Youth Prevention Specialist Salary in the United States

How much does a Youth Prevention Specialist make in the United States?

As of October 01, 2026, the average salary for a Youth Prevention Specialist in the United States is $65,649 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $32.

However, a Youth Prevention Specialist's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $80,141
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $58,492 to $73,235
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $51,976

Key Factors That Influence Youth Prevention Specialist Salaries

A Youth Prevention Specialist's salary isn't a fixed number. It's shaped by several important factors. Below, we'll explore how your years of experience, geographic location, education and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Experience Level Affects Youth Prevention Specialist Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Youth Prevention Specialist's salary. As you build your skills and take on more complex tasks, your compensation generally increases. Here's how the average salary grows at different career stages:

  • Entry-Level (less than 1 year): $63,164
  • Early Career (1-2 years): $63,661
  • Mid-Level (2-4 years): $66,757
  • Senior-Level (5-8 years): $70,179
  • Expert (over 8 years): $70,790
Levels Salary
Entry Level Youth Prevention Specialist$63,164
Intermediate Level Youth Prevention Specialist$63,661
Senior Level Youth Prevention Specialist$66,757
Specialist Level Youth Prevention Specialist$70,179
Expert Level Youth Prevention Specialist$70,790

How Do Youth Prevention Specialist Salaries Vary from State to State?

Your salary can change significantly depending on where you work. States with a higher cost of living and strong industrial sectors often pay more to attract Youth Prevention Specialists. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:
  • District of Columbia: $72,687.
  • California: $72,411.
  • Massachusetts: $71,446.

Top Paying Cities for Youth Prevention Specialists

Salaries can also vary between different cities. Major metropolitan areas or cities with a high demand for technicians often offer more competitive pay. Here are a few examples of average annual salaries in different U.S. cities:

  • San Jose: $82,803
  • San Francisco: $81,897
  • Oakland: $80,171

What Skills Can Increase a Youth Prevention Specialist's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Planning (Mentioned in 8.84% Job Postings): An act or process of making or carrying out plans. Establishment of goals, policies, and procedures for a social or economic unit city planning business planning.
  • Patient Care (Mentioned in 2.49% Job Postings): Patient care refers to the prevention, treatment, and management of illness and the preservation of physical and mental well-being through services offered by health professionals.
  • Geriatrics (Mentioned in 1.28% Job Postings): Geriatrics, or geriatric medicine, is a medical specialty focused on providing care for the unique health needs of older adults. The term geriatrics originates from the Greek geron meaning "old man", and iatros meaning "healer".
Skills Demand Percentage
Planning 8.84%
Patient Care 2.49%
Geriatrics 1.28%

What skills can make your compensation higher?

Mastering certain specialized skills can lead to a significant increase in pay. Here are examples of skills and the potential impact they can have on a Youth Prevention Specialist's salary.

  • Coaching: Can increase your salary by up to 4%.
  • Psychiatric: Can increase your salary by up to 3%.
  • Verbal Communication: Can increase your salary by up to 3%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Coaching $68,275
4%
Psychiatric $67,619
3%
Verbal Communication $67,619
3%

Youth Prevention Specialist Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors

For Youth Prevention Specialist roles, the industry you choose can impact your earning potential by as much as 20% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries). Data shows that the highest-paying industry, Healthcare., offers compensation 5% above the average. Conversely, Youth Prevention Specialist positions in Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit typically offer lower base pay, as this sector often view Youth Prevention Specialist as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.

The top paying industry for a Youth Prevention Specialist

Industry Sector Average Annual Salary Average Hourly Rate Pay vs.Avg
Healthcare.$68,932$33.05%

How Education impacts a Youth Prevention Specialist's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Youth Prevention Specialists enter the field with a Master's Degree or MBA degree, higher education can lead to more specialized and higher-paying roles.

According to our 100% employer-reported salary data, the median salary for a Youth Prevention Specialist with a Master's Degree or MBA is between $71,017 and $74,969).

Youth Prevention Specialist Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Youth Prevention Specialist
Degree Level % of user with this level of education
No Diploma 0.1%
High School 0.8%
Associates 1.5%
Bachelors 5.1%
Masters 91.4%
Doctorate 1.1%

Youth Prevention Specialist Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Youth Prevention Specialist's annual salary breaks down can help with budgeting. Below, you can see the average hourly rate, weekly pay, and monthly pay for this role. Use the buttons to switch between different pay periods.

Last Updated on October 01, 2026
$58,492
Average $65,649/year
$73,235
$4,874
Average $5,471/month
$6,103
$1,125
Average $1,262/week
$1,408
$28
Average $32/hour
$35
Annual Salary Monthly Pay Weekly Pay Hourly Wage
75th Percentile $73,235 $6,103 $1,408 $35
Average $65,649 $5,471 $1,262 $32
25th Percentile $58,492 $4,874 $1,125 $28

Most common benefits for Youth Prevention Specialist

  • Social Security
  • 401 (k)
  • Disability
  • Healthcare
  • Pension
  • Time Off (days)

Common company salaries for Youth Prevention Specialist

Here are companies hiring for Youth Prevention Specialist and their salaries, click below for more details.

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FAQ about Youth Prevention Specialist

1. What industry pays the highest salary for Youth Prevention Specialist?

The Healthcare. industry offers the highest average compensation for Youth Prevention Specialist roles, with salaries approximately 5% above the market median.

Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?

Salary.com provides salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons using data from employer job postings and third-party sources.

We offer detailed salary information across multiple percentiles for your reference. (Click here to learn Why the Salary Midpoint Formula Is Crucial for Achieving Pay Equity.)

With the most extensive online, real-time compensation data available, Salary.com helps you pinpoint your exact pay target.

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