There are many community colleges and other two-year colleges where you can earn an associate’s degree in Human Services. No matter where you are in the country, chances are there are schools near you that offer this program. If you are seeking an entry-level position in the field, earning an AA degree in Human Services is a great way to land one. This degree opens you up to career paths like community health outreach and substance abuse counseling, among others. When it comes to substance abuse counseling, the need is expected to increase by 22% between now and 2024.
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Why Choose A Career In Human Services?
This industry is expected to keep growing at a rapid pace in the coming years. According to estimates by The Bureau of Labor Statistics, the sector will expand 10% by the end of 2024. Within the field, the jobs that are expected to be the most in-demand are marriage counselor, psychiatrist clinical social worker, and occupational therapist. Estimates are that the demand for both clinical social workers and mental health counselors will rise 19% over the next four years.
Rank | School | Location |
---|---|---|
1 | Monroe Community College (60 points) | Rochester, New York |
2 | Onondaga Community College (50 points) | Syracuse, New York |
3 | Ivy Tech Community College (60 points) | Indianapolis, Indiana |
4 | Umpqua Community College (50 points) | Roseburg, Oregon |
5 | Lackawanna College (60 points) | Scranton, Pennsylvania |
Top 25 Best Schools For An Associates Degree In Human Services
Our list of the top 25 best schools for an Associates Degree in Human Services will help guide you through the process of choosing one. Here are the best schools to choose from for this type of degree.
Monroe Community College (60 points)
Students who study Human Services at Monroe Community College are guaranteed to get hands-on experience in the field before they’ve even graduated. In the first semester, students are assigned to work with local clients and community organizations. They can also get an internship with agencies throughout Rochester, including but not limited to the Monroe County Department of Human Service, Strong Memorial Hospital, and the Rochester Hearing and Speech Center.
School Overview
Onondaga Community College (50 points)
At Onondaga Community College, students that want to pursue a degree in Human Services are sometimes required to give a personal interview to the school. Students may also have to submit to a medical exam and background check if they wish to work in the community while earning their degree.
The main goals of this program are to learn and understand the intricacies of discipline in social work, to make each student aware of diversity and cultures, and to enable them to practice in the real world what they have learned from the school.
School Overview
Ivy Tech Community College (60 points)
Those studying for an Associates in Human Services at Ivy Tech Community College spend the vast majority of their schooling completing case studies and engaging in activities that build their problem-solving skills. To earn their degree students must complete two separate internships along with shadowing community members doing the job they want to do. Students can also engage in specialized training with their choice of:
elderly
youth
struggling addicts
intellectually disabled individuals
In addition, all students in the program are taught practical skills and theoretical/ethical principles.
School Overview
Umpqua Community College (50 points)
Earning an Associates in Human Services from Umpqua Community College grooms students to work in private or public agencies. Students must complete work in the field in order to obtain their degree. The program provides a broad overview of social human services geared towards communities at large as well as individuals. It prepares students to either start working in the field immediately, or go on to earn a Bachelor’s degree as well.
School Overview
Lackawanna College (60 points)
At Lackawanna College, Human Services students will learn about the best counseling theories to use when they are overseeing an intervention. It looks at the reasons why controlled substances affect how addicts move and behave, in an effort to help them change their ways for the better. The program also tackles issues such as gender bias and racial discrimination and teaches students how to work with those who are guilty of committing them. In addition, it teaches them about the developmental stages people go through at various points in their lives.
School Overview
Anne Arundel Community College (70 points)
The Human Services program at Anne Arundel Community College prepares students for entry-level jobs as a social worker or mental health professional. Once students have graduated from this program they can apply with the National Organization For Human Services to become a Nationally Certified Human Services Professional.
Many of the students that have earned an Associates Degree in Human Services from AA Community College have gone on to work as a Substance Abuse Counselor or a Mental Health Associate, among other careers.
School Overview
Elizabethtown College (50 points)
After being accepted into the Elizabethtown College Human Services program students are taught how to work with people in need. Before graduation, every student enrolled in the program must pass a clinical course, which is generally taken during the last semester of their second year. Those who wish to go on to a four-year school are in luck. Elizabethtown College partners with select universities to make this happen.
School Overview
Santa Rosa Junior College (80 points)
The Human Services certificate/major is a performance-based training program designed to prepare students for employment in the field of human services/social services. Coursework also meets many of the lower division requirements for advanced degrees in related fields. The certificate/major offers students excellent preparation in the knowledge and skills needed for successful employment. The certificate/major also provides an overview of local human services agencies including fieldwork in the student’s emphasis of choice.
This certificate/major will provide undergraduate education in Human Services with an emphasis in one of the following: Addiction Studies, and Advocacy. Students may also transfer to four-year universities in related majors.
School Overview
San Bernardino Valley College (80 points)
At San Bernadino Valley College, students can prepare to pursue further education to work in family/marriage, school counseling, and vocational rehab. While studying here for their Associate’s degree students can choose to complete a concentration in Addiction and Human Studies.
The school also runs the Human Services Association, which brings together students and people throughout the community. Events are held both on and off-campus and feature a variety of safe activities that can help people avoid alcohol and drugs.
School Overview
Denver Community College (70 points)
Students who study Human Services at Denver Community College can choose from one of two paths. One is earning a transfer degree and the other is earning a pre-Social Work degree. Students that complete either degree often go on to earn a Bachelor’s from the University of Colorado or the Metropolitan State University of Denver.
