The average salary for a social worker in the United States is around $42,654 per year.
Avg Salary
Social workers earn an average yearly salary of $42,654.
Wages typically start from $26,474 and go up to $68,722.
31% below national average Updated in 2023
Social worker earnings by seniority
90th percentile
Top-level social worker earnings begin at:
$33.04 per hour
$68,722 per year
75th percentile
Senior-level social worker earnings begin at:
$26.36 per hour
$54,825 per year
50th percentile
Mid-level social worker earnings begin at:
$20.51 per hour
$42,654 per year
25th percentile
Junior-level social worker earnings begin at:
$15.95 per hour
$33,185 per year
10th percentile
Starting level social worker earnings begin at:
$12.73 per hour
$26,474 per year
Approximate values based on highest and lowest earning segments.
Social worker salary by state
| State Name | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| Hawaii | $90,540 |
| Massachusetts | $88,770 |
| Nevada | $86,510 |
| Georgia | $81,620 |
| Washington | $81,510 |
| New Hampshire | $80,540 |
| South Dakota | $78,640 |
| Rhode Island | $77,970 |
| South Carolina | $77,480 |
| New York | $76,410 |
| Kansas | $76,190 |
| Virginia | $75,800 |
| Idaho | $74,850 |
| North Dakota | $73,260 |
| West Virginia | $73,260 |
| Indiana | $71,700 |
| Alabama | $71,300 |
| Illinois | $71,120 |
| Pennsylvania | $68,370 |
| Delaware | $67,230 |
| Texas | $67,190 |
| North Carolina | $67,160 |
| Iowa | $64,650 |
| Connecticut | $64,380 |
| Minnesota | $63,480 |
| New Jersey | $63,410 |
| Maryland | $63,340 |
| California | $61,690 |
| Michigan | $61,210 |
| Nebraska | $61,210 |
| Arizona | $60,510 |
| Wisconsin | $60,040 |
| District of Columbia | $60,020 |
| Vermont | $58,390 |
| Ohio | $57,390 |
| New Mexico | $57,370 |
| Louisiana | $54,730 |
| Oregon | $54,220 |
| Oklahoma | $53,410 |
| Wyoming | $50,970 |
| Maine | $50,070 |
| Alaska | $49,630 |
| Colorado | $48,620 |
| Mississippi | $47,820 |
| Florida | $47,260 |
| Guam | $46,920 |
| Montana | $46,920 |
| Kentucky | $46,640 |
| Utah | $45,360 |
| Tennessee | $39,820 |
| Arkansas | $37,200 |
| Missouri | $37,200 |
| Puerto Rico | $30,010 |
How do social worker salaries compare to similar careers?
Social workers earn 6% less than similar careers in the United States. On average, they make less than private detectives but more than ambulance dispatchers.
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Private detective salary | $58K |
| Arbitrator salary | $49K |
| Precious metal worker salary | $50K |
| Librarian salary | $55K |
| Meter reader salary | $44K |
| Social worker salary | $43K |
| American sign language interpreter salary | $41K |
| Tailor salary | $42K |
| Piano tuner salary | $41K |
| Ambulance dispatcher salary | $40K |
Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)