Human Services Degree Programs in Little Rock, AR (2026)

Quick answer: The Little Rock metro employs about 930 social and community service managers (BLS OEWS, May 2025), and licensing is set at the state level, through your state human services or behavioral health agency.

Compare human services programs enrolling now:

Licensing

Licensing is a state matter, not a city one. 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.

See the Arkansas licensing and pay overview for the statewide picture, and confirm current requirements with your state human services or behavioral health agency.

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 3 schools within 95 miles, closest group first, then ordered by BOC Score with the highest at the top. 3 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

Arkansas Tech University

Russellville, AR 59.1 miles away BOC Score 58.4
Tuition $8,674 - $22,808
Contact
Key stats
  • Admission rate: 95.9%
  • Graduation rate: 48.6%
  • Programs offered: 62
  • Annual completions: 3141
  • Median graduate earnings, 4 yrs after completing (all majors, not a single program): $49,759 (College Scorecard)
  • Online programs available

Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard

#2

Ozarka College

Melbourne, AR 95.3 miles away BOC Score 57.5
Tuition Contact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Completion rate: 45.2% (College Scorecard)
  • Programs offered: 20
  • Annual completions: 519
  • Median graduate earnings, 4 yrs after completing (all majors, not a single program): $46,188 (College Scorecard)
  • Online programs available

Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard

#3

Arkansas Baptist College

Little Rock, AR 3.9 miles away BOC Score 29.5
Tuition $8,760 - $23,060
Contact
  • 1600 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive Little Rock, AR 72202-6068
  • (501) 420-1200
Key stats
  • Graduation rate: 7.7%
  • Programs offered: 3
  • Annual completions: 10
  • Median graduate earnings, 4 yrs after completing (all majors, not a single program): $39,577 (College Scorecard)
  • Online programs available

Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard

What Social and Community Service Managers Earn in Little Rock

Social and Community Service Managers in the Little Rock area earn a median $60,430 per year, below the national median of $80,390 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Human Services Pay in Little Rock, AR

MetricLittle Rock metroArkansasNational
Median annual wage$60,430$56,100$80,390
10th percentile$40,240$36,530$53,150
25th percentile$49,370$44,970$64,290
75th percentile$75,210$69,200$103,200
90th percentile$101,460$91,920$132,260
Employment9302,850209,330
Location quotient1.93-1.00

Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025. Metro figures cover the Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR metropolitan statistical area.

What the Numbers Say About This Market

The Little Rock median of $60,430 is below the national median of $80,390, and above the Arkansas statewide median of $56,100 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

The metro’s location quotient of 1.93 means social and community service managers are more concentrated here than in the average U.S. labor market (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Higher concentration generally means more employers competing for the same people, and an easier job change later.

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

Other Arkansas Metro Areas

Metro areaMedian annual wageEmployment
Fayetteville$59,250410
Jonesboro$56,820150
Fort Smith$55,450140

Figures: BLS OEWS, May 2025.


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 Little Rock?

The median annual wage for social and community service managers in the Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR metro area is $60,430, below the national median of $80,390 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

How many social and community service managers work in the Little Rock area?

The Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR metro area employs about 930 social and community service managers (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Do social and community service managers in Little Rock need a license?

Licensing is handled at state level rather than by city. 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. Confirm current requirements with your state human services or behavioral health agency.

Can I study human services online from Little Rock?

The academic portion of these programs is widely available online for working adults, while labs, clinical hours or supervised field work are completed in person. Check that the program's accreditation satisfies your state human services or behavioral health agency.

Is Little Rock a better market than the rest of Arkansas?

The Little Rock metro median is $60,430 against a statewide median of $56,100 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Compare that gap with the difference in living costs before treating it as a raise.

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/.