School Overview
Tidewater Community College (60 points)
Students that get their Associates degree from Tidewater Community College are taught observation skills, as well as interviewing and intake, and even administering treatment plans. Graduates of the program have been known to find jobs as life skills counselors, gerontology aides, and mental health aides. Many go on to work in nursing, psychology, social work, and physical rehab.
School Overview
Central Maine Community College (80 points)
The Human Services program at Central Maine Community College prepares students for a career in child/adolescent services, mental health, substance abuse, gerontology, and developmental disabilities. Students can stick with Human Services or choose to specialize in addiction. Many that graduate from this program go on to work as volunteer coordination, or crisis counselors, among other professions.
School Overview
Asnuntuck Community College (60 points)
Whether a student wants to work in education or social services, they can do so by earning an associate’s from Asnuntuck Community College. It prepares students for careers in addiction and mental health counseling, as well as early intervention and gerontology. Students work in a variety of locations with diverse populations. As part of their required Field Work 1 course, students may choose to become certified as Sexual Assault Crisis Counselors in the State of Connecticut. They also offer the only public/private bachelor’s completion program onsite at Asnuntuck in coordination with Elms College. Students graduating with their AS may complete their BSW within 20 months and can earn advanced standing in an MSW program.
School Overview
Allan Hancock College (80 points)
For anyone who hasn’t decided on a specific career in Human Services, Allan Hancock College is a great choice for earning an associate’s degree in it. The curriculum provides a broad overview of the field, leaving graduates open to pursuing almost any avenue within it. This means that students don’t have the option of choosing a specialization within the field. However, they will learn about documentation, interpersonal helping skills, and ethics, and boundaries.
School Overview
Cañada College (50 points)
Students who attend Canada College for an Associate’s Degree in Human Services spend time working in local agencies in order to get the hands-on training they need to be successful after graduation. Most students complete this program with the intention of moving on to earn a Bachelor’s degree in the field. To earn their Associates from Canada College, students become certified in the Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum or California State University General Education.
School Overview
College of DuPage (50 points)
Those who study at the College of DuPage can earn a Human Services Generalist associate’s degree. It prepares them to work for non-profit agencies, employee assistance programs, and community health centers. However, graduating from the school requires more than just academic success. Students must also perform 300 hours of work in the field in order to get their degree.
School Overview
Sheridan College (60 points)
When students study for their Associate of Arts degree in Human Services at Sheridan College, they are preparing to work in community service, as well as in human and social services. Some of the most useful courses students can take include Theories of Counseling, Case Management, and Counseling Ethics. Graduates of this school have gone on to work in positions such as Disaster Relief Coordinator, Family Service Assistant, and Public Health Case Managers.
School Overview
Prince George’s Community College (90 points)
At Prince George’s Community College, Human Services students are taught practice and theory, giving them the tools they need to succeed after graduation. Before students can graduate with their associate’s degree they must finish two different internships, both of which provide them with a structured setting in which to learn their craft.
School Overview
Saddleback College (70 points)
When students study for a Human Services degree from Saddleback College, they have four options for specializations:
Alcohol & Drug Studies
Community-Based Corrections
Mental Health Worker
Human Services Generalist
While the Human Services Generalist specialization is broad, the others are targeted towards specific careers. Community-Based Corrections is for students who want to put their skills to work in a halfway house or counsel juveniles. The Mental Health Worker specialization prepares students by teaching them how to help those who suffer, and the Alcohol & Drug Studies prepares students to help addicts and families recover.
School Overview
Raritan Valley Community College (60 points)
The Raritan Valley Community College offers an Associate’s of Science Degree in Human Services. The program requires students to work within the system to practice bio-physical-social assessments, and to complete self-awareness exercises.
School Overview
Tunxis Community College (60 points)
At Tunxis Community College, Human Studies Associates degree candidates are trained to help people in need of all ages, from children to adults. The program emphasizes the importance of networking within the community and gaining hands-on experience in the field.
School Overview
Bay College (70 points)
Students who want to earn an associate’s degree to start working in Human Services can do so at Bay College. Unlike other colleges, this one does not prepare students to earn a four-year degree but prepares them to skip to working directly in the field. In order to complete the school’s degree program, students must successfully enroll in and finish an internship.
School Overview
Nashua Community College (70 points)
At Nashua Community College, those studying for an Associate’s Degree in Human Services often go on to work as residential living counselors, independent living specialist coordinator, and group home manager. Though two years of study earn students an Associate of Science in the field, they automatically earn a certificate during their first year of study. This certificate program offered on its own to those who don’t wish to pursue an associate’s degree.
School Overview
North Central State College (50 points)
When students earn an Associate’s degree at North Central State College they get a lot of hands-on experience. One directed practice and two practicums must be completed before they can receive their degree. They often go on to work in mental health centers and domestic violence shelters.
School Overview
Washington County Community College (80 points)
At Washington County Community College, students work in their community as part of the Human Services degree program. Many graduates of the program go on to work as a case manager or human services specialist.
School Overview
Our Ranking Methodology
We took note of the tuition rate and student to teacher ratio for each school. Tuition amounts are based on in-state residency. Total tuition was divided by four to determine the cost per semester. Each school is then given points (up to 50) based on tuition and the student/teacher ratio. The total of those two numbers equals a school”s ranking.
Ranking Problems?
If you work at one of the schools on our list and you feel our ranking is wrong, please let us know. We are committed to correcting any mistakes we may have made.