Best Online Master’s in Human Services

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Find top-ranked online master’s in human services degree programs for students wanting to go into fields like long-term care, government, grant writing, and child welfare. Students will also qualify to work in clinical settings and serve as executive directors, grants management specialists, advocacy directors, teen center directors, and human services business analysts.

Top 10 Online Master's in Human Services Degrees

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  1. Wilmington University
  2. Eastern Illinois University
  3. East Tennessee State University
  4. Nova Southeastern University
  5. California State University, Northridge
  6. Purdue University Global
  7. Plymouth State University
  8. Regent University
  9. Bellevue University
  10. Shorter University
  1. California State University, Northridge
  2. Nova Southeastern University
  3. Youngstown State University
  4. East Tennessee State University
  5. Regent University
  6. Eastern Illinois University
  7. Stephen F. Austin State University
  8. Prescott College
  9. Saint Leo University
  10. Purdue University Global
  1. Plymouth State University 98%
  2. Prescott College 98%
  3. Shorter University 97%
  4. Concordia University Chicago 93%
  5. California State University, Northridge 91%
  6. Stephen F. Austin State University 90%
  7. Southwestern Assemblies of God University 86%
  8. Mount Aloysius College 86%
  9. East Tennessee State University 85%
  10. Houston Christian University 84%
  1. Southeastern University 27 to 1
  2. Purdue University Global 26 to 1
  3. California State University, Northridge 24 to 1
  4. Regent University 21 to 1
  5. Youngstown State University 18 to 1
  6. Saint Leo University 18 to 1
  7. Nova Southeastern University 17 to 1
  8. Southwestern Assemblies of God University 17 to 1
  9. Plymouth State University 17 to 1
  10. Stephen F. Austin State University 17 to 1
  1. Lenoir–Rhyne University $43,000
  2. Saint Joseph's College of Maine $41,586
  3. Albertus Magnus College $37,682
  4. Houston Christian University $36,750
  5. Nova Southeastern University $36,300
  6. Prescott College $35,450
  7. Concordia University Chicago $34,964
  8. St. Joseph's University $32,370
  9. Southeastern University $30,148
  10. Saint Leo University $27,050
  1. Albertus Magnus College $22,176
  2. Nova Southeastern University $22,062
  3. St. Joseph's University $21,456
  4. Saint Leo University $18,436
  5. Prescott College $16,824
  6. Shorter University $16,800
  7. Regent University $16,028
  8. Mount Aloysius College $16,020
  9. Lenoir–Rhyne University $12,240
  10. Plymouth State University $12,109
  1. Touro University Worldwide
  2. Saint Joseph's College of Maine
  3. Prescott College
  4. Lenoir–Rhyne University
  5. Mount Aloysius College
  6. St. Joseph's University
  7. Bryan College
  8. Albertus Magnus College
  9. Southeastern University
  10. Concordia University Chicago
  1. Touro University Worldwide
  2. St. Joseph's University
  3. Lenoir–Rhyne University
  4. Saint Joseph's College of Maine
  5. Southeastern University
  6. Shorter University
  7. Mount Aloysius College
  8. Concordia University Chicago
  9. Bryan College
  10. Albertus Magnus College
  1. Regent University 32%
  2. Southeastern University 61%
  3. Eastern Illinois University 68%
  4. Nova Southeastern University 76%
  5. St. Joseph's University 77%
  6. Albertus Magnus College 80%
  7. Saint Leo University 80%
  8. Saint Joseph's College of Maine 81%
  9. Youngstown State University 81%
  10. Lenoir–Rhyne University 83%
  1. Touro University Worldwide 8 to 1
  2. Prescott College 9 to 1
  3. Saint Joseph's College of Maine 10 to 1
  4. Lenoir–Rhyne University 11 to 1
  5. Mount Aloysius College 11 to 1
  6. St. Joseph's University 12 to 1
  7. Wilmington University 12 to 1
  8. Concordia University Chicago 12 to 1
  9. Bellevue University 13 to 1
  10. Bryan College 13 to 1
  1. California State University, Northridge $5,742
  2. East Tennessee State University $7,486
  3. Stephen F. Austin State University $7,842
  4. Bellevue University $8,790
  5. Eastern Illinois University $9,417
  6. Youngstown State University $9,426
  7. Purdue University Global $10,080
  8. Plymouth State University $11,870
  9. Wilmington University $12,030
  10. Touro University Worldwide $14,600
  1. Stephen F. Austin State University $5,262
  2. Youngstown State University $6,494
  3. California State University, Northridge $7,176
  4. Eastern Illinois University $7,691
  5. Southwestern Assemblies of God University $8,280
  6. East Tennessee State University $8,784
  7. Touro University Worldwide $9,000
  8. Wilmington University $9,216
  9. Concordia University Chicago $9,399
  10. Purdue University Global $9,472

