Social and Human Service Assistants Salary
The median pay for a social and human service assistants in Watertown-Fort Drum, NY is $38,300/year ($18.41/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $32K at the entry level to $55K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 87.69), which stretches that salary to about $43,677 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,405/month, about 53.1% of take-home, which is tight.
Where the paycheck goes
What $38K actually covers in Watertown-Fort Drum, month by month
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Watertown-Fort Drum’s Regional Price Parity (87.69). 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 Watertown-Fort Drum
Pay for social and human service assistants in Watertown-Fort Drum runs about 17% below the U.S. median of $46K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,405/month, which is 53.9% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 87.69 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 12% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for social and human service assistants.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for social and human service assistants in metros near Watertown-Fort Drum, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| New York-Newark-Jersey City | $48K | $43K |
| Rochester | $45K | $46K |
| Syracuse | $47K | $49K |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga | $44K | $46K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Watertown-Fort Drum, NY
Entry-level social and human service assistants (10th percentile) start around $32K. Mid-career wages sit at $38K. Top earners bring in $55K or more, a $23K 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)
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Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a social and human service assistant afford a 2BR apartment alone in Watertown-Fort Drum?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $38K, rent takes 53.9% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,405/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $800/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 Watertown-Fort Drum?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new social and human service assistants typically earn — is $32K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,231/month. At HUD’s $1,405/month FMR, rent would take 63% 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 Watertown-Fort Drum?
Local pay runs 17% below the national median — $38K here vs. $46K nationally. Cost of living is 12% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Watertown-Fort Drum compare to the national average for social and human service assistants?
Watertown-Fort Drum pays $38K median vs. the U.S. average of $46K — that’s -17%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 87.69), the purchasing-power equivalent is $44K — below the national median.
How much do social and human service assistants make in Watertown-Fort Drum, NY?
The median is $38,300 a year, that works out to about $18 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $32,240, and experienced social and human service assistants can clear $55,330. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $38K enough to live in Watertown-Fort Drum?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,609/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,405/month, which eats 53.9% 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 Watertown-Fort Drum?
Watertown-Fort Drum has a Regional Price Parity of 87.69 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median social and human service assistants salary is worth about $43,677 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.