Job title · SOC 21-1099

Victim Advocate

Overview

Sourced

All community and social service specialists not listed separately.

O*NET definition of Community and Social Service Specialists, All Other (SOC 21-1099).

45,250

in government (SOC 21-1099)

42%

of this occupation works for government

$62,950

median pay in government

State · Local

levels of government

Occupation figures cover every job classified under SOC 21-1099, including Veterans Service Officer.

How people usually get in Editorial

degree/experience. Requirements vary by employer; each employer page will list its exact rules.

Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 — national estimates by ownership; U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), O*NET 31.0 Database; GovJobs Wiki (editorial). Data captured September 30, 2026.

Requirements

Sourced

Typical entry requirements (BLS, SOC 21-1099)

Education needed to enter: Bachelor's degree
Related work experience: None
On-the-job training: None

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections 2025–35 — education and training assignments by detailed occupation (Tables 5.3, 5.4). Data captured September 30, 2026.

Academy and training

Sourced

Training to become competent (BLS)

SOC 21-1099: None

Academy length, curriculum and paid-training policies are set by each employer and state; they are part of the employer collection stage.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections 2025–35 — education and training assignments by detailed occupation (Tables 5.3, 5.4). Data captured September 30, 2026.

Promotion ladder

Editorial

Civil-service class series: civil-service class series I → II → III → senior → supervisor → manager, each with a salary range. Typical structure for a civil-service class series; titles, steps and timing differ by employer.

Trainee / Assistant
Level I
Level II (journey)
Level III / Senior
Lead / Principal
Supervisor
Manager
Director / Division Chief

Source: GovJobs Wiki (editorial).

Pay

Sourced

Federal

Not published

State

$65,170

Local

$62,080

All government

$62,950

Private sector

$52,000

Median annual wage by employer type, national, May 2025. Federal includes the U.S. Postal Service; state and local include public schools and hospitals.

Employer type	Workers	10th pct.	25th	Median	75th	90th
State	15,110	$45,050	$53,210	$65,170	$79,770	$97,860
Local	30,150	$38,660	$49,280	$62,080	$77,940	$93,060
All government	45,250	$40,960	$50,200	$62,950	$78,510	$95,240
Private sector	62,480	$36,080	$43,950	$52,000	$62,830	$78,010

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 — national estimates by ownership. Data captured September 30, 2026.

State government pay plans

Official pay ranges for the job classes that match Victim Advocate in 10 state civil-service plans. They cover state employees only, not cities, counties or school districts.

State	Job classes in the state plan	Annual range
Alabama	Victims' Service Officer 1 class · effective September 1, 2026 · Alabama State Personnel Department	$44,218 – $73,954
Arizona	Victim Advocate 1 class · effective July 9, 2022 · Arizona Department of Administration, Human Resources Division	$36,779 – $66,009
Florida	Victim Services Program Specialist 1 class · effective July 1, 2026 · Florida Department of Management Services (DMS), State Human Resource Management	$38,264 – $84,534
Kentucky	Victims' Advocate I–II 2 classes · effective September 16, 2026 · Kentucky Personnel Cabinet	$44,074 – $51,715
Oklahoma	Victim Advocate I–II 2 classes · effective August 30, 2026 · Oklahoma Office of Management and Enterprise Services (OMES), Human Capital Management	$27,827 – $127,058
Pennsylvania	Victim Assistance Coordinator 1 class · effective July 1, 2026 · Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Office of Administration	$60,538 – $98,144
Tennessee	Victim Services Prog Spec 1 class · effective September 1, 2026 · Tennessee Department of Human Resources	$43,572 – $65,208
Texas	Victim Support Specialist I–IV 4 classes · effective September 1, 2025 · Texas State Auditor's Office (SAO), State Classification Team	$33,840 – $71,055
Vermont	Victims Advocate 1 class · effective July 12, 2026 · Vermont Department of Human Resources	$55,120 – $86,050
Wisconsin	Victim Services Specialist, Victim Services Specialist-Adv 2 classes · effective June 28, 2026 · Wisconsin Department of Administration, Division of Personnel Management	$42,078 – $103,626

Lowest class minimum to highest class maximum. Hourly rates are converted at 2,080 hours a year, and other rates at the plan's pay periods; the plans publish the exact rates. Classes are matched to this job by title (GovJobsWiki editorial rule).