Featured Programs

Frequently Asked Questions About Human Services Degrees

Professionals looking to acquire advanced skills and expand career opportunities can earn a master’s in human services either online or on campus. With the ultimate goal of making a positive difference for people, graduate students will focus their learning in specializations like community and social services, gerontology, human services nonprofit administration, and family studies and interventions.

Find out what you can do with a human services degree.

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Programs range from 30 to 45 credits and typically take students two to three years to complete.

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Depending on their concentration, graduates can work in a variety of fields, including long-term care, government, grant writing, and child welfare. Upon graduation, students will qualify to work in clinical settings and serve as executive directors, grants management specialists, advocacy directors, teen center directors, and human services business analysts.

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Learn more about what you can do with a master’s degree in social work.

Best Online Master’s in Human Services Degree Programs

  1. #1

    Wilmington University

    New Castle , DE
    Other Rankings

    Tuition + fees

    $12K

    Graduation

    20%

    Student body

    19K

    Career Outlook for Human Services degree at Wilmington University

    Cost of Degree: $9,492
    Starting Salary: $43,260
    Salary after 4 years: $44,002

    Online Degrees

    MS in Human Services
    • Required Credits: 33
    • Completion time: None Reported
    • Format: Online
  2. Other Rankings

    Tuition + fees

    $13K

    Acceptance

    68%

    Graduation

    55%

    Student body

    11K

    Career Outlook for Human Services degree at Eastern Illinois University

    Cost of Degree: $11,410
    Expenses: $14,216
    Starting Salary: $54,256
    Salary after 4 years: $60,671
    Cost Recoup Time: 5 years
    Paid back at 15% of annual salary

    Online Degrees

    MS in Human Services Program Administration
    • Required Credits: 33
    • Completion time: None Reported
    • Format: Online
  3. #4

    Nova Southeastern University

    Fort Lauderdale , FL
    Other Rankings

    Tuition + fees

    $36K

    Acceptance

    76%

    Graduation

    62%

    Student body

    24K

    Median SAT/ACT

    1175/23

    Career Outlook for Human Services degree at Nova Southeastern University

    Cost of Degree: $24,140
    Expenses: $22,596
    Starting Salary: $51,614
    Salary after 4 years: $52,500
    Cost Recoup Time: 9 years
    Paid back at 15% of annual salary

    Online Degrees

    MS in Human Services Administration
    • Required Credits: 31
    • Completion time: None Reported
    • Format: Online
  4. Other Rankings

    Tuition + fees

    $7K

    Acceptance

    91%

    Graduation

    56%

    Student body

    43K

    Career Outlook for Human Services degree at California State University, Northridge

    Cost of Degree: $8,529
    Expenses: $17,176
    Starting Salary: $58,620
    Salary after 4 years: $65,551
    Cost Recoup Time: 5 years
    Paid back at 15% of annual salary

    Online Degrees

    MS in Assistive Technology Studies and Human Services
    • Required Credits: 30
    • Completion time: 2-3 years
    • Format: Online
  5. #6

