Community Organization and Advocacy	41%	—	—
4	Brigham Young University - Idaho Rexburg, ID Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs	127	Community Organization and Advocacy	55%	$6,760	96%
5	Central Michigan University Mount Pleasant, MI Public · 1 feeder programs	126	Community Organization and Advocacy	59%	—	90%
6	Louisiana State University - Shreveport Shreveport, LA Public · 1 feeder programs	105	Community Organization and Advocacy	38%	—	51%
7	Springfield College - Regional, Online, and Continuing Education Springfield, MA Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs	80	Community Organization and Advocacy	—	—	—
8	CUNY Borough of Manhattan Community College New York, NY Public · 1 feeder programs	71	Community Organization and Advocacy	25%	—	—
9	Indiana University - Indianapolis Indianapolis, IN Public · 1 feeder programs	71	Community Organization and Advocacy	54%	—	76%
10	Northwestern University Evanston, IL Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs	71	Community Organization and Advocacy	95%	$14,799	8%
11	Capella University Minneapolis, MN Private for-profit · 1 feeder programs	57	Community Organization and Advocacy	20%	$19,369	—
12	University of Michigan - Ann Arbor Ann Arbor, MI Public · 1 feeder programs	37	Community Organization and Advocacy	93%	—	16%
13	Washtenaw Community College Ann Arbor, MI Public · 1 feeder programs	35	Community Organization and Advocacy	33%	—	—
14	Arizona State University Digital Immersion Scottsdale, AZ Public · 1 feeder programs	30	Community Organization and Advocacy	0%	—	67%
15	Des Moines Area Community College Ankeny, IA Public · 1 feeder programs	29	Community Organization and Advocacy	39%	—	—
16	CUNY Graduate School and University Center New York, NY Public · 1 feeder programs	27	Community Organization and Advocacy	—	—	68%
17	Clark University Worcester, MA Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs	26	Community Organization and Advocacy	77%	$23,332	40%
18	University of California - Santa Cruz Santa Cruz, CA Public · 1 feeder programs	22	Community Organization and Advocacy	75%	—	66%
19	Merrimack College North Andover, MA Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs	21	Community Organization and Advocacy	70%	$33,877	70%
20	Murray State University Murray, KY Public · 1 feeder programs	20	Community Organization and Advocacy	61%	—	86%
21	Prescott College Prescott, AZ Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs	20	Community Organization and Advocacy	56%	$23,166	95%
22	Siena Heights University Adrian, MI Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs	20	Community Organization and Advocacy	39%	$17,015	69%
23	Metropolitan State University Saint Paul, MN Public · 1 feeder programs	19	Community Organization and Advocacy	44%	—	99%
24	Black Hills State University Spearfish, SD Public · 1 feeder programs	17	Community Organization and Advocacy	43%	—	96%
25	New York University New York, NY Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs	16	Community Organization and Advocacy	88%	$29,023	9%
26	Binghamton University Vestal, NY Public · 1 feeder programs	15	Community Organization and Advocacy	82%	—	39%
27	Pennsylvania State University - World Campus University Park, PA Public · 1 feeder programs	14	Community Organization and Advocacy	34%	—	91%
28	University of Maine at Augusta Augusta, ME Public · 1 feeder programs	14	Community Organization and Advocacy	27%	—	—
29	Grand Valley State University Allendale, MI Public · 1 feeder programs	13	Community Organization and Advocacy	67%	—	83%
30	Arizona State University Campus Immersion Tempe, AZ Public · 1 feeder programs	11	Community Organization and Advocacy	68%	—	90%
31	Kirkwood Community College Cedar Rapids, IA Public · 1 feeder programs	11	Community Organization and Advocacy	43%	—	—
32	Siena University Loudonville, NY Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs	11	Community Organization and Advocacy	75%	$30,138	69%
33	Sinclair Community College Dayton, OH Public · 1 feeder programs	11	Community Organization and Advocacy	41%	—	—
34	Vanderbilt University Nashville, TN Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs	11	Community Organization and Advocacy	94%	$14,854	6%
35	Gordon College Wenham, MA Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs	10	Community Organization and Advocacy	69%	$23,077	69%
36	University of Colorado Boulder Boulder, CO Public · 1 feeder programs	10	Community Organization and Advocacy	74%	—	78%
37	DePaul University Chicago, IL Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs	9	Community Organization and Advocacy	68%	$28,141	76%
38	Future Generations University Franklin, WV Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs	9	Community Organization and Advocacy	—	—	—
39	Kellogg Community College Battle Creek, MI Public · 1 feeder programs	9	Community Organization and Advocacy	30%	—	—
40	University of Alaska Fairbanks Fairbanks, AK Public · 1 feeder programs	9	Community Organization and Advocacy	38%	—	—
41	University of New Mexico - Gallup Campus Gallup, NM Public · 1 feeder programs	9	Community Organization and Advocacy	20%	—	—
42	Columbia College Columbia, SC Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs	8	Community Organization and Advocacy	37%	$23,986	94%
43	University of Dayton Dayton, OH Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs	8	Community Organization and Advocacy	80%	$28,560	65%
44	University of Utah Salt Lake City, UT Public · 1 feeder programs	8	Community Organization and Advocacy	65%	—	86%
45	Westminster University Salt Lake City, UT Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs	8	Community Organization and Advocacy	64%	$23,154	67%
46	Brandeis University Waltham, MA Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs	7	Community Organization and Advocacy	86%	$25,074	40%
47	Kansas State University Manhattan, KS Public · 1 feeder programs	7	Community Organization and Advocacy	71%	—	82%
48	Point Park University Pittsburgh, PA Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs	7	Community Organization and Advocacy	59%	$23,704	97%
49	Berkshire Community College Pittsfield, MA Public · 1 feeder programs	6	Community Organization and Advocacy	20%	—	—
50	Emory & Henry University Emory, VA Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs	6	Community Organization and Advocacy	56%	$20,446	84%

