The average salary for a social worker in California is around $61,690 per year.
Avg Salary
Social workers earn an average yearly salary of $61,690.
Wages typically start from $38,520 and go up to $103,230.
12% below national average Updated in 2021
Social worker earnings by seniority
90th percentile
Top-level social worker earnings begin at:
$49.63 per hour
$103,230 per year
75th percentile
Senior-level social worker earnings begin at:
$41.41 per hour
$86,130 per year
50th percentile
Mid-level social worker earnings begin at:
$29.66 per hour
$61,690 per year
25th percentile
Junior-level social worker earnings begin at:
$23.38 per hour
$48,620 per year
10th percentile
Starting level social worker earnings begin at:
$18.52 per hour
$38,520 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 California. On average, they make less than firefighters but more than meter readers.
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Firefighter salary | $78K |
| Fire inspector salary | $73K |
| American sign language interpreter salary | $71K |
| Clergy member salary | $63K |
| Ambulance dispatcher salary | $71K |
| Social worker salary | $62K |
| Private detective salary | $63K |
| Family social worker salary | $61K |
| Landscaper salary | $59K |
| Meter reader salary | $59K |
Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)