Social and Human Service Assistants Salary
The median pay for a social and human service assistants in Portland-South Portland, ME is $49,110/year ($23.61/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $44K at the entry level to $63K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 101.86), that's roughly $48,213 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $2,130/month, about 62.8% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $49K get you in Portland-South Portland?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Portland-South Portland’s Regional Price Parity (101.86). 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
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What this looks like in Portland-South Portland
Social and human service assistants pay in Portland-South Portland tracks closely to the national median, $49K locally vs. $46K nationwide, a 7% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $2,130/month, which is 64.9% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 101.86) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for social and human service assistants in metros near Portland-South Portland, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Bangor | $47K | $48K |
| Lewiston-Auburn | $48K | $51K |
| Manchester-Nashua | $47K | $44K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Portland-South Portland, ME
Entry-level social and human service assistants (10th percentile) start around $44K. Mid-career wages sit at $49K. Top earners bring in $63K or more, a $19K 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
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Frequently asked questions
Can a social and human service assistant afford a 2BR apartment alone in Portland-South Portland?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $49K, rent takes 64.9% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,130/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,000/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 Portland-South Portland?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new social and human service assistants typically earn — is $44K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,615/month. At HUD’s $2,130/month FMR, rent would take 81% 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 Portland-South Portland?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $49K locally vs. $46K nationally, a 7% difference.
How does Portland-South Portland compare to the national average for social and human service assistants?
Portland-South Portland pays $49K median vs. the U.S. average of $46K — that’s +7%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 101.86), the purchasing-power equivalent is $48K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do social and human service assistants make in Portland-South Portland, ME?
The median is $49,110 a year, that works out to about $24 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $43,580, and experienced social and human service assistants can clear $62,920. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $49K enough to live in Portland-South Portland?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,283/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,130/month, which eats 64.9% 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 Portland-South Portland?
Portland-South Portland has a Regional Price Parity of 101.86 (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 $48,213 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.