What eligibility interviewers, government programs earn

What people already working in this job earn (BLS OEWS May 2025). Not graduate earnings.

Median annual wage

$54,210

Mean annual

$56,090

Median hourly

$26.06/hr

People employed

154,800

What the range looks like

10th pct$38,900Median$54,21090th pct$74,690

Top-paying states

Top-paying metro areas

San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA

$97,900median

1,240 jobs

San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA

$82,960median

2,850 jobs

Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA

$80,330median

240 jobs

Salinas, CA

$76,090median

320 jobs

Vallejo, CA

$75,360median

100 jobs

New Haven, CT

$75,370median

150 jobs

Kalamazoo-Portage, MI

$70,660median

150 jobs

Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV

$66,130median

2,150 jobs

Job outlook

Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections, 2024 to 2034.

Projected growth 2024–34

+1.0%

Little or no change

Openings per year

14,000

new jobs plus replacements

Employment change

1,700

166,800 → 168,500

Typical entry education

High school diploma or equivalent

Plus moderate-term on-the-job training

Where the jobs are, state by state

Pick a state for in-state pay, the schools there, and the programs they run.

This occupation state by state: pay, jobs, and schools
State	Median pay	Jobs	Concentration	Schools	Graduates / yr
Arizona	$41,690	3,440	1.07×	5	1,327
New York	$53,430	10,220	1.06×	14	474
Michigan	$66,830	5,060	1.15×	8	247
Massachusetts	$64,750	1,700	0.47×	9	155
Idaholimited	$52,670	240	0.28×	1	127
Louisianalimited	$48,260	740	0.39×	1	105
Illinoismoderate	$61,840	1,740	0.29×	4	92
Minnesotamoderate	$62,820	2,910	0.99×	3	81
Indianamoderate	$40,160	3,000	0.94×	3	74
Iowamoderate	$61,340	1,040	0.67×	3	41
Pennsylvaniamoderate	$59,070	10,280	1.70×	4	24
Californialimited	$63,520	30,960	1.71×	1	22
Ohiomoderate	$50,070	4,300	0.78×	4	21
Kentuckylimited	$52,020	1,710	0.86×	1	20
Mainelimited	$50,860	620	0.98×	2	18
South Dakotalimited	$52,350	470	1.03×	1	17
Missourimoderate	$42,850	4,130	1.41×	4	16
Utahlimited	$52,790	1,960	1.14×	2	16
Coloradomoderate	$58,750	3,140	1.10×	4	14
Tennesseelimited	$49,230	4,060	1.24×	2	12
Virginialimited	$50,960	4,290	1.05×	2	12
South Carolinalimited	$38,670	1,750	0.76×	2	11
West Virginialimited	$44,150	250	0.36×	2	10
Alaskalimited	$61,840	400	1.23×	1	9
Kansaslimited	$49,650	810	0.57×	2	9
New Mexicolimited	$53,000	790	0.91×	1	9
Floridalimited	$37,230	5,880	0.60×	2	5
Texaslimited	$46,860	12,020	0.86×	2	5
Vermontlimited	$58,530	310	1.04×	1	5
Georgialimited	$44,620	6,120	1.26×	1	4
North Carolinalimited	$47,350	7,740	1.57×	2	4
New Jerseylimited	$51,380	920	0.22×	2	4
Connecticutlimited	$71,940	1,250	0.74×	1	3
Wisconsinlimited	$51,480	1,610	0.55×	2	3
North Dakotalimited	$51,810	410	0.97×	1	2
Oklahomalimited	$49,090	520	0.31×	2	2
District of Columbialimited	$74,080	640	0.92×	1	1