    Purdue Global

    West Lafayette , IN
    Other Rankings

    Tuition + fees

    $10K

    Graduation

    20%

    Student body

    66K

    Online Degrees

    MA in Human Services
    • Required Credits: 45
    • Completion time: None Reported
    • Format: Online
    MS in Human Services

    Concentrations

    • Family and community services
    • Organizational and social services
    • Required Credits: 45
    • Completion time: None Reported
    • Format: Online
  6. Other Rankings

    Tuition + fees

    $14K

    Acceptance

    98%

    Graduation

    51%

    Student body

    5K

    Career Outlook for Human Services degree at Plymouth State University

    Cost of Degree: $18,350
    Expenses: $16,296
    Starting Salary: $53,784
    Salary after 4 years: $60,144
    Cost Recoup Time: 7 years
    Paid back at 15% of annual salary

    Online Degrees

    MA in Organizational Psychology

    Concentrations

    • Personal Organizational Wellness
    • Human Services Leadership
    • Required Credits: 33
    • Completion time: None Reported
    • Format: Online
  7. #8

    Regent University

    Virginia Beach , VA
    Other Rankings

    Tuition + fees

    $20K

    Acceptance

    32%

    Graduation

    55%

    Student body

    14K

    Median SAT/ACT

    1140/22

    Career Outlook for Human Services degree at Regent University

    Cost of Degree: $17,828
    Expenses: $12,146
    Starting Salary: $42,331
    Salary after 4 years: $43,058
    Cost Recoup Time: 8 years
    Paid back at 15% of annual salary

    Online Degrees

    MA in Human Services

    Concentrations

    • Biblical Counseling
    • Conflict & Mediation Ministry
    • Criminal Justice And Ministry
    • Counseling
    • Life Coaching
    • Trauma And Crisis Counseling
    • Marriage And Family Ministry
    • Grief Counseling
    • Human Services For Student Affairs
    • Required Credits: 30
    • Completion time: 2 years
    • Format: Online
    MA in Human Services-Addiction Counseling
    • Required Credits: 30
    • Completion time: None Reported
    • Format: Online
  8. #9

    Bellevue University

    Bellevue , NE
    Other Rankings

    Tuition + fees

    $9K

    Graduation

    41%

    Student body

    19K

    Career Outlook for Human Services degree at Bellevue University

    Cost of Degree: $12,432
    Expenses: $16,440
    Starting Salary: $56,163
    Salary after 4 years: $57,127
    Cost Recoup Time: 6 years
    Paid back at 15% of annual salary

    Online Degrees

    MA in Human Services
    • Required Credits: 36
    • Completion time: None Reported
    • Format: Online
  9. #10

    Shorter University

    Rome , GA
    Other Rankings

    Tuition + fees

    $23K

    Acceptance

    97%

    Graduation

    32%

    Student body

    2K

    Median SAT/ACT

    1125/21

    Career Outlook for Human Services degree at Shorter University

    Cost of Degree: $17,000
    Expenses: $13,144
    Starting Salary: $46,509
    Salary after 4 years: $47,307
    Cost Recoup Time: 7 years
    Paid back at 15% of annual salary

    Online Degrees

    MM in Business

    Concentrations

    • Human Services Nonprofit Management
    • Required Credits: 31
    • Completion time: 12 months
    • Format: Online
  10. Other Rankings

    Tuition + fees

    $37K

    Acceptance

    84%

    Graduation

    49%

    Student body

    5K

    Median SAT/ACT

    1145/24

    Career Outlook for Human Services degree at Houston Christian University

    Cost of Degree: $11,475
    Expenses: $17,018
    Starting Salary: $48,551
    Salary after 4 years: $49,384
    Cost Recoup Time: 7 years
    Paid back at 15% of annual salary

    Online Degrees

    MA in Human Services Counseling

    Concentrations

    • Human Sexuality
    • Marriage and Family
    • Professional Life Coaching
    • Required Credits: 30
    • Completion time: 2-3 years
    • Format: Online
  11. Tuition + fees