Sources: 10 official state pay plans, linked in each row.

13Derived

By state

Sourced

Median annual wage for Community and Social Service Specialists, All Other (SOC 21-1099) in each state, all employers (BLS state estimates do not separate government from private). Highest first.

State	Workers	10th pct.	Median	90th pct.
Wyoming	80	$45,060	$73,270	$74,060
Virginia	2,190	$42,850	$69,810	$91,770
District of Columbia	440	$49,980	$69,130	$112,800
New York	15,300	$50,520	$66,580	$95,590
Washington	4,800	$42,640	$64,340	$99,340
Rhode Island	250	$47,600	$63,510	$98,720
North Dakota	170	$46,180	$63,490	$95,090
New Jersey	3,860	$45,420	$61,910	$89,130
Hawaii	760	$38,200	$61,000	$89,270
California	16,250	$38,840	$58,770	$96,030
Kentucky	280	$38,570	$58,150	$72,230
Massachusetts	1,480	$39,000	$57,360	$86,260
Oregon	1,980	$40,900	$56,770	$76,360
Alaska	270	$40,820	$56,730	$81,620
New Hampshire	1,520	$43,260	$56,730	$80,810
Colorado	6,540	$40,210	$55,490	$86,080
Wisconsin	830	$39,300	$55,220	$73,100
North Carolina	3,460	$38,850	$54,820	$75,160
Pennsylvania	2,040	$43,280	$54,770	$99,300
Minnesota	4,010	$37,180	$54,050	$94,580
Tennessee	1,940	$42,080	$53,850	$68,010
Connecticut	1,520	$42,540	$53,840	$84,860
Delaware	320	$35,620	$53,640	$77,490
Oklahoma	70	$37,650	$53,640	$68,750
Nebraska	160	$43,150	$53,170	$65,290
Vermont	2,850	$43,300	$53,150	$68,460
Arizona	380	$42,620	$52,410	$72,080
South Carolina	220	$31,910	$51,880	$78,030
Maryland	2,640	$36,870	$51,000	$80,840
Florida	3,750	$35,650	$50,440	$75,700
Idaho	130	$38,900	$50,390	$66,230
Missouri	930	$36,610	$50,180	$80,010
Michigan	2,360	$36,940	$50,020	$76,310
Nevada	280	$34,750	$49,600	$77,940
Louisiana	5,730	$31,050	$49,080	$74,060
Indiana	190	$34,400	$49,070	$70,780
New Mexico	270	$43,980	$48,820	$62,500
Texas	6,080	$31,040	$48,400	$71,910
Kansas	730	$25,850	$47,650	$68,390
Iowa	250	$28,130	$46,460	$63,150
Utah	480	$34,290	$46,230	$77,620
Ohio	820	$30,130	$45,980	$95,120
Georgia	3,740	$29,840	$45,220	$74,460
Mississippi	1,040	$29,250	$44,340	$69,900
Maine	80	$33,280	$44,160	$62,590
Montana	480	$31,200	$41,850	$67,010
West Virginia	510	$30,580	$41,060	$68,200
Illinois	2,750	$33,050	$40,900	$61,360
Arkansas	450	$24,470	$40,840	$58,270

49 states with published estimates.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 — state estimates. Data captured September 30, 2026.

Not yet collected

These dimensions are part of every job page. We publish them only once they are sourced from official documents such as job postings, pay plans, union contracts and state standards.

