SOC 21-1093 · May 2025 · BLS OEWS
Social and Human Service Assistants — Amherst Town
Amherst Town-Northampton, MA · 5 metro areas compared
At $44,900, median pay for Social and Human Service Assistants in Amherst Town, MA tracks the national median of $45,930 closely.
Wage distribution · annual
Shaded band holds the middle 50% of earners
How pay has moved
The next ten years
Projected to grow faster than average
- Change in jobs, 2024 to 2034
- +6.4%
- Openings per year
- 50,600
- Typical entry-level education
- High school diploma or equivalent
- On-the-job training
- Short-term on-the-job training
Includes jobs opened by workers leaving the occupation, not only new positions.
Projections are published nationally only. This is the outlook for the occupation across the United States, not a measurement for Amherst Town-Northampton, MA.
Projections are based on 2024 employment and run to 2034. The wages above are from the May 2025 survey, a separate BLS programme on a different release cycle, so the two are not two views of one dataset.
Salary overview
At $44,900, median pay for Social and Human Service Assistants in Amherst Town, MA tracks the national median of $45,930 closely. Pay ranges from under $39,760 at the tenth percentile to more than $61,050 at the ninetieth, with the interquartile range running from $43,110 to $52,150.
The area has 240 jobs in this occupation, giving a location quotient of 1.32 — a measure of how concentrated the occupation is here relative to the country as a whole. Within the state, Barnstable Town records the highest median at $47,990. Of the 283 occupations with published wages in this area, it sits 236th.
Percentile breakdown
| Percentile | Annual | vs US median |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $39,760 | −13.4% |
| 25th | $43,110 | −6.1% |
| Median (50th) | $44,900 | −2.2% |
| 75th | $52,150 | +13.5% |
| 90th | $61,050 | +32.9% |
| Mean | $47,980 | +4.5% |
Other metro areas in Massachusetts
| # | Metro area | Median | Jobs | Relative |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Barnstable Town | $47,990 | 200 | |
| 2 | Boston | $47,530 | 6,090 | |
| 3 | Worcester | $46,030 | 1,060 | |
| 4 | Springfield | $44,970 | 740 | |
| 5 | Pittsfield | $44,730 | 190 |
What the pay is worth locally
Prices in Amherst Town sit close to the national average, so $44,900 is worth roughly its face value against pay elsewhere.
Published median
$44,900as reported by BLSLocal price level
100.2US average = 100 · BEA 2024Adjusted for local prices
$44,810US average = 100 · BEA 2024Why the state that pays most is usually not where pay goes furthest
Key takeaways
- Median pay is $44,900 a year, 2.2% below the national median.
- Published pay spans $39,760 to $61,050 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles.
- The area has 240 jobs in this occupation.
- The highest-paying metro area covered is Barnstable Town, at $47,990.
Frequently asked questions
What is the median wage for Social and Human Service Assistants in Amherst Town, MA?
The median annual wage is $44,900, or $21.59 per hour, as of May 2025. Half of the workers in this occupation earn more than that and half earn less.
Is that higher than the national average?
The national median for this occupation is $45,930, so pay in Amherst Town, MA is 2.2% lower. These figures are medians, not averages: half of workers fall on each side.
What do the top earners make?
The top tenth of this occupation in Amherst Town, MA earns more than $61,050 per year. The ninetieth percentile is the highest figure the survey publishes.
What is the starting range?
The tenth percentile wage is $39,760 per year. The survey measures wages actually paid rather than experience level, so this reflects the lowest-paid tenth rather than entry-level pay specifically.
Which area nearby pays the most?
The highest median for this occupation among the metro areas covered is in Barnstable Town, at $47,990 per year.
How many jobs are there in this occupation here?
The survey estimates 240 jobs in this occupation in Amherst Town, MA. Self-employed workers are not included.
Source and methodology
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 Wages are for wage-and-salary workers; self-employed workers are not included. Salary Explorer is an independent project. It is not affiliated with, or endorsed by, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics or any government agency. Full methodology.
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