Online Master's Degree in Human Services - Best of 2024

Get Matched With Masters Human Services Program

Human services professionals field are a special breed. They have chosen to make helping others their life’s work. This is perhaps even more true of those who have invested the time, energy, and heart into attaining a master’s in human services. These professionals may have earned their degree through traditional means or continued to work while attending an online or hybrid, with online and in-person courses, to gain their education.

If you are driven to help others find vital resources so that they can have the best chance in their lives, this field might be right for you. You'll find opportunities to work with and support a variety of populations, from child and family groups to substance abuse sufferers. You might be called to help developmentally disabled people, for instance, or you might seek to help impoverished families secure housing and job placement services when they don't have access to things like online job boards or services they can find themselves.

Compare Popular Online Human Services Programs

PROS

Master’s in human services degree programs have many positive attributes. In fact, an advanced human services degree might serve as the catapult that lifts your career from good to stellar. For starters, you will be able to spend time in school studying what you love. You can build on the work you did in your undergraduate program and delve deep into the areas that mean the most to you.

Once you have graduated, your academic credentials will attract the attention of employers. They will be more likely to hire you for supervisory positions and you will be at the top of the list for promotions and raises, too. If you work for a governmental agency, your pay should automatically increase once you submit your new status to HR.

You will also find that you can build on your master’s degree with certifications and state licenses in human services. Make that you research your state’s rules and regulations to ensure that your courses, whether online or on campus, will satisfy the state licensing boards.

CONS

While more education is almost always a net positive that yields rewards for a lifetime, that is not always the case. In fact, pursuing master's degrees, even online, can be quite a gamble. You could invest years of time and intellectual energy, and take on large debts, only to find that you are not as employable or promotable as you’d hoped. This may be especially true if you are not willing to move in order to find a position in human services leadership or as a community service manager with larger human services agencies elsewhere.

Another possible negative aspect of a graduate degree is that you could decide that the human services field is not for you. This one is avoidable if prospective human services students take the time to work in the field as human services workers or community service managers for a significant time, at least two years for example, before going after their master’s. Experience can also help you decide precisely what to concentrate on during their human services master's programs.

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Top 25 Best Online Masters in Human Services Programs

Webster University

Score: 75.31

Graduate Tuition
- In-State: $13,140
- Out-of-State: $13,140
Net Price: $23,069
Acceptance Rate: 55%
Retention Rate: 79%

Graduation Rate: 59%
Total Enrollment: 6,396
Undergrad Students: 2,197
Graduate Students: 4,199
Grads Salary: $86,000
Student-to-faculty: 12:1

St. Joseph's University-New York

Score: 74.68

Graduate Tuition
- In-State: $22,860
- Out-of-State: $22,860
Net Price: $18,001
Acceptance Rate: 77%
Retention Rate: 82%

Graduation Rate: 69%
Total Enrollment: 4,348
Undergrad Students: 3,556
Graduate Students: 792
Grads Salary: $71,000
Student-to-faculty: 12:1

University of Cincinnati

Score: 74.31

Graduate Tuition
- In-State: $13,224
- Out-of-State: $24,996
Net Price: $20,149
Acceptance Rate: 86%
Retention Rate: 86%

Graduation Rate: 72%
Total Enrollment: 41,155
Undergrad Students: 29,663
Graduate Students: 11,492
Grads Salary: $74,000
Student-to-faculty: 18:1

University of Nebraska-Lincoln

Score: 73.67

Graduate Tuition
- In-State: $6,318
- Out-of-State: $18,468
Net Price: $16,805
Acceptance Rate: 79%
Retention Rate: 82%

Graduation Rate: 65%
Total Enrollment: 23,805
Undergrad Students: 19,189
Graduate Students: 4,616
Grads Salary: $72,000
Student-to-faculty: 16:1

University of Redlands

Score: 72.81

Graduate Tuition
- In-State: $24,900
- Out-of-State: $24,900
Net Price: $28,157
Acceptance Rate: 82%
Retention Rate: 80%

Graduation Rate: 67%
Total Enrollment: 3,460
Undergrad Students: 2,313
Graduate Students: 1,147
Grads Salary: $85,000
Student-to-faculty: 10:1

Saint Mary's University of Minnesota

Score: 70.65

Graduate Tuition
- In-State: $12,222
- Out-of-State: $12,222
Net Price: $22,843
Acceptance Rate: 97%
Retention Rate: 78%