03 Hiring process
The steps in order and how long they take: application, written and physical tests, oral board, background check, polygraph, psychological and medical exams, eligibility list
Not yet collected
05 Probation
Probation length and what ends it
Not yet collected
08 Schedule
Shift patterns (24/48, 4/10, 5/8, split), seniority bidding, holidays and mandatory overtime
Not yet collected
09 Benefits and pension
Pension plan and formula, retirement age and years, DROP, retiree health, Social Security coverage, 457(b) and PSLF eligibility
Not yet collected
10 Union contracts
Bargaining unit, union and the current contract, with its source and effective dates
Not yet collected
11 Transfers and lateral entry
Lateral entry policy, certification reciprocity, lateral bonuses and moves between agencies
Not yet collected
12 Day-to-day work
What the work involves day to day, from sourced task lists
Not yet collected
14 Exam practice
Named entrance and licensing exams, with free practice tests where they exist
Not yet collected
15 Employer directory
Every public employer that hires this job, with its own pay and rules
Not yet collected

At a glance

Job familyCourts & Legal

LevelState, Local

Pay structureCivil-service class series

Occupation code21-1099 Community and Social Service Specialists, All Other

Sources and verification

Alabama State Personnel Department — Alabama Merit Semi-Monthly Compensation Plan (effective 09/01/2026)

Official source · data captured September 30, 2026 · Public record (Alabama state government publication); facts republished with a link to the source

Arizona Department of Administration, Human Resources Division — Arizona State Personnel System Job Titles with Pay Ranges and Salary Schedules

Official source · data captured September 30, 2026 · Public record (Arizona state government publication); facts republished with a link to the source

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Employment Projections 2025–35 — education and training assignments by detailed occupation (Tables 5.3, 5.4)

Official source · data captured September 30, 2026 · Public domain (U.S. government work)

Florida Department of Management Services (DMS), State Human Resource Management — Florida State Personnel System — Broadband Crosswalk (September 2026), Pay Grades and Broadband Pay Ranges (July 1, 2026)

Official source · data captured September 30, 2026 · Public record (Florida state government publication); facts republished with a link to the source

Kentucky Personnel Cabinet — Kentucky Classified and Unclassified 37.5 and 40-Hour Salary Schedule (effective September 16, 2026) and Job Class Specifications

Official source · data captured September 30, 2026 · Public record (Kentucky state government publication); facts republished with a link to the source

U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA) — O*NET 31.0 Database

Official source · data captured September 30, 2026 · CC BY 4.0

This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. GovJobsWiki has modified some of this information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed or tested these modifications.

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 — national estimates by ownership

Official source · data captured September 30, 2026 · Public domain (U.S. government work)

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 — state estimates

Official source · data captured September 30, 2026 · Public domain (U.S. government work)

Oklahoma Office of Management and Enterprise Services (OMES), Human Capital Management — Oklahoma Pay Structures for State Employees (effective 08/30/2026) and OMES Job Catalog

Official source · data captured September 30, 2026 · Public record (Oklahoma state government publication); facts republished with a link to the source

Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Office of Administration — Pennsylvania Commonwealth Classification and Pay Plan (job classes and pay schedules)

Official source · data captured September 30, 2026 · Public record (Commonwealth of Pennsylvania government publication); facts republished with a link to the source

Tennessee Department of Human Resources — Tennessee DOHR Alpha Comp Plan (September 1, 2026)

Official source · data captured September 30, 2026 · Public record (Tennessee state government publication); facts republished with a link to the source

Texas State Auditor's Office (SAO), State Classification Team — Texas State Classification Plan — Job Description Index and Salary Schedules A, B and C (FY 2026–27)

Official source · data captured September 30, 2026 · Public information (Texas state government publication); facts republished with a link to the source

Vermont Department of Human Resources — Vermont Job Specifications and FY 2027 Classified, Corrections and State Police Pay Plans (Appendix II, July 12, 2026 – January 9, 2027)

Official source · data captured September 30, 2026 · Public record (Vermont state government publication); facts republished with a link to the source

Wisconsin Department of Administration, Division of Personnel Management — Wisconsin Alphabetical Listing of Classifications and 2025-2027 Compensation Plan Pay Schedules

Official source · data captured September 30, 2026 · Public record (Wisconsin state government publication); facts republished with a link to the source

GovJobs Wiki — editorial structure and wording

GovJobsWiki editorial · not a sourced fact · GovJobsWiki editorial

Page data last changed October 1, 2026. How we verify · Report an error

Victim Advocate

Overview

Requirements

Academy and training

Promotion ladder

Pay

State government pay plans

Related jobs

By state

Not yet collected