    $11K

    Acceptance

    90%

    Graduation

    53%

    Student body

    13K

    Median SAT/ACT

    1065/21

    Career Outlook for Human Services degree at Stephen F. Austin State University

    Cost of Degree: $7,433
    Expenses: $16,204
    Starting Salary: $54,728
    Salary after 4 years: $61,199
    Cost Recoup Time: 5 years
    Paid back at 15% of annual salary

    Online Degrees

    MS in Human Services

    Concentrations

    • Counseling Non-Clinical
    • Required Credits: 30
    • Completion time: 2-3 years
    • Format: Online
  12. #13

    Youngstown State University

    Youngstown , OH
    Other Rankings

    Tuition + fees

    $10K

    Acceptance

    81%

    Graduation

    49%

    Student body

    13K

    Median SAT/ACT

    995/21

    Career Outlook for Human Services degree at Youngstown State University

    Cost of Degree: $6,615
    Expenses: $15,608
    Starting Salary: $47,415
    Salary after 4 years: $53,022
    Cost Recoup Time: 5 years
    Paid back at 15% of annual salary

    Online Degrees

    MA in Health and Human Services
    • Required Credits: 34-37
    • Completion time: None Reported
    • Format: Online
  13. #14

    Saint Leo University

    Saint Leo , FL
    Other Rankings

    Tuition + fees

    $27K

    Acceptance

    80%

    Graduation

    49%

    Student body

    15K

    Median SAT/ACT

    1085/23

    Career Outlook for Human Services degree at Saint Leo University

    Cost of Degree: $15,840
    Expenses: $21,388
    Starting Salary: $46,880
    Salary after 4 years: $47,684
    Cost Recoup Time: 9 years
    Paid back at 15% of annual salary

    Online Degrees

    MS in Human Services Administration
    • Required Credits: 36
    • Completion time: None Reported
    • Format: Online
  14. #16

    Concordia University Chicago

    River Forest , IL
    Other Rankings

    Tuition + fees

    $35K

    Acceptance

    93%

    Graduation

    48%

    Student body

    8K

    Career Outlook for Human Services degree at Concordia University Chicago

    Cost of Degree: $10,782
    Expenses: $13,740
    Starting Salary: $39,639
    Salary after 4 years: $40,319
    Cost Recoup Time: 7 years
    Paid back at 15% of annual salary

    Online Degrees

    MA in Human Services
    • Required Credits: 33
    • Completion time: 24 months
    • Format: Online
    MA in Human Services Administration
    • Required Credits: 33
    • Completion time: 24 months
    • Format: Online
  15. #17

    Southeastern University

    Lakeland , FL
    Other Rankings

    Tuition + fees

    $30K

    Acceptance

    61%

    Graduation

    43%

    Student body

    11K

    Career Outlook for Human Services degree at Southeastern University

    Cost of Degree: $12,350
    Expenses: $20,420
    Starting Salary: $35,183
    Salary after 4 years: $35,787
    Cost Recoup Time: 10 years
    Paid back at 15% of annual salary

    Online Degrees

    MA in Human Services
    • Required Credits: 36
    • Completion time: None Reported
    • Format: Online
  16. #19

    Bryan College

    Dayton , TN
    Other Rankings

    Tuition + fees

    $18K

    Graduation

    51%

    Student body

    2K

    Career Outlook for Human Services degree at Bryan College

    Cost of Degree: $9,830
    Expenses: $13,470
    Starting Salary: $41,310
    Salary after 4 years: $42,019
    Cost Recoup Time: 7 years
    Paid back at 15% of annual salary

    Online Degrees

    MA in Human Services
    • Required Credits: 30
    • Completion time: None Reported
    • Format: Online
  17. #20

    St. Joseph's University

    Brooklyn , NY

    Tuition + fees

    $32K

    Acceptance

    77%

    Graduation

    69%

    Student body

    5K

    Median SAT/ACT

    1199/25

    Career Outlook for Human Services degree at St. Joseph's University

    Cost of Degree: $23,278
    Starting Salary: $50,036
    Salary after 4 years: $50,895