Graduation Rate: 65%
Total Enrollment: 4,133
Undergrad Students: 1,100
Graduate Students: 3,033
Grads Salary: $79,000
Student-to-faculty: 17:1

Springfield College

Score: 70.36

Graduate Tuition
- In-State: $35,340
- Out-of-State: $35,340
Net Price: $27,930
Acceptance Rate: 76%
Retention Rate: 83%

Graduation Rate: 73%
Total Enrollment: 2,921
Undergrad Students: 2,005
Graduate Students: 916
Grads Salary: $72,000
Student-to-faculty: 11:1

University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh

Score: 70.09

Graduate Tuition
- In-State: $8,270
- Out-of-State: $18,154
Net Price: $12,827
Acceptance Rate: 89%
Retention Rate: 68%

Graduation Rate: 58%
Total Enrollment: 13,705
Undergrad Students: 12,627
Graduate Students: 1,078
Grads Salary: $70,000
Student-to-faculty: 20:1

Concordia University-Saint Paul

Score: 69.58

Graduate Tuition
- In-State: $8,550
- Out-of-State: $8,550
Net Price: $17,776
Acceptance Rate: 69%
Retention Rate: 61%

Graduation Rate: 51%
Total Enrollment: 5,544
Undergrad Students: 3,071
Graduate Students: 2,473
Grads Salary: $78,000
Student-to-faculty: 13:1

Youngstown State University

Score: 69.24

Graduate Tuition
- In-State: $6,547
- Out-of-State: $6,727
Net Price: $11,900
Acceptance Rate: 81%
Retention Rate: 78%

Graduation Rate: 49%
Total Enrollment: 11,071
Undergrad Students: 8,822
Graduate Students: 2,249
Grads Salary: $69,000
Student-to-faculty: 18:1

East Tennessee State University

Score: 69.08

Graduate Tuition
- In-State: $8,784
- Out-of-State: $23,904
Net Price: $14,350
Acceptance Rate: 85%
Retention Rate: 72%

Graduation Rate: 55%
Total Enrollment: 13,483
Undergrad Students: 10,554
Graduate Students: 2,929
Grads Salary: $69,000
Student-to-faculty: 16:1

Regent University

Score: 67.56

Graduate Tuition
- In-State: $16,128
- Out-of-State: $16,128
Net Price: $17,341
Acceptance Rate: 32%
Retention Rate: 70%

Graduation Rate: 55%
Total Enrollment: 10,337
Undergrad Students: 4,541
Graduate Students: 5,796
Grads Salary: $63,000
Student-to-faculty: 21:1

Touro University Worldwide

Score: 66.66

Graduate Tuition
- In-State: $9,000
- Out-of-State: $9,000
Net Price: $17,068
Acceptance Rate: 100%
Retention Rate: 90%

Graduation Rate: 56%
Total Enrollment: 2,249
Undergrad Students: 413
Graduate Students: 1,836
Grads Salary: $61,000
Student-to-faculty: 8:1

University of Northwestern-St. Paul

Score: 65.41

Graduate Tuition
- In-State: $9,720
- Out-of-State: $9,720
Net Price: $25,704
Acceptance Rate: 93%
Retention Rate: 81%

Graduation Rate: 70%
Total Enrollment: 3,253
Undergrad Students: 3,161
Graduate Students: 92
Grads Salary: $64,000
Student-to-faculty: 15:1

Judson University

Score: 64.95

Graduate Tuition
- In-State: $18,178
- Out-of-State: $18,178
Net Price: $19,268
Acceptance Rate: 58%
Retention Rate: 61%

Graduation Rate: 53%
Total Enrollment: 973
Undergrad Students: 798
Graduate Students: 175
Grads Salary: $64,000
Student-to-faculty: 10:1

Saint Leo University

Score: 63.97

Graduate Tuition
- In-State: $15,840
- Out-of-State: $15,840
Net Price: $20,390
Acceptance Rate: 80%
Retention Rate: 54%

Graduation Rate: 49%
Total Enrollment: 10,242
Undergrad Students: 7,320
Graduate Students: 2,922
Grads Salary: $76,000
Student-to-faculty: 18:1

Warner Pacific University

Score: 63.75

Graduate Tuition
- In-State: $9,000
- Out-of-State: $9,000
Net Price: $23,834
Acceptance Rate: 72%
Retention Rate: 84%

Graduation Rate: 43%
Total Enrollment: 444
Undergrad Students: 444
Graduate Students: N/A
Grads Salary: $71,000
Student-to-faculty: 5:1

