Individuals working in Community & Social Service occupations play a significant role in society, helping in times of hardship and day-to-day life, which can improve the overall well-being and stability of individuals and communities. There are about 4,500 people employed in the Community & Social Service occupational group in Southeast Minnesota, accounting for 1.9% of total employment in the region.

In Southeast Minnesota, Social & Human Service Assistants are the largest of these occupations, representing 13.6% of those employed in the Community & Social Service occupational group, followed by Social Workers; Child, Family & School Social Workers, and Marriage & Family Therapists. These four occupations make up almost half of total employment in the occupational group.

Median hourly wages ranged from $17.37 to $40.75 in 2023 in Southeast Minnesota. Occupations with the highest wages include Probation Officers & Correctional Treatment Specialists, Social Workers, Marriage & Family Therapists, and Mental Health & Substance Abuse Social Workers, which were all well above $30 per hour. The lowest wages were found in Counselors and Social & Human Service Assistants, which were both below $20 per hour (see Table 1).

There is lots of current demand for Community & Social Service occupations and there is projected to be even more need from 2020 to 2030. In the second quarter of 2022, there were almost 200 job vacancies reported for these jobs in Southeast Minnesota. The most vacancies came from Social & Human Service Assistants (53 job vacancies), Child, Family, & School Social Workers (45 job vacancies), and Educational Guidance & Career Counselors & Advisors (15 job vacancies).

DEED's Employment Outlook data tool indicates a growing demand for roles within the Community & Social Service occupational group moving forward. It's projected that from 2020 to 2030, approximately 539 new jobs will be created, marking a 9.8% increase. That was nearly twice as fast as the total of all occupations in the region. Additionally, projections show that there will be 1,957 openings due to labor market exits and 3,722 openings arising from occupational transfers. Collectively, these factors contribute to a total of 6,218 job openings in Community & Social Service occupations over this decade.

All roles within the Community & Social Service occupational group are expected to see an increase in new job opportunities from 2020 to 2030. The most significant percentage growth is anticipated for Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder & Mental Health Counselors, with Community Health Workers and Community & Social Service Specialists following closely behind. In terms of total hires, Social & Human Service Assistants lead with a projected 1,054 total openings, followed by Child, Family & School Social Workers with 802 openings, Clergy with 728 openings, and Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, & Mental Health Counselors with 587 openings. Collectively, these four occupations are expected to account for over half (51%) of the total hires in the Community & Social Service occupational group during this decade (see Table 2).

To address the ongoing and future demand for mental health and other health care professionals, the Minnesota Office of Rural Health & Primary Care has established the Minnesota Health Professional Loan Forgiveness Program. This program is designed to attract and retain health care professionals, including dentists, nurses, pharmacists, physicians, and mental health experts, in regions of Minnesota where they are most needed. The mental health professions that are qualified for this loan forgiveness are Licensed Psychologist, Licensed Independent Clinic Social Workers (LICSW), Licensed Marriage & Family Therapists (LMFT), Licensed Professional Clinical Counselors (LPCC), and Licensed Alcohol and Drug Counselors (LADC).

Mental health professionals in Minnesota have access to two types of loan forgiveness opportunities for working in either rural or urban settings. For rural loan forgiveness, these professionals must commit to working a minimum of 30 hours weekly for at least 45 weeks each year, over a period of three years, in a designated rural area. In contrast, those seeking urban loan forgiveness must meet the same work-hour criteria but practice in an urban Health Professional Shortage Area (HPSA), Medically Underserved Area/Population (MUA/P), or provide care to a client base where at least 25% are beneficiaries of state public programs or receive sliding fee schedule discounts, if not located in a HPSA or MUA/P.

Psychologists holding a doctorate degree (PsyD, PhD, or equivalent) are eligible for up to $29,000 annually in loan forgiveness. Meanwhile, professionals with LICSW, LMFT, LPCC, or LADC qualifications can receive up to $11,000 per year in loan forgiveness. For detailed information about the Minnesota Health Care Loan Forgiveness Programs, visit: Minnesota Health Care Loan Forgiveness Programs.

In conclusion, there is a great current and future need for Community & Social Service occupations in Southeast Minnesota. The Minnesota Health Professional Loan Forgiveness Program supports this growth, offering financial incentives to attract and retain mental health professionals in underserved areas, helping to ensure continued support and well-being in communities in all parts of Minnesota.

For More Information

Contact Amanda O'Connell, Labor Market Analyst, at amanda.oconnell@state.mn.us.