    Online Degrees

    MS in Human Services Leadership and BS in Human Services

    Concentrations

    • Dual Degree
    • Required Credits: 132
    • Completion time: 4-5 years
    • Format: Online
    MS in Human Services Leadership

    Concentrations

    • Dual Degree witha Human Services BS
    • Required Credits: 132
    • Completion time: 4-5 years
    • Format: Online
  18. #21

    Mount Aloysius College

    Cresson , PA

    Tuition + fees

    $26K

    Acceptance

    86%

    Graduation

    46%

    Student body

    3K

    Career Outlook for Human Services degree at Mount Aloysius College

    Cost of Degree: $17,246
    Expenses: $17,694
    Starting Salary: $40,103
    Salary after 4 years: $40,791
    Cost Recoup Time: 9 years
    Paid back at 15% of annual salary

    Online Degrees

    MBA in Business Administration

    Concentrations

    • Accounting
    • Project Management
    • Health and Human Services Administration
    • Non-Profit Management
    • Required Credits: 36
    • Completion time: None Reported
    • Format: Online
  19. Tuition + fees

    $43K

    Acceptance

    83%

    Graduation

    51%

    Student body

    3K

    Career Outlook for Human Services degree at Lenoir–Rhyne University

    Cost of Degree: $12,240
    Expenses: $17,510
    Starting Salary: $40,475
    Salary after 4 years: $41,169
    Cost Recoup Time: 8 years
    Paid back at 15% of annual salary

    Online Degrees

    MA in Human Services
    • Required Credits: 33
    • Completion time: None Reported
    • Format: Online
  20. Other Rankings

    Tuition + fees

    $42K

    Acceptance

    81%

    Graduation

    70%

    Student body

    2K

    Career Outlook for Human Services degree at Saint Joseph's College of Maine

    Cost of Degree: $9,630
    Expenses: $17,836
    Starting Salary: $43,631
    Salary after 4 years: $44,379
    Cost Recoup Time: 7 years
    Paid back at 15% of annual salary

    Online Degrees

    MS in Human Services Leadership
    • Required Credits: 30
    • Completion time: 2-3 years
    • Format: Online
    BS - MS in Human Services and Human Services Leadership

    Concentrations

    • Dual Degree
    • Required Credits: 132
    • Completion time: 4-5 years
    • Format: Online
  21. #25

    Touro University Worldwide

    Los Alamitos , CA

    Tuition + fees

    $15K

    Graduation

    56%

    Student body

    3K

    Online Degrees

    MS in Human Services
    • Required Credits: 36
    • Completion time: 2-3 years
    • Format: Online

Career Outlook for Students with Human Services Degree

Go to Degree Finder tool

Human Services

Degree Level: Master's

  • Location: The U.S. (Private Schools)
  • Avg. Starting Salary*: $51,634
  • Avg. Salary after 4 Years*: $57,739
  • * denotes ‘annually’

Career Salaries

CareerJob GrowthAvg. Salary
Social and Community Service Managers8.22%$77,030
Community and Social Service Specialists, All Other5.98%$49,690
Social and Human Service Assistants7.94%$41,410

Top Industries

IndustryAvg. Salary
Social and Community Service Managers$77,030
Community and Social Service Specialists, All Other$49,690
Social and Human Service Assistants$41,410

Looking for online master’s degrees similar to human services? Check out our rankings of online degrees in school counseling or psychology!

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Online Degree Frequently Asked Questions

If this is your first time taking an online course, the experience may require some adjustment. While you’ll generally learn the same content and take the same exams as your on-campus peers, the medium will likely require you to manage much of this experience independently. You’ll be accountable for your own time management, your ability to harness the technology at your fingertips, and your ability to focus on the lectures, lessons, and assignments at hand. This means you’ll need to create a suitable workspace for yourself, maintain a realistic schedule, and take it upon yourself to build relationships with your instructors and classmates. With online college, your goal is to find a balance between independence and engagement.