Lenoir-Rhyne University

Score: 62.1

Graduate Tuition
- In-State: $12,240
- Out-of-State: $12,240
Net Price: $21,843
Acceptance Rate: 83%
Retention Rate: 71%

Graduation Rate: 51%
Total Enrollment: 2,354
Undergrad Students: 1,529
Graduate Students: 825
Grads Salary: $65,000
Student-to-faculty: 11:1

Bryan College

Score: 61.47

Graduate Tuition
- In-State: $9,630
- Out-of-State: $9,630
Net Price: $16,752
Acceptance Rate: 100%
Retention Rate: 68%

Graduation Rate: 51%
Total Enrollment: 1,656
Undergrad Students: 1,482
Graduate Students: 174
Grads Salary: $60,000
Student-to-faculty: 13:1

Liberty University

Score: 59.74

Graduate Tuition
- In-State: $7,740
- Out-of-State: $7,740
Net Price: $29,913
Acceptance Rate: 99%
Retention Rate: 79%

Graduation Rate: 66%
Total Enrollment: 96,709
Undergrad Students: 48,906
Graduate Students: 47,803
Grads Salary: $63,000
Student-to-faculty: 18:1

Purdue Global

Score: 58.77

Graduate Tuition
- In-State: $9,547
- Out-of-State: $10,608
Net Price: $6,785
Acceptance Rate: 100%
Retention Rate: 17%

Graduation Rate: 20%
Total Enrollment: 45,125
Undergrad Students: 33,510
Graduate Students: 11,615
Grads Salary: $83,000
Student-to-faculty: 26:1

Bellevue University

Score: 58.23

Graduate Tuition
- In-State: $11,682
- Out-of-State: $11,682
Net Price: $24,767
Acceptance Rate: 100%
Retention Rate: 51%

Graduation Rate: 41%
Total Enrollment: 13,841
Undergrad Students: 10,808
Graduate Students: 3,033
Grads Salary: $78,000
Student-to-faculty: 13:1

Wilmington University

Score: 57.07

Graduate Tuition
- In-State: $9,432
- Out-of-State: $9,432
Net Price: $14,089
Acceptance Rate: 100%
Retention Rate: 56%

Graduation Rate: 20%
Total Enrollment: 14,020
Undergrad Students: 9,091
Graduate Students: 4,929
Grads Salary: $74,000
Student-to-faculty: 12:1

Walden University

Score: 56.77

Graduate Tuition
- In-State: $10,160
- Out-of-State: $10,160
Net Price: $20,510
Acceptance Rate: 100%
Retention Rate: 31%

Graduation Rate: 32%
Total Enrollment: 42,312
Undergrad Students: 6,298
Graduate Students: 36,014
Grads Salary: $84,000
Student-to-faculty: 21:1

Post University

Score: 56.25

Graduate Tuition
- In-State: $6,854
- Out-of-State: $6,854
Net Price: $18,307
Acceptance Rate: 100%
Retention Rate: 35%

Graduation Rate: 32%
Total Enrollment: 17,034
Undergrad Students: 14,682
Graduate Students: 2,352
Grads Salary: $76,000
Student-to-faculty: 16:1

Overview of an Online Master's in Human Services

An online or traditional master’s in human services degree program will allow you to solidify your knowledge in your chosen specialty area. Where many bachelor's degree human services programs graduate highly competent generalists in the field, graduate work will likely focus on the specific populations or skill sets you wish to develop the most.

For instance, you might choose to focus your studies on family and children services. Others might decide to focus on substance abuse or addiction counseling or other services pertaining to mental health. Keep in mind that every human services program is unique, including those offered as online or hybrid (in-person and online courses). Some will only offer a broad-based approach while others will require certain core courses that cover the field in general before asking you to choose a specific concentration, even if that concentration is that of a generalist. You might focus on social and community services, medical and health services, legal and ethical concerns, and more.

Before you apply to a graduate human services program to earn an advanced degree, make sure you do your research thoroughly. You should know what you want and seek out the online human services programs that will foster your growth. If you are torn between a few areas, do a personal inventory that will help you determine where you wish to take your career after you earn a master's in human services degree. You will also want to decide if you need to attend online or through a hybrid program so that you know if you must find a human services program near you or, if you can attend online, you can choose from online programs anywhere in the country or the world.

What Online Human Services Master’s Degrees are Available?