Marylandlimited	$57,160	3,710	1.35×	1	1
Rhode Islandlimited	$64,560	570	1.14×	1	1

Skills and tools

From O*NET, the U.S. Department of Labor's occupational database. Importance is a 1 to 5 scale.

What they do day to day

Compute and authorize amounts of assistance for programs, such as grants, monetary payments, and food stamps.
Keep records of assigned cases, and prepare required reports.
Compile, record, and evaluate personal and financial data to verify completeness and accuracy, and to determine eligibility status.
Interview and investigate applicants for public assistance to gather information pertinent to their applications.
Interview benefits recipients at specified intervals to certify their eligibility for continuing benefits.
Interpret and explain information such as eligibility requirements, application details, payment methods, and applicants' legal rights.
Initiate procedures to grant, modify, deny, or terminate assistance, or refer applicants to other agencies for assistance.
Check with employers or other references to verify answers and obtain further information.

Skills

Speaking4.3
Active Listening4.0
Reading Comprehension3.9
Writing3.8
Critical Thinking3.5
Monitoring3.1
Active Learning3.1
Learning Strategies2.5

Knowledge areas

Customer and Personal Service4.9
English Language4.4
Administration and Management3.8
Administrative3.8
Personnel and Human Resources3.5
Education and Training3.4

Abilities

Oral Expression4.3
Oral Comprehension4.0
Speech Clarity3.9
Written Comprehension3.9
Written Expression3.9
Speech Recognition3.8

Core activities

Working with Computers4.7
Getting Information4.6
Performing for or Working Directly with the Public4.6
Processing Information4.5
Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards4.4
Documenting/Recording Information4.4

Tools and technology

hotmarks an O*NET hot technology

Microsoft AccesshotMicrosoft ExcelhotMicrosoft Office softwarehotMicrosoft OutlookhotMicrosoft PowerPointhotMicrosoft WordhotZoomhotAdobe Acrobat ReaderClient assessment softwareCorel WinZip

How to get in

How to become a Eligibility Interviewer, Government Programs

Job zone 3 of 5 · SVP 6.0 to < 7.0

Typical entry education: High school diploma or equivalent
On-the-job training: Moderate-term on-the-job training

Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.

Previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for these occupations. For example, an electrician must have completed three or four years of apprenticeship or several years of vocational training, and often must have passed a licensing exam, in order to perform the job.

Employees in these occupations usually need one or two years of training involving both on-the-job experience and informal training with experienced workers. A recognized apprenticeship program may be associated with these occupations.

Every major mapped to this job

The official federal mapping behind the rankings above.

