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
Top-level social worker earnings begin at:
$33.04 per hour
$68,722 per year
Senior-level social worker earnings begin at:
$26.36 per hour
$54,825 per year
Mid-level social worker earnings begin at:
$20.51 per hour
$42,654 per year
Junior-level social worker earnings begin at:
$15.95 per hour
$33,185 per year
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 about the same as related careers in the United States. On average, they make less than mental health counselors but more than rehabilitation counselors.
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Mental health counselor salary | $48K |
| Librarian salary | $55K |
| Career counselor salary | $48K |
| Political scientist salary | $45K |
| Meter reader salary | $44K |
| Social worker salary | $43K |
| American sign language interpreter salary | $41K |
| Tailor salary | $42K |
| Piano tuner salary | $41K |
| Rehabilitation counselor salary | $41K |
Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)