Social and Human Service Assistants Salary
The median pay for a social and human service assistants in Bellingham, WA is $54,320/year ($26.12/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $40K at the entry level to $66K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 103.33), that's roughly $52,569 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,794/month, about 47.5% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $54K get you in Bellingham?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Bellingham’s Regional Price Parity (103.33). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About social and human service assistants
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in Bellingham
Bellingham sits well above the national pay line for social and human service assistants, local pay runs about 18% higher than the U.S. median of $46K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,794/month, which is 47.1% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 103.33) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. The pay premium is real, but so are the offsets.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for social and human service assistants in metros near Bellingham, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue | $58K | $52K |
| Spokane-Spokane Valley | $49K | $49K |
| Yakima | $49K | $51K |
| Kennewick-Richland | $48K | $48K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Bellingham, WA
Entry-level social and human service assistants (10th percentile) start around $40K. Mid-career wages sit at $54K. Top earners bring in $66K or more, a $26K spread from bottom to top.
Social and Human Service Assistants pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Social and Human Service Assistants salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $59K | +29% | 2,080 |
| Washington | $55K | +19% | 7,590 |
| Oregon | $51K | +12% | 11,260 |
| California | $51K | +11% | 58,730 |
| Minnesota | $50K | +9% | 11,110 |
| New Jersey | $48K | +5% | 17,270 |
| Rhode Island | $48K | +4% | 2,290 |
| Maine | $48K | +4% | 4,580 |
| Colorado | $48K | +4% | 5,410 |
| Idaho | $48K | +4% | 3,810 |
| Wisconsin | $48K | +3% | 7,750 |
| Alaska | $47K | +3% | 1,370 |
| Maryland | $47K | +3% | 7,280 |
| New York | $47K | +3% | 40,970 |
| Massachusetts | $47K | +3% | 9,180 |
| Illinois | $47K | +2% | 22,220 |
| New Hampshire | $47K | +2% | 1,860 |
| Vermont | $47K | +2% | 1,920 |
| New Mexico | $46K | +1% | 3,050 |
| North Dakota | $46K | +1% | 1,530 |
| Texas | $46K | -0% | 21,620 |
| Wyoming | $45K | -1% | 610 |
| Connecticut | $45K | -3% | 9,930 |
| Indiana | $45K | -3% | 11,740 |
| Florida | $44K | -3% | 22,670 |
| Pennsylvania | $44K | -4% | 24,340 |
| Virginia | $43K | -5% | 10,670 |
| North Carolina | $43K | -7% | 9,020 |
| Kansas | $43K | -7% | 6,070 |
| Iowa | $42K | -8% | 5,230 |
| Hawaii | $42K | -8% | 2,230 |
| Missouri | $42K | -9% | 6,200 |
| Arizona | $41K | -11% | 7,290 |
| Delaware | $41K | -11% | 1,050 |
| Tennessee | $40K | -12% | 4,380 |
| Utah | $40K | -13% | 6,540 |
| Georgia | $39K | -14% | 7,410 |
| West Virginia | $39K | -14% | 3,320 |
| Michigan | $39K | -15% | 12,450 |
| Nebraska | $39K | -15% | 1,460 |
| Nevada | $39K | -16% | 2,420 |
| Montana | $39K | -16% | 1,200 |
| South Carolina | $39K | -16% | 5,220 |
| Ohio | $38K | -16% | 10,970 |
| South Dakota | $38K | -17% | 830 |
| Kentucky | $37K | -18% | 4,670 |
| Arkansas | $37K | -20% | 3,530 |
| Oklahoma | $37K | -20% | 3,340 |
| Alabama | $36K | -22% | 3,370 |
| Louisiana | $36K | -22% | 3,440 |
| Mississippi | $31K | -32% | N/A |
Showing 1–10 of 51 (all 50 states + DC)
Track social and human service assistants salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Bellingham numbers change.
Related careers in Community & Social
Frequently asked questions
Can a social and human service assistant afford a 2BR apartment alone in Bellingham?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $54K, rent takes 47.1% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,794/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,100/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for social and human service assistants in Bellingham?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new social and human service assistants typically earn — is $40K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,414/month. At HUD’s $1,794/month FMR, rent would take 74% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is social and human service assistant a high-paying job in Bellingham?
Local pay is 18% above the national median — $54K here vs. $46K nationally.
How does Bellingham compare to the national average for social and human service assistants?
Bellingham pays $54K median vs. the U.S. average of $46K — that’s +18%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 103.33), the purchasing-power equivalent is $53K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do social and human service assistants make in Bellingham, WA?
The median is $54,320 a year, that works out to about $26 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $40,230, and experienced social and human service assistants can clear $66,160. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $54K enough to live in Bellingham?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,807/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,794/month, which eats 47.1% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a social and human service assistants salary go in Bellingham?
Bellingham has a Regional Price Parity of 103.33 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median social and human service assistants salary is worth about $52,569 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do social and human service assistants get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.