All 1 majors mapped to Eligibility Interviewers, Government Programs1 of them graduated someone in the latest IPEDS year. NCES CIP 2020 → SOC 2018 crosswalk.+

44.0201Community Organization and Advocacy

Related careers

Jobs O*NET identifies as close to this one, with their own pay and outlook.

43-4161

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$50,61090,220 jobs-7.1%

13-1071

Human Resources Specialists

$75,940912,430 jobs+6.2%

13-1141

Compensation, Benefits, and Job Analysis Specialists

$78,210112,380 jobs+5.3%

11-9151

Social and Community Service Managers

$80,390209,330 jobs+6.4%

43-9041

Insurance Claims and Policy Processing Clerks

$49,230214,260 jobs-3.7%

13-1041

Compliance Officers

$80,730417,070 jobs+3.0%

Common questions

What degree do you need to become an Eligibility Interviewer, Government Programs?+

High school diploma or equivalent is the typical entry-level education BLS reports for this occupation. The most common program people actually graduate from is Community Organization and Advocacy, which awarded 3,003 degrees in 2024-25, 100.0% of everyone graduating from a program that feeds this career.

Which college majors lead to becoming an Eligibility Interviewer, Government Programs?+

The NCES CIP-to-SOC crosswalk maps 1 programs to this occupation. The largest are Community Organization and Advocacy. Together they graduate about 3,003 people a year.

How much do eligibility interviewers, government programs earn?+

The median is $54,210 a year (BLS OEWS May 2025). The middle range runs from $38,900 at the 10th percentile to $74,690 at the 90th. This is pay for people already working in the occupation, not the same thing as graduate earnings one year after finishing a degree.

Is demand for eligibility interviewers, government programs growing?+

BLS projects a +1.0% change in employment between 2024 and 2034, little or no change, with roughly 14,000 openings a year nationally once retirements and job changes are counted.

How many schools offer programs for this career?+

105 institutions reported graduates from at least one of the 1 programs that feed this occupation in IPEDS 2024-25. Rankings on this page use graduates per year, because the federal data publishes no enrollment count by program.

What other job titles do eligibility interviewers, government programs work under?+

Employers advertise this work under many names. O*NET records Eligibility Worker, Eligibility Specialist, Social Welfare Examiner (SWEX), Workforce Services Representative (WSR) among the most commonly reported, all mapping to SOC 43-4061.

↑ Zoom outAll occupations Office and Administrative Support Occupations

Eligibility Interviewers, Government Programs by stateArizona New York Michigan Massachusetts Idaho Louisiana Illinois Minnesota Indiana Iowa Pennsylvania California

Programs that lead hereCommunity Organization and Advocacy

About the data on this page

Rankings use IPEDS completions 2024-25, degrees awarded per year. That is the closest federal measure of how many people a program puts into a career, because no federal dataset publishes enrollment by program. Wages and employment come from BLS OEWS May 2025, growth and openings from BLS Employment Projections 2024-34, and which majors lead to which jobs from the NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk. Occupation descriptions, tasks, skills and tools are O*NET 30.3 (CC BY 4.0, U.S. Department of Labor/ETA).

BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics
May 2025
Wages, employment counts, location quotients and metro breakdowns.
Official source →
BLS Employment Projections
2024–34
Projected growth, annual openings and typical entry-level education.
Official source →
IPEDS Completions
2024-25 (provisional)
Graduates per year by program and institution — the ranking metric.
Official source →
College Scorecard, Field of Study
2020-21 cohorts
Median graduate earnings one year after completion, and median debt.
Official source →
Census Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes
latest available
Graduate earnings 1/5/10 years out, where the state participates.
Official source →
NCES CIP 2020 and the CIP-to-SOC 2018 crosswalk
CIP 2020 / SOC 2018
Which college programs officially lead to this occupation.
Official source →
O*NET Database 30.3
30.3
Tasks, skills, knowledge, tools, job zone and alternate job titles.
Official source →CC BY 4.0, U.S. Department of Labor / ETA

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