Best Social Services Jobs
When speaking with professionals in social services, U.S. News found that the majority of them feel their job wasn’t a choice, but rather a calling to positively affect others’ lives. Many of the jobs involve working with children, from the teachers who educate them to the social workers and school counselors who advise and protect them. Others in this industry affect society in more subtle ways, like the hairdresser who finds joy in enhancing his clients’ appearance, and therefore, self-esteem. All our social services jobs share another virtue: They should match the healthcare industry in hiring opportunity this decade. Read more about how we ranked the Best Jobs.
The Rankings
#1 Maintenance and Repair Worker
Overall Score: 6.7
| Growth: | 142,000 |
| Unemployment: | 7.0% |
| Median Salary: | $34,730 |
| Satisfaction: | MEDIUM |
You might think of them as handymen, jacks-of-all-trades, or Mr.—and even Mrs.—Fix-Its. But one in the field refers to maintenance workers as “doctors for the home.” And the Labor Department predicts we’ll need more than 140,000 new ones by 2020.
#2 Elementary School Teacher
Overall Score: 6.6
| Growth: | 248,800 |
| Unemployment: | 5.5% |
| Median Salary: | $51,660 |
| Satisfaction: | MEDIUM |
Elementary school teachers do more than educate. They also advocate for, boost the morale of, entertain, and befriend our children. Given the meaty job description, it’s no wonder that we can expect 248,800 more job openings for teachers by the year 2020.
#3 Speech-Language Pathologist
Overall Score: 6.4
| Growth: | 28,800 |
| Unemployment: | 5.5% |
| Median Salary: | $66,920 |
| Satisfaction: | MEDIUM |
Sometimes called speech therapists, these professionals assess and diagnose people with disorders related to verbal communication. They often work with social workers, doctors, and teachers to improve a patient’s speech.
See all School Counselor Job Openings
#4 School Counselor
Overall Score: 6.2
| Growth: | 53,400 |
| Unemployment: | 5.5% |
| Median Salary: | $53,380 |
| Satisfaction: | HIGH |
These professionals usually don’t take home papers to grade, but Gail M. Smith, a school counselor director in Georgia, says they “are taking home the kids in their hearts.” The Labor Department expects 19 percent job growth for these compassionate school workers by 2020.
See all Social Worker Job Openings
#5 Social Worker
Overall Score: 6.1
| Growth: | 58,200 |
| Unemployment: | 5.5% |
| Median Salary: | $40,210 |
| Satisfaction: | HIGH |
Social workers don’t often make extraordinarily high salaries to match the extraordinary circumstances they might face. But they do report high job satisfaction, which, when coupled with strong growth numbers, helps clench a top spot on this list.
See all Sports Coach Job Openings
#6 Sports Coach
Overall Score: 6
| Growth: | 71,400 |
| Unemployment: | 5.5% |
| Median Salary: | $28,340 |
| Satisfaction: | HIGH |
Sports coach is another profession on our list that doesn’t pay extremely well, but seems to fulfill the people called to do it. And given the flexible hours, this is also a job that could free you up for part-time work.
See all Patrol Officer Job Openings
#7 Patrol Officer
Overall Score: 5.7
| Growth: | 54,600 |
| Unemployment: | 4.2% |
| Median Salary: | $53,540 |
| Satisfaction: | MEDIUM |
Even is she’s writing incident reports or filing records, a patrol officer’s No. 1 goal is to keep her community safe. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects 8.2 percent employment growth for this job in the coming years.
#8 Recreation and Fitness Worker
Overall Score: 5.7
| Growth: | 124,700 |
| Unemployment: | 5.5% |
| Median Salary: | $31,090 |
| Satisfaction: | HIGH |
The duties for recreation and fitness workers vary; you could lead a spinning class or run a summer camp, for example. But almost all of them have flexible schedules and are fairly pleased with their jobs.
See all Security Guard Job Openings
#9 Security Guard
Overall Score: 5.6
| Growth: | 195,000 |
| Unemployment: | 9.3% |
| Median Salary: | $23,920 |
| Satisfaction: | HIGH |
Security guards prevent fire hazards, larceny, and vandalism. They assist during emergency procedures and safeguard against possibly dangerous situations. Intrigued? You’ll be pleased to know that they report high job satisfaction, and the profession is expected to grow by 18.8 percent in the next few years.
See all Lawyer Job Openings
#10 Lawyer
Overall Score: 5.4
| Growth: | 73,600 |
| Unemployment: | 9.5% |
| Median Salary: | $112,760 |
| Satisfaction: | HIGH |
Consider this: Twenty-five of our U.S. presidents have been lawyers. So it almost goes without saying that working in law holds a particular draw for us Americans. There will be the need for about 73,600 more professionals with juris doctor degrees by the year 2020.
See all High School Teacher Job Openings
#11 High School Teacher
Overall Score: 5.4
| Growth: | 71,900 |
| Unemployment: | 5.5% |
| Median Salary: | $53,320 |
| Satisfaction: | MEDIUM |
Like many professions, high school teachers encounter several challenges in their line of work. But they also face numerous rewards when educating and advising teenagers. The Labor Department predicts that there will be 71,900 new high-school teaching positions to fill by 2020.
See all Hairdresser Job Openings
#12 Hairdresser
Overall Score: 5.2
| Growth: | 98,400 |
| Unemployment: | 9.3% |
| Median Salary: | $22,760 |
| Satisfaction: | MEDIUM |
Don’t we all secretly wish we could advise our peers on their personal appearance? Hairdressers get paid to do just that. Those who shampoo, cut, style, and color hair also often get the chance to make their own hours and, possibly, be their own boss.
See all Paralegal Job Openings
#13 Paralegal
Overall Score: 4.7
| Growth: | 46,900 |
| Unemployment: | 9.5% |
| Median Salary: | $46,680 |
| Satisfaction: | MEDIUM |
Paralegals are expected to grow at a faster clip than lawyers—something to think about if you’re interested in law but don’t wish to undergo all the schooling (and possible school loans) required to get a law degree.
