Introduction. Pedagogy of social education is a new branch of pedagogy, therefore its categorical and terminological apparatus is characterized by unformedness and undevelopedness. The presence of a categorical and terminological apparatus ensures the fundamentality and solidity of science, which requires its development. A correct and scientifically substantiated categorical and terminological apparatus of social education will contribute to the further concretized and objectified search for scientific knowledge about social education.Purpose setting. The theoretical analysis of publications indicates that systematic studies on the terminological content of pedagogy are isolated, and are more related to the historical aspects of the development of pedagogy in the analysis of individual categories/concepts, and not with its current state. It is revealed that the research of pedagogical categories and concepts is actively conducted in new branches of pedagogical science. Systematic studies of the categorical and terminological apparatus of social education are not carried out either in Russia or abroad. The purpose of the article is to search and analyze the classification of categories of social education.Methodology and methods of the study. The study used theoretical research methods: analysis, synthesis, systematization, comparison, and classification method.Results. A two-level classification of the scientific categories of social education has been developed, which includes categories of the first and second order.Conclusion. Categories of the first order created by means of mechanisms for the formation of categories of classification and include a key category, synthesized, integrated and additional categories. Categories of the second order are formed according to the criterion of the basic assignment of categories. Classification of categories of the second order includes the base category, system and process categories.