Master of Arts in Human Services
A Master's in Human Services is a graduate degree that focuses on non-mathematical or analytical subjects. If you are considering furthering your work in public policy, human services counseling, or human services administration you should perhaps consider an MA when researching programs.
Master of Science in Human Services
A Master's in Human Services as a Master of Science differs from an MA in that you will typically find your coursework focuses more on statistics and even social science research, than topics such as public policy or administration. However, there is often a lot of crossover with an MA degree and some programs offer both within the same department but confer one or the other depending on your specific course selections at this degree level.
Master of Human Services
Yet another option is an MHS degree. This type of degree will serve much the same purpose as an MA or MS. In fact, many MHS programs offer specific concentrations that you can choose. Each master's in human services program will offer slightly different tracks for your studies, so be sure to thoroughly research and compare your top choices for a human services master's degree.

Online Admission Requirements

Graduate school admissions are often far more rigorous than undergraduate programs in online human services. For degrees that have an occupational focus, such as a master's in human services degree, you should be prepared to document your experience in the field and even discuss it in an admissions interview. On top of your professional experience, you will need a strong undergraduate GPA, letters of recommendation, and GRE scores that meet minimum criteria. You may also need to submit an admissions essay that details your passion for the field as well as your plans for the future.

How long does it take to earn an Online Human Services Master’s Degree?

Graduate degrees vary in length. Some are designed to take a single year, while others are designed for up to three years. When you assess the time it ostensibly takes to complete an online master's degree, factor in your personal time constraints as well. Some programs might have a track that leads to graduation in 16 months, but that might not be reasonable for you and your situation. Consider that to hit the 16-month target you will have little time for anything but studying. You may need to forgo things like family vacations, overtime at work, and some personal time. For those students who choose an online degree specifically to make sure they can still maintain their current work schedule, an online degree that takes over your day with synchronous online courses will not provide you with the flexible schedule you need.

Prior to applying to any online or hybrid human services program, consider your current time constraints vis-a-vis work and family, and make a reasonable plan for a timely graduation. You want to be certain that you can dedicate your full attention to your studies. After all, the degree will help launch a new chapter in your career.

Get Matched With a Masters in Human Services Program

Potential Careers in Human Services with a Master’s Degree

Social Worker
Social workers are found in a wide variety of settings focused on human and social services. They work in hospitals, jails, in government offices, and independent non-profit human services organizations or human services agencies. Their function can vary from human services counseling to health services administration or human services administration.
Social workers currently earn an average yearly salary of: $48,000.
Addiction Counselor
The opioid epidemic, as well as the continuing rise of alcoholism, is driving demand for more addiction counselors. Some states license addiction counselors starting with those with an online associate degree. These human services professionals work in settings including drug rehabs, private practice, and perhaps even prisons.
The national average income for this occupation is: $40,000.
Community Outreach Coordinator
This profession is found as the face of non-profit human services organizations. They are often the contact person on press releases and they typically spearhead public initiatives. Professionals in this occupation don't need any specific degree, but an online master's in human services degree program will certainly provide the knowledge and skill they need to thrive.
The average salary for this job description is: $42,200.
Case Manager
This job is very demanding, as these human services professionals must manage many different individuals who are all at very different stages in their lives. Typically, case managers work with specific populations such as prisoners on release, homeless people seeking a stable place in society, with those recieving direct services from community services or human services, or children in the foster care system. With a master's in human services degree program, you might even manage the managers; these roles would include community service managers.
The average salary for case managers is: $41,400.
Juvenile Probation Officer
This sort of probation officer is dramatically different from the corrections professionals who work with adults. Juvenile probation officers work with children and adolescents in hopes of transitioning them out of the corrections system and into a more stable living pattern.
An average salary for this profession is: $40,600.

Options to Advance

As your human services career progresses, you will surely want to attain raises and promotions. As you put more and more time and effort into your job, you are sure to receive both. However, you may find that your earnings cap out at a certain point. This is often due to your educational credentials. Thus, with each higher degree you earn, you can find more options to advance yourself.

You can even seek out special non-academic online certifications and win awards that will bolster your resume. However, the best way to advance is through higher and higher degrees. Even if you complete an online master's in human services degree, you can still return to school for either a different online master's degree or a graduate certificate that will support human services careers. For instance, you might complete an MBA to inform your ability to administer a non-profit, or you could simply add a new certificate that specifically speaks to your passions for human services.

Best Online Masters in Human Services Degrees for 2024