No. The only part of online education that’s easier is actually getting there. Taking the commute out of the equation means getting to class should be a lot more manageable. But that’s where it ends. In general, your online courses will incorporate the very same materials, concepts, and testing methods as would a traditional classroom.

And in many cases, you’ll even have the same instructors as your on-campus counterparts. In fact, if you are adjusting to the experience of independent learning or working with remote learning technology for the first time, online college may even be a little more challenging for you. For a few insights on how to manage this new experience, check out our 10 Tips for Adjusting to School Online.

Accreditation is especially important when it comes to online college. This is because the online education landscape is a mix of highly-reputable institutions and less-than-reputable for-profit schools. Accreditation gives you the power to differentiate between the two. Accreditation is a stamp of approval from an independent accrediting agency which indicates that a college or university is meeting standards of quality, credibility, and currency. School-wide accreditation falls into two major categories: regional and national accreditation. Regional accreditors generally hold jurisdiction only over schools in the states comprising their region, whereas national accreditors hold jurisdiction over schools in all states. Regional accreditation is widely regarded as a more rigorous standard of quality and credibility than national accreditation.

Attending a college or university which is not regionally accredited could limit your opportunities. When seeking an online education, we strongly recommend that students opt for regionally accredited schools. Regional accreditation ensures eligibility for federal loans and grants, ensures your college credits can be transferred between schools, and ensures that your degree credits can be accepted if you wish to earn an advanced degree.

As long as your online college degree is regionally accredited, you should have little difficulty transferring most of your credits or credentials to another regionally accredited undergraduate school. Every school carries its own standards and procedures for granting a transfer. In many cases, you will be required to navigate a bureaucracy in which some of your credits will be transferred and others will be jettisoned. However, provided that you have attended an online school with the proper regional accreditation, you should have plenty of options for transfer.

In most cases, as long you graduate from a well-regarded, regionally-accredited online college, prospective employers won’t look sideways at your degree. In fact, unless you attend an exclusively online college or university, there will likely be no specific indicator on your degree, transcript or resume differentiating your school from its brick-and-mortar counterpart. This means that your employer will likely only differentiate between an online and in-person degree if you mention this distinction.

While some employers may express concern about making the adjustment from online education to in-person workplace collaboration, many other employers will view your online degree as evidence of valuable 21st Century professional skills such as independence, self-motivation, time management, and tech savvy.

If you are a student who thrives on the dynamic energy of in-person discussion, who requires the physical surroundings of a classroom to feel engaged, or who considers the social aspects of education to be of equal importance to the actual content of your courses, online education will require some adjustment.

While there is much that can be supplanted or simulated through the online medium, some students may find that there is nothing which can replace the conversation, collaboration, and motivation that occur in an actual classroom setting. As you make the adjustment to online education, one of the biggest challenges you will likely face is overcoming this difference in order to the get the most out of your classes. Fortunately, we’ve got some great Tips for Online Education Beginners.

The advantages of online classes are many. First and foremost, online courses give you the freedom and flexibility to attend class from anywhere that works for you, whether you’re at home, in a coffee shop, or in a quiet conference room at work. In many cases, you’ll also enjoy the convenience of asynchronous learning opportunities-educational experiences that you can complete on your own schedule. This may include pre-taped lectures, ongoing chat-board discussions, and 24/7 access to digital materials. And of course, just as there are some learners who prefer the energy of a live classroom, there are those who learn best when working in their own personal space, free from distractions. If this sounds like you, you might find the solitude of online learning to be a major advantage.

Resources for Prospective Grad Students

Whether you’re just getting started on your college search, you’re looking for survival tips on your way to a bachelor’s degree, or you’re preparing for the transition into grad school, we’ve got guides, how to’s and tons of other valuable resources to keep you moving forward in your educational journey.

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