Online Human Services Degree in Arizona: Salary, Schools & Outlook (2026)

Quick answer: Arizona employs about 3,010 social and community service managers (BLS OEWS, May 2025), and licensing runs through your state human services or behavioral health agency. Programs, the careers this degree opens, and what they pay are below.

Compare human services programs enrolling now:

Licensing and Credentials in Arizona

Human services itself is unlicensed - that is the practical difference from social work. The credentials that stack on top are state-specific: peer support certification, behavioral technician registries, case management certifications and the substance use disorder counseling tiers, each with its own training-hour requirements.

Requirements are set at state level and are amended periodically. Before you enroll in any program, confirm with your state human services or behavioral health agency that the specific program you are considering satisfies the education requirement, and ask what it accepts from any training you have already completed. Get the answer in writing.

Earning the Degree While You Work

Most people reading this already have a job in the field, and the practical question is whether the credential can be earned without leaving it. Programs designed for working adults deliver the academic portion online or in the evening, while any labs, clinical hours or supervised field experience happen in person and locally. Prior college credit, military training, apprenticeship coursework and industry certifications can all shorten the path, so request a written transfer credit evaluation before you commit to any school.

Schools Near You

Schools in our database near this area, ranked by BOC Score. The list favors schools with a related program on record, but program availability and delivery format change, so confirm directly with any school that it currently offers the program you want.

How we rank schools – graduation rate, graduate earnings, cost and retention. Advertising plays no part.

This page lists 4 schools within 94 miles, closest group first, then ordered by BOC Score with the highest at the top. 4 of them carry a score.

Location / proximity to this page
Defines the local group
Graduation rate how often students finish
30%
Median earnings, 10 years after entry whether it paid off
25%
Average net price what students actually pay after aid; lower ranks higher
20%
Retention rate how many come back for year two
15%
Fully online availability whether you can study while working
10%

Scores come from IPEDS (2024) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Earnings are for all graduates of a school, not one program, so treat them as a signal about the institution rather than about this subject. Sponsored listings are paid placements and are labelled as such; they are separate from this ranking and never change it. Read the full methodology.

#1

University of Arizona

Tucson, AZ 94.4 miles away BOC Score 69.6
Tuition Contact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Completion rate: 66.7% (College Scorecard)
  • Programs offered: 32
  • Annual completions: 1233
  • Median graduate earnings, 4 yrs after completing (all majors, not a single program): $67,420 (College Scorecard)
  • Online programs available

Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard

#2

Brookline College-Phoenix

Phoenix, AZ 20.0 miles away BOC Score 37.8
Tuition Contact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Completion rate: 51.2% (College Scorecard)
  • Programs offered: 14
  • Annual completions: 284
  • Median graduate earnings, 4 yrs after completing (all majors, not a single program): $41,962 (College Scorecard)
  • Online programs available

Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard

#3

Grand Canyon University

Phoenix, AZ 18.4 miles away BOC Score 33.9
Tuition Contact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Completion rate: 43.3% (College Scorecard)
  • Programs offered: 30
  • Annual completions: 6038
  • Median graduate earnings, 4 yrs after completing (all majors, not a single program): $74,343 (College Scorecard)
  • Online programs available

Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard

#4

University of Phoenix-Arizona

Phoenix, AZ 9.1 miles away BOC Score 30.7
Tuition Contact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Completion rate: 20.2% (College Scorecard)
  • Programs offered: 29
  • Annual completions: 11311
  • Median graduate earnings, 4 yrs after completing (all majors, not a single program): $61,486 (College Scorecard)
  • Online programs available

Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard

What Social and Community Service Managers Earn in Arizona

Social and Community Service Managers in Arizona earn a median $77,550 per year, below the national median of $80,390 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Human Services Pay and Employment in Arizona at a Glance

MetricArizonaNationalSource
Median annual wage$77,550$80,390BLS OEWS, May 2025
10th percentile$49,950$53,150BLS OEWS, May 2025
25th percentile$61,820$64,290BLS OEWS, May 2025
75th percentile$95,000$103,200BLS OEWS, May 2025
90th percentile$121,560$132,260BLS OEWS, May 2025
Employment3,010209,330BLS OEWS, May 2025
Location quotient0.691.00BLS OEWS, May 2025
Projected change (2024-34)not published by state6.4%BLS Employment Projections, 2024-34

How Arizona Pay Compares to the Rest of the Country

The Arizona median of $77,550 sits below the national median of $80,390 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Percentiles matter more than the midpoint when you are deciding whether a degree pays for itself: the 10th percentile is roughly where people start, and the 90th is what the top of the local market looks like after years of experience.

