Washington · Human Services

Best colleges for Human Services in Washington

Ranked by graduate earnings

Tacoma Community College, Western Washington University and Central Washington University are the top Human Services programs in Washington by graduate earnings. Tacoma Community College leads with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $41,008, College Scorecard. Tacoma Community College, Western Washington University and Central Washington University award the most Human Services degrees and certificates in Washington: 88, 63 and 35 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25). 8 Washington colleges offer Human Services and award 253 degrees and certificates a year in all.

The Human Services program, also known as Human Services, General, is an interdisciplinary field focused on meeting human needs through a comprehensive understanding of social and service technologies. It aims to improve the quality of…

Institutions
8
offering CIP 44.00
States offered
51
with a program page
Degrees / yr
253
IPEDS completions 2024–25
Median starting salary
$39,487
1 yr after graduation, College Scorecard
With earnings data
3
College Scorecard
Median net price
—
IPEDS 2024–25
Avg graduation rate
39%
IPEDS 2024–25
State pay · Social and Human Service Assistants
$55,900
BLS OEWS May 2025

Top 3 institutions, ranked by graduate earnings

Ranked by median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard. Programs with fewer than 20 graduates a year, a graduation rate under 30%, or online, degree-completion or graduate-only status rank after the rest.

Starting salary (1 yr): median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard.
#InstitutionStarting salary (1 yr)Graduates / yrGrad rateNet priceMedian debt
1Tacoma Community College
Tacoma Public · Associate degree
$41,0088832%—$17,367
2Western Washington University
Bellingham Public · Bachelor's degree
$39,4876365%—$20,041
3Central Washington University
Ellensburg Public · Bachelor's degree
$36,6443554%—$19,893

Colleges awarding the most Human Services degrees in Washington

Top 6 by graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25 completions). Online, degree-completion and graduate-only schools, and schools with a graduation rate under 30% are listed in full below.

Graduates / yr: degrees and certificates awarded in a year, IPEDS completions. Starting salary (1 yr): median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard.
#InstitutionGraduates / yrStarting salary (1 yr)
1Tacoma Community College
Tacoma Public
88$41,008
2Western Washington University
Bellingham Public
63$39,487
3Central Washington University
Ellensburg Public
35$36,644
4Clark College
Vancouver Public
9Not reported
5Highline College
Des Moines Public
7Not reported
6Lake Washington Institute of Technology
Kirkland Public
6Not reported
Show the other 2 Washington colleges offering Human Services
InstitutionCityControlGraduates / yr
Northwest Indian CollegeBellinghamPublic35
Edmonds CollegeLynnwoodPublic10

Career outlook

What this program leads to: Social and Human Service Assistants (SOC 21-1093).

Projected growth (2024–2034)
+6.4%
Faster than average
Openings / yr (US)
~50,600
BLS Employment Projections
US median wage
$45,120
typically High school diploma or equivalent

Top skills

SpeakingActive ListeningReading ComprehensionMonitoringWritingCritical Thinking

What Social and Human Service Assistants earn in Washington

Jobs in Washington
7,590
BLS OEWS May 2025
State average pay
$55,900
median $54,770
Best-paying metro
$59,590
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA

Related careers

Social and Human Service Assistants
$55,900 avg · 7,590 jobs
Community and Social Service Specialists, All Other
$69,400 avg · 4,800 jobs
Social and Community Service Managers
$110,330 avg · 3,650 jobs

Common questions

Answers for students comparing Human Services programs in Washington.

Which Washington colleges award the most Human Services degrees?+

Tacoma Community College (88 graduates a year), Western Washington University (63 graduates a year) and Central Washington University (35 graduates a year) award the most Human Services degrees and certificates in Washington, per IPEDS 2024–25 completions. In all, 8 Washington colleges offer Human Services.

What is the best college for Human Services in Washington?+

By graduate earnings, Tacoma Community College leads among Human Services programs in Washington, with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $41,008, College Scorecard. Western Washington University and Central Washington University follow. By degrees awarded, Tacoma Community College is the largest, with 88 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25).

Which Human Services program in Washington has the highest-earning graduates?+

By median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard, Tacoma Community College tops the list at $41,008. Compare it against graduates a year, graduation rate, cost, and debt in the ranked table above.

How much do Social and Human Service Assistants earn in Washington?+

The average annual wage for Social and Human Service Assistants in Washington is $55,900 (median $54,770), across about 7,590 jobs. Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025.

What is the focus of the Human Services program?+

The Human Services program, also known as Human Services, General, is an interdisciplinary field focused on meeting human needs through a comprehensive understanding of social and service technologies. It aims to improve the quality of…

What skills will I develop in this program?+

You will develop speaking, active listening, reading comprehension, monitoring, and related professional skills.

What is the job outlook for Social and Human Service Assistants?+

The national job outlook is about +6.4% growth with around 50,600 annual openings (BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034).

What is the typical education requirement?+

A High school diploma or equivalent is the typical entry-level education for this field (BLS).

About the data on this page

Every figure comes from an official federal or public source. Here is each one and the release it is currently on.

IPEDSFall 2025–26 release, published July 28, 2026
Enrollment, completions, graduation rates, tuition, financial aid, staffing, and finance for every U.S. institution in federal student aid programs.
College ScorecardJune 10, 2026 release (merged 2025–26 files)
Institution and field-of-study costs, graduate earnings, debt, completion, and admissions outcomes compiled from federal aid records, tax data, and IPEDS.
PSEO graduate earnings2019–21 graduation cohorts (release V4.13.0)
Earnings and employment outcomes of graduates by institution, degree level, and field of study, measured from state wage records.
BLS wages & outlookOEWS May 2025 release
Occupational employment and wage estimates plus 10-year job outlook, used to connect programs to real-world earnings.
FVT/GE program performanceProvisional preview, May 18, 2026 release
Program-level debt-to-earnings and earnings-premium measures behind the FVT/GE and STATS accountability frameworks.

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