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Hourly Wage for Licensed Clinical Social Worker Salary in the United States

What is the hourly salary range of Licensed Clinical Social Worker?

As of August 01, 2026, the average hourly rate for a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in the United States is $40, which translates to an annual salary of about $83,633.

However, the hourly wage can vary significantly based on several factors. Here’s a detailed look at the typical pay range per hour:

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $49 per hour
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $36 to $45 per hour
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $32 per hour
Salary Factors Salary-Boosting Skills Salary by Experience Related Job Salaries Top Paying Cities Explore Related Jobs

Key Factors That Influence Licensed Clinical Social Worker Salaries

A Licensed Clinical Social Worker'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 Licensed Clinical Social Worker Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Licensed Clinical Social Worker'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): $79,614
  • Early Career (1-2 years): $80,284
  • Mid-Level (2-4 years): $84,307
  • Senior-Level (5-8 years): $88,085
  • Expert (over 8 years): $88,759
Levels Salary
Entry Level Licensed Clinical Social Worker$79,614
Intermediate Level Licensed Clinical Social Worker$80,284
Senior Level Licensed Clinical Social Worker$84,307
Specialist Level Licensed Clinical Social Worker$88,085
Expert Level Licensed Clinical Social Worker$88,759
View as Graph

How Do Licensed Clinical Social Workers 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 Licensed Clinical Social Workers. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:
  • District of Columbia: $92,598.
  • California: $92,247.
  • Massachusetts: $91,018.

Top Paying Cities for Licensed Clinical Social Worker

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: $105,486
  • San Francisco: $104,331
  • Oakland: $102,133

What Skills Can Increase a Licensed Clinical Social Worker's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Leadership (Mentioned in 9.21% Job Postings): Knowledge of and ability to employ effective strategies that motivate and guide other members within our business to achieve optimum results.
  • Psychotherapy (Mentioned in 2.34% Job Postings): Psychotherapy can help eliminate or control troubling symptoms so a person can function better and can increase well-being and healing.
  • Integrated Care (Mentioned in 1.6% Job Postings): It is care that is planned with people who work together to understand the service user and their carer(s), puts them in control and coordinates and delivers services to achieve the best outcomes.
Skills Demand Percentage
Leadership 9.21%
Psychotherapy 2.34%
Integrated Care 1.6%
See More Skills

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 Licensed Clinical Social Worker's salary.

  • Clinical Care: Can increase your salary by up to 4%.
  • Psychiatric: Can increase your salary by up to 4%.
  • Organizational Skills: Can increase your salary by up to 2%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Clinical Care $86,978
4%
Psychiatric $86,978
4%
Organizational Skills $85,306
2%
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Licensed Clinical Social Worker Salary by Company Size: Startups vs. Enterprise

Licensed Clinical Social Worker salary potential scales significantly with company size. Data shows that Enterprise companies (5,000+ employees) pay the highest average salary at around $90,095. While startup companies pay approximate $76,486.

Licensed Clinical Social Worker Salary by Company Size

Company Size Employees Average Salary
Startup 1~50 $76,486
Growth Stage 51~500 $80,829
Established 501~5000 $87,060
Enterprise 5000+ $90,095

Licensed Clinical Social Worker Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors

For Licensed Clinical Social Worker roles, the industry you choose can impact your earning potential by as much as 40% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries). Data shows that the highest-paying industry, Insurance, offers compensation 20% above the average. Conversely, Licensed Clinical Social Worker positions in Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit typically offer lower base pay, as this sector often view Licensed Clinical Social Worker as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.

The top paying industry for a Licensed Clinical Social Worker

Industry Sector Average Annual Salary Average Hourly Rate Pay vs.Avg
Insurance$100,360$48.020%

How Education impacts an Licensed Clinical Social Worker's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Licensed Clinical Social Worker enter the field with a Bachelor's Degree, higher education can lead to more specialized and higher-paying roles.

According to our 100% employer-reported salary data, the median salary for an Licensed Clinical Social Worker with a Bachelor's Degree is between $0 and $0.

Licensed Clinical Social Worker Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Licensed Clinical Social Worker
Degree Level % of user with this level of education
No Diploma 0.5%
High School 0.5%
Associates 1.6%
Bachelors 1.9%
Masters 94.5%
Doctorate 1.4%
View as Graph

Licensed Clinical Social Worker Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Licensed Clinical Social Worker'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 August 01, 2026
$74,657
Average $83,633/year
$92,671
$6,221
Average $6,969/month
$7,723
$1,436
Average $1,608/week
$1,782
$36
Average $40/hour
$45
Annual Salary Monthly Pay Weekly Pay Hourly Wage
75th Percentile $92,671 $7,723 $1,782 $45
Average $83,633 $6,969 $1,608 $40
25th Percentile $74,657 $6,221 $1,436 $36

Most common benefits for Licensed Clinical Social Worker

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

Common company salaries for Licensed Clinical Social Worker

Here are companies hiring for Licensed Clinical Social Worker and their salaries, click below for more details.

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FAQ about Licensed Clinical Social Worker

1. What are the responsibilities of Licensed Clinical Social Worker?

Provides clinical social work services to patients and their families. Counsels and provides crisis intervention for patients, including assessment and treatment of emotional and behavioral problems. Coaches patients on how to manage ongoing health conditions and provides therapy to help patients make positive behavior changes. Requires a master's degree in social work. Requires Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW). Requires the applicable State License to Practice Clinical Social Work. Typically reports to a head of a unit/department. Years of experience may be unspecified. Certification and/or licensing in the position's specialty is the main requirement.

2. What are the skills of Licensed Clinical Social Worker

Specify the abilities and skills that a person needs in order to carry out the specified job duties. Each competency has five to ten behavioral assertions that can be observed, each with a corresponding performance level (from one to five) that is required for a particular job.

1.)

Leadership: Knowledge of and ability to employ effective strategies that motivate and guide other members within our business to achieve optimum results.

2.)

Psychotherapy: Psychotherapy can help eliminate or control troubling symptoms so a person can function better and can increase well-being and healing.

3.)

Integrated Care: It is care that is planned with people who work together to understand the service user and their carer(s), puts them in control and coordinates and delivers services to achieve the best outcomes.

Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?

Salary.com salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons are derived from both employer job postings and third-party data sources. We also provide multiple percentiles of salary information for your reference, click here to know Why the Salary Midpoint Formula Is Crucial to Getting Pay Equity Right. With more online, real-time compensation data than any other website, Salary.com helps you determine your exact pay target.

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