A location quotient of 0.69 puts Arizona below the national average, so the occupation is less concentrated here than in the typical state. Expect a thinner local job market and fewer employers to move between (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The measure compares how concentrated the occupation is here against the national average of 1.00.

Where the Jobs Are in Arizona

Metro areaMedian annual wageEmployment
Phoenix$79,2002,040
Flagstaff$78,22070
Prescott Valley$76,44080
Lake Havasu City$75,74050
Tucson$74,260570
Sierra Vista$72,50030
Yuma$70,30070

Figures: BLS OEWS, May 2025. Agency work exists where the agencies are: community mental health centers, county human services departments, aging services and residential programs all hire locally.

Social and Community Service Managers Wages by Metro Area in Arizona

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics ( OES data), social and community service managers wages in Arizona vary by metro area.

Metro AreaEmploymentMedian Annual WageAvg. Annual WageEntry Level
(10th pctile)
Experienced
(90th pctile)
Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler2,040$79,200$83,920$52,790$123,320
Tucson570$74,260$75,350$44,990$112,310
Prescott Valley-Prescott80$76,440$82,260$40,570$128,730
Flagstaff70$78,220$78,340$52,200$100,280
Yuma70$70,300$72,730$38,700$108,790
Lake Havasu City-Kingman50$75,740$77,040$44,150$119,960
Sierra Vista-Douglas30$72,500$75,850$38,290$124,820

Wages reflect survey data and vary based on experience, credentials, employer, and local market conditions. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May .

All Arizona Metro Areas With Published Data

Phoenix * Tucson


Wage and employment figures describe the occupation as measured by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, not the graduates of any particular program, and individual outcomes may vary. Licensing rules change; confirm current requirements with the responsible state board before enrolling.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much do social and community service managers make in Arizona?

The median annual wage for social and community service managers in Arizona is $77,550, below the national median of $80,390 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The middle of the range runs from $61,820 at the 25th percentile to $95,000 at the 75th.

How many social and community service managers work in Arizona?

Arizona holds about 3,010 human services professional jobs (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Nationally the occupation employs 209,330, and BLS projects about 18,600 openings per year through 2034 (BLS Employment Projections, 2024-34).

Do I need a license to work as a human services professional in Arizona?

Human services itself is unlicensed - that is the practical difference from social work. The credentials that stack on top are state-specific: peer support certification, behavioral technician registries, case management certifications and the substance use disorder counseling tiers, each with its own training-hour requirements. Requirements are set at the state level and change periodically, so confirm the current rules with your state human services or behavioral health agency before you enroll in any program.

Can I earn a human services associate, bachelor's or master's online while working in Arizona?

Often yes. Programs built for working adults deliver coursework online or in the evenings, though any required labs, clinical hours or supervised field experience are completed in person. Confirm that the program's accreditation satisfies your state human services or behavioral health agency.

What is the highest-paying area of Arizona for social and community service managers?

Among Arizona metro areas with published data, Phoenix reports the highest median at $79,200 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Is Arizona a good state for social and community service managers?

On pay, the state median of $77,550 sits below the national $80,390 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). A location quotient of 0.69 means the occupation is less concentrated here than in the average state. Weigh that against cost of living and how concentrated the work is near where you actually want to live.

Sources

  • U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 - Social and Community Service Managers (SOC 11-9151), national, state and metropolitan estimates
  • U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections, 2024-34
  • U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook - education and licensing requirements

About this guide: Researched and written by the TradeCareerPath Editorial Team. Our editorial team researches and sources every trade school and career guide using federal labor and education data, including BLS OEWS and Employment Projections, DOL apprenticeship records, IPEDS, College Scorecard, and state licensing boards. We follow the editorial standards documented at /editorial-policy/.