Nonprofit & Social Services Jobs in Tucson, AZ
Social services work in Tucson runs through hospitals, the Southern Arizona VA and a deep bench of nonprofits, from Primavera Foundation's housing programs to CODAC's behavioral health center on East Speedway. The guides below cover every nonprofit and social services role in Tucson, who is hiring, and what it pays.
Why Nonprofit & Social Services Work Is Different in Tucson
In Tucson, a large share of social services jobs sit inside health care. Tucson Medical Center on Grant Road and Carondelet St. Mary's on the west side build social workers into their case management teams, and the Southern Arizona VA Health Care System on South Sixth Avenue hires social workers for its medical center and outpatient clinics. Behavioral health is the other big employer: the latest detailed federal survey counted about 1,310 substance abuse, behavioral disorder and mental health counselors in the Tucson metro, close to the 1,320 social and human service assistants who staff intake desks, shelters and outreach teams.
The nonprofit side reflects the city's needs. Primavera Foundation runs rapid rehousing and tenancy programs for people leaving homelessness, El Rio Health runs community health centers across the city, and the Arizona Department of Corrections, Rehabilitation and Reentry staffs substance abuse counselors at the state prison complex on South Wilmot Road. Spanish fluency is a real advantage at many of these employers, and Arizona's Medicaid program, AHCCCS, has paid for community health worker services since April 2023 when the worker is certified, which ties a growing share of outreach jobs to clinics and health plans.
Top Nonprofit & Social Services Employers in Tucson
These Tucson employers hire for social work, case management, counseling and program roles:
- Tucson Medical Center - social worker care coordinators, hospice social workers and RN case managers at its midtown campus and TMC Rincon.
- Carondelet St. Mary's Hospital - Social Worker II and RN case manager roles in its case management department.
- Southern Arizona VA Health Care System - GS-9 to GS-12 social workers and supervisors serving veterans.
- Primavera Foundation - resource specialists, intake specialists and outreach staff in housing and homelessness programs.
- CODAC Health, Recovery and Wellness - counselors, therapists and outreach engagement specialists in addiction and trauma recovery.
- El Rio Health - program and project coordinators and population health staff at its community health centers.
- Arizona Department of Corrections, Rehabilitation and Reentry - licensed substance abuse counselors at ASPC-Tucson.
Nonprofit & Social Services Career Paths in Tucson
- Social work and case management - Social Worker and Case Manager. The licensed core of the field, centered on hospitals, the VA and housing programs.
- Behavioral health and recovery - Substance Abuse Counselor. Clinics, residential treatment and corrections all hire, and Arizona licenses the work at several levels.
- Community health and outreach - Community Health Worker and Outreach Coordinator. Street outreach, health navigation and enrollment work, often bilingual and often the first job in the field.
- Nonprofit operations - Program Coordinator, Volunteer Coordinator and Fundraising Coordinator. The people who run grants, programs, volunteers and donors behind the front line.
How to Start a Nonprofit & Social Services Career in Tucson
- Social work license - the Arizona Board of Behavioral Health Examiners issues the LBSW, LMSW and LCSW. ASU's School of Social Work offers an in-person MSW and a transfer BSW at its Tucson location on North Commerce Park Loop.
- Addiction counseling license - the same board licenses addiction technicians, Licensed Associate Addiction Counselors (LAAC) and Licensed Independent Addiction Counselors (LIAC), which replaced the old LASAC and LISAC titles.
- Social Services certificate or AAS - Pima Community College's West Campus offers a one-year certificate and a two-year AAS with 135 hours of supervised field experience.
- Community health worker certification - the Arizona Department of Health Services offers voluntary CHW certification, and Pima Community College runs a hybrid Community Health Worker course at West Campus.
- Level One fingerprint clearance card - issued by the Arizona Department of Public Safety and asked for by many housing, behavioral health and youth programs.
A license is legally required only to use a licensed title or practice clinically, such as an LCSW or LIAC. CHW certification, the fingerprint card and most degree requirements are set by the employer or the program's funder.
Nonprofit & Social Services Salaries in Tucson
- Entry - roughly $17 to $22 an hour for human service assistants, outreach specialists and intake staff.
- Mid - roughly $22 to $32 an hour for case managers, counselors, community health workers with experience and hospital social workers.
- Senior - roughly $65,000 to $111,000 a year for LCSWs, licensed counselors and program managers, with VA supervisory social workers posted up to about $133,000.
These are estimates that vary by employer and experience. Hospitals and the VA pay the most and add federal or health system benefits, while nonprofits often pay less but offer grant-funded entry roles that build the hours a license needs. Tucson's community and social service occupations averaged $25.77 an hour in the latest federal survey.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a degree to work in social services in Tucson?
Not for every job. Outreach, intake and human service assistant roles often take a high school diploma plus experience, while case managers usually need a bachelor's degree and social workers in clinical roles need an MSW.
What license do social workers need in Arizona?
The Arizona Board of Behavioral Health Examiners licenses social workers at the LBSW, LMSW and LCSW levels. Independent clinical practice requires the LCSW, which takes an MSW plus 24 months of supervised clinical work.
Do Tucson nonprofits require a fingerprint clearance card?
Many do. Housing and behavioral health employers such as Primavera Foundation ask for a Level One fingerprint clearance card from the Arizona Department of Public Safety, sometimes within 30 days of hire.
How much do social services jobs pay in Tucson?
Entry roles run roughly $17 to $22 an hour, experienced case managers and counselors roughly $22 to $32, and licensed senior roles $65,000 a year and up. These are estimates that vary by employer and experience.
Where can I train for a social services career in Tucson?
Pima Community College's West Campus offers Social Services certificates and a Community Health Worker course, and ASU's School of Social Work runs an MSW at its Tucson location. Many workers start in an entry nonprofit role and study while they work.
Ready to get started? Browse all current nonprofit and social services job openings in Tucson, AZ on TucsonHIRED and apply today.