Licensed Clinical Social Worker Salary in the United States
How much does a Licensed Clinical Social Worker make in the United States?
As of July 01, 2026, the average salary for a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in the United States is $83,616 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $40.
However, a Licensed Clinical Social Worker's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:
Top Earners (90th percentile): $100,869
Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $74,635 to $92,647
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): $79,595
Early Career (1-2 years): $80,265
Mid-Level (2-4 years): $84,290
Senior-Level (5-8 years): $88,064
Expert (over 8 years): $88,738
Levels
Salary
Entry Level Licensed Clinical Social Worker
$79,595
Intermediate Level Licensed Clinical Social Worker
$80,265
Senior Level Licensed Clinical Social Worker
$84,290
Specialist Level Licensed Clinical Social Worker
$88,064
Expert Level Licensed Clinical Social Worker
$88,738
$79,5950 yr
$80,265< 2 yrs
$84,2902-4 yrs
$88,0645-8 yrs
$88,738> 8 yrs
View as Table
View as Graph
What Am I Worth?
How Do Licensed Clinical Social Worker 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:
Top Paying Cities for Licensed Clinical Social Workers
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: $105,465
San Francisco: $104,310
Oakland: $102,112
San Jose, CA$105,465
San Francisco, CA$104,310
Oakland, CA$102,112
New York, NY$96,275
Paramus, NJ$95,104
Queens Village, NY$95,100
Passaic, NJ$95,020
Bergenfield, NJ$95,013
Stamford, CT$94,829
Huntington, NY$94,795
Newark, NJ$94,177
Bridgeport, CT$94,000
Vallejo, CA$93,834
New Brunswick, NJ$93,800
Petaluma, CA$93,750
Middlesex, NJ$93,591
Somerset, NJ$93,533
Santa Cruz, CA$93,424
Boston, MA$92,914
Monterey, CA$92,621
Seattle, WA$92,429
Santa Rosa, CA$92,412
Los Angeles, CA$92,387
Juneau, AK$92,170
Washington, DC$92,078
Orange, CA$91,780
Santa Ana, CA$91,560
Long Beach, CA$91,476
Anaheim, CA$91,459
Anchorage, AK$91,417
Santa Maria, CA$91,167
Everett, WA$91,150
Danbury, CT$90,855
Bremerton, WA$90,740
Tacoma, WA$90,439
New Suffolk, NY$90,437
Sacramento, CA$90,414
Santa Barbara, CA$90,322
Trenton, NJ$90,230
San Diego, CA$90,230
Brockton, MA$90,138
Fairbanks, AK$89,933
Lompoc, CA$89,720
Lowell, MA$89,652
Ventura, CA$89,636
Nashua, NH$89,620
Stockton, CA$89,611
Modesto, CA$89,001
Poughkeepsie, NY$88,817
Olympia, WA$88,658
Kennewick, WA$88,658
New Haven, CT$88,625
Lawrence, MA$88,324
Hartford, CT$88,240
Riverside, CA$88,223
New Bedford, MA$88,140
Richland, WA$88,140
Bakersfield, CA$88,023
San Bernardino, CA$87,989
New Britain, CT$87,981
Atlantic City, NJ$87,981
New London, CT$87,947
Norwich, CT$87,922
Portsmouth, NH$87,906
Boulder, CO$87,728
Portland, OR$87,613
Worcester, MA$87,604
Minneapolis, MN$87,345
Philadelphia, PA$87,228
Honolulu, HI$86,952
Saint Paul, MN$86,912
Vineland, NJ$86,894
Providence, RI$86,651
Chicago, IL$86,409
Bellingham, WA$86,308
Springfield, MA$86,242
Baltimore, MD$86,216
Chico, CA$86,007
Pittsfield, MA$85,782
Manchester, NH$85,623
Spokane, WA$85,255
Denver, CO$85,247
Albany, NY$84,854
Troy, NY$84,820
Nassau, NY$84,731
Schenectady, NY$84,644
Wilmington, DE$84,578
Burlington, VT$84,461
Salem, OR$84,427
Portland, ME$84,168
Yakima, WA$84,084
Rochester, MN$83,825
Reno, NV$83,783
Fresno, CA$83,783
Milwaukee, WI$83,708
Detroit, MI$83,624
Ann Arbor, MI$83,610
Allentown, PA$83,599
Colorado Springs, CO$83,457
Syracuse, NY$83,415
Carson City, NV$83,415
Houston, TX$83,298
Eugene, OR$83,256
Gary, IN$83,156
Springfield, OR$83,089
Bismarck, ND$83,072
Galveston, TX$83,014
Medford, OR$82,889
Fort Collins, CO$82,855
Concord, NH$82,813
Austin, TX$82,788
Mesa, AZ$82,613
Reading, PA$82,604
Phoenix, AZ$82,596
Dallas, TX$82,571
Saint Cloud, MN$82,491
Madison, WI$82,378
Utica, NY$82,153
Rochester, NY$82,019
Des Moines, IA$82,011
Raleigh, NC$82,002
Atlanta, GA$81,877
Battle Creek, MI$81,852
Salt Lake City, UT$81,827
Lancaster, PA$81,701
Harrisburg, PA$81,584
Kansas City, MO$81,501
Champaign, IL$81,484
Kansas City, KS$81,484
Fort Worth, TX$81,475
Columbus, OH$81,461
Boca Raton, FL$81,442
Pittsburgh, PA$81,409
Richmond, VA$81,375
Indianapolis, IN$81,358
Cleveland, OH$81,350
Las Vegas, NV$81,250
Cincinnati, OH$81,250
Petersburg, VA$81,124
Huntsville, AL$80,999
Lansing, MI$80,943
Lebanon, PA$80,932
Pueblo, CO$80,924
Appleton, WI$80,898
Buffalo, NY$80,865
Dayton, OH$80,840
Racine, WI$80,823
Charlotte, NC$80,815
Saint Louis, MO$80,790
York, PA$80,740
Elkhart, IN$80,740
Gastonia, NC$80,724
Billings, MT$80,704
Beaumont, TX$80,681
Lorain, OH$80,664
Benton Harbor, MI$80,648
Toledo, OH$80,631
Binghamton, NY$80,589
Rock Hill, SC$80,581
Rockford, IL$80,539
Springfield, IL$80,505
Elyria, OH$80,497
Fargo, ND$80,497
Flagstaff, AZ$80,439
Fort Lauderdale, FL$80,388
Duluth, MN$80,338
Miami, FL$80,338
Cheyenne, WY$80,280
Grand Forks, ND$80,280
Bangor, ME$80,096
Cedar Rapids, IA$80,004
Durham, NC$79,969
Louisville, KY$79,962
Grand Rapids, MI$79,945
Hialeah, FL$79,937
Casper, WY$79,820
Scranton, PA$79,719
New Orleans, LA$79,694
Virginia Beach, VA$79,686
Akron, OH$79,644
Peoria, IL$79,536
Sarasota, FL$79,519
Nashville, TN$79,460
Omaha, NE$79,460
Green Bay, WI$79,460
Baton Rouge, LA$79,418
Charleston, SC$79,402
Jamestown, NY$79,360
Davenport, IA$79,360
Tucson, AZ$79,318
Saint Petersburg, FL$79,268
Tampa, FL$79,251
Evansville, IN$79,201
Port Arthur, TX$79,201
Bradenton, FL$79,168
Santa Fe, NM$79,017
Orlando, FL$78,867
Clearwater, FL$78,842
Canton, OH$78,666
La Crosse, WI$78,666
Albuquerque, NM$78,616
Newport News, VA$78,607
High Point, NC$78,582
Ogden, UT$78,549
Corpus Christi, TX$78,482
Norfolk, VA$78,432
Laramie, WY$78,432
Rock Island, IL$78,382
Saginaw, MI$78,365
Jacksonville, FL$78,357
Salisbury, NC$78,340
Boise, ID$78,323
Moline, IL$78,281
Fort Myers, FL$78,256
Memphis, TN$78,239
Tulsa, OK$78,198
Waterloo, IA$78,148
Spartanburg, SC$78,064
Lincoln, NE$78,022
Fort Wayne, IN$78,005
Provo, UT$77,997
Cedar Falls, IA$77,897
San Antonio, TX$77,863
Greensboro, NC$77,830
South Bend, IN$77,821
Savannah, GA$77,729
Muskegon, MI$77,696
Birmingham, AL$77,688
Winston Salem, NC$77,647
Lake Charles, LA$77,445
Anderson, IN$77,428
Lexington, KY$77,403
Augusta, GA$77,378
Greenville, SC$77,378
Lima, OH$77,311
Wichita, KS$77,303
Tuscaloosa, AL$77,303
Columbia, SC$77,228
Springfield, OH$77,211
Asheville, NC$77,077
Bloomington, IN$77,019
Knoxville, TN$76,718
Shreveport, LA$76,709
Wilmington, NC$76,601
Roanoke, VA$76,601
Topeka, KS$76,450
Frankfort, KY$76,441
Oklahoma City, OK$76,383
Chillicothe, OH$76,350
Longview, TX$76,341
Melbourne, FL$76,333
Sioux Falls, SD$76,199
Mobile, AL$76,191
Terre Haute, IN$76,157
Altoona, PA$76,107
Amarillo, TX$76,049
Killeen, TX$76,024
Fayetteville, AR$75,957
Chattanooga, TN$75,932
Sioux City, IA$75,856
Idaho Falls, ID$75,840
Lynchburg, VA$75,773
Gainesville, FL$75,664
Portsmouth, OH$75,622
Little Rock, AR$75,606
Lafayette, LA$75,572
Youngstown, OH$75,572
Daytona Beach, FL$75,522
Clarksville, TN$75,514
Pensacola, FL$75,505
Temple, TX$75,499
Hopkinsville, KY$75,254
Erie, PA$75,238
Florence, SC$75,204
Charleston, WV$75,070
Great Falls, MT$75,029
Macon, GA$74,912
Tallahassee, FL$74,903
Fayetteville, NC$74,886
Waco, TX$74,870
Helena, MT$74,811
Pine Bluff, AR$74,779
Vincennes, IN$74,677
Lubbock, TX$74,644
Alamogordo, NM$74,594
Twin Falls, ID$74,519
Rapid City, SD$74,493
Jackson, MS$74,343
Huntington, WV$74,337
Greenville, MS$74,335
Parkersburg, WV$74,249
Montgomery, AL$74,234
Wichita Falls, TX$74,151
Springfield, MO$74,151
Biloxi, MS$74,109
Monroe, LA$74,025
Johnstown, PA$73,967
Sumter, SC$73,933
Columbus, GA$73,925
Pascagoula, MS$73,766
Abilene, TX$73,766
Kingsport, TN$73,549
Albany, GA$73,549
Gulfport, MS$73,524
Alexandria, LA$73,248
Fort Smith, AR$73,039
El Paso, TX$72,813
Las Cruces, NM$72,437
Harlingen, TX$72,224
Pocatello, ID$72,211
Florence, AL$72,102
Brownsville, TX$72,085
Mcallen, TX$71,910
Dothan, AL$71,793
Columbus, MS$71,296
Altus, OK$70,906
Lawton, OK$70,747
Pierre, SD$70,446
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.
See More Skills
Skills
Demand Percentage
Leadership
9.21%
Psychotherapy
2.34%
Integrated Care
1.6%
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
$86,961
4%
Psychiatric
$86,961
4%
Organizational Skills
$85,288
2%
Presentation
$85,288
2%
Pediatric
$85,288
2%
Psychotherapy
$85,288
2%
Get Latest Data
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 $90,210.
While startup companies pay approximate $76,542.
Licensed Clinical Social Worker Salary by Company Size
Company Size
Employees
Average Salary
Startup
1~50
$76,542
Growth Stage
51~500
$80,897
Established
501~5000
$87,175
Enterprise
5000+
$90,210
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
$100,339
$48.0
20%
How Education impacts a Licensed Clinical Social Worker's Salary?
Your level of education can impact your salary potential.
While many Licensed Clinical Social Workers enter the field with a Master's Degree or MBA degree,
higher education can lead to more specialized and higher-paying roles.
According to our 100% employer-reported salary data,
the median salary for a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with a Master's Degree or MBA is between
$79,956
and $83,861).
Licensed Clinical Social Worker Salaries by Degree Level
Typical Education for Licensed Clinical Social Worker
No Diploma0.5%
High School0.5%
Associates1.6%
Bachelors1.9%
Masters94.5%
Doctorate1.4%
view as table
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.
Hourly
Monthly
Weekly
Yearly
Table View
Last Updated on July 01, 2026
$74,635
Average$83,616/year
$92,647
$6,220
Average$6,968/month
$7,721
$1,435
Average$1,608/week
$1,782
$36
Average$40/hour
$45
Annual Salary
Monthly Pay
Weekly Pay
Hourly Wage
75th Percentile
$92,647
$7,721
$1,782
$45
Average
$83,616
$6,968
$1,608
$40
25th Percentile
$74,635
$6,220
$1,435
$36
Licensed Clinical Social Worker Salary Growth & Career Path
For a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, the most direct path to higher earnings is advancing to the Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor role.
This promotion typically comes with a significant pay increase, bringing the average annual salary to
$81,872 - a projected growth of
-2%
over your current level.
Salaries of jobs related to Licensed Clinical Social Worker
Salaries for a Licensed Clinical Social Worker can change over time,
reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy.
The median salary decreased from $87,342 in 2023
to around $86,120 in 2025,
reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy.
For a detailed analysis of Licensed Clinical Social Worker salary trends,
.
Average Annual Salary of Licensed Clinical Social Worker Over Time
2022
$???
2023
$87,342
2024
$87,502
2025
$86,120
2026
$???
2027
$???
Year
Average Annual Salary
2022
View More
2023
$87,342
2024
$87,502
2025
$86,120
2026
View More
2027
View More
Most common benefits for Licensed Clinical Social Worker
Social Security
401(k)
Disability
Healthcare
Pension
Time Off (days)
For Employers
If your compensation planning software is too rigid to deploy winning incentive strategies, it’s time to find an adaptable solution.
Compensation Planning
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.
N
$97,099/per year
New York Police Department
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
S
$95,962/per year
State of New York - Metropolitan Transportation Authority
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
U
$94,615/per year
US Department of Transportation
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
U
$93,141/per year
US General Services Administration
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
L
$92,342/per year
Los Angeles County
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
D
$92,011/per year
Department of Justice - Federal Bureau of Prisons
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
U
$91,967/per year
US Department of Commerce
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
U
$91,755/per year
US Department of Energy
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
F
$91,673/per year
Federal Bureau of Investigation
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
N
$90,276/per year
Naval Sea Systems Command
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
T
$88,975/per year
The US Immigration and Customs Enforcement
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
S
$88,721/per year
San Diego County
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
T
$88,664/per year
The TTB
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
L
$87,569/per year
Lutheran Services
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
M
$85,066/per year
Maryland Inc
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
S
$83,780/per year
State University of New York
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
N
$82,969/per year
New York State
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
P
$82,703/per year
Puerto Rico Department of Education
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
U
$80,526/per year
US Central Command
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
H
$80,286/per year
Health and Safety Executive Northern Ireland
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
A
$79,270/per year
Air Force Reserve
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
A
$78,505/per year
American Automobile Association (AAA)
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
S
$76,678/per year
State of Florida - Department of Health
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
N
$75,183/per year
New York State Department
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
S
$75,106/per year
State University System of Florida
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
Find Your Next Licensed Clinical Social Worker Job
Ready to take the next step in your career?
Browse thousands of current Licensed Clinical Social Worker job openings on our job board.
Use the search bar below to find your perfect match.
For Employees
Get a Salary Increase
Analyze the market and your qualifications to negotiate your salary with confidence.
Search Job Openings
Search thousands of open positions to find your next opportunity.
For Employers
Adjust Employee Salary
Individualize employee pay based on unique job requirements and personal qualifications.
Price My Industry Jobs
Get the latest market price for benchmark jobs and jobs in your industry.
FAQ about Licensed Clinical Social Worker
1. Where can a Licensed Clinical Social Worker earn the most?
A Licensed Clinical Social Worker's earning potential can vary widely depending on several factors, including location, industry, experience, education, and the specific employer.
According to the latest salary data by Salary.com, a Licensed Clinical Social Worker earns the most in San Jose, CA, where the annual salary of a Licensed Clinical Social Worker is $105,465.
2. What is the highest pay for Licensed Clinical Social Worker?
The highest pay for Licensed Clinical Social Worker is $100,869.
3. What is the lowest pay for Licensed Clinical Social Worker?
The lowest pay for Licensed Clinical Social Worker is $66,458.
4. 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.
5. What industry pays the highest salary for Licensed Clinical Social Worker?
The Insurance industry offers the highest average compensation for Licensed Clinical Social Worker roles,
with salaries approximately 20% above the market median.
Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?
Salary.com provides salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons using data from employer job postings and third-party sources.
Compensation Planning
Develop a Job Description
Pay Equity
2026 Compensation Trend
AI Onboarding
